Madurai-Goa-Mumbai-Jaipur-Delhi-Manali-?-Madurai in 20 days.

Rahulk76 · 12th December 2009, 22:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by NihilisticLogic

Big thanks to hvkumar for the suggestions and the links to the logs ( I'm going through them now ).
longford, thank you for the tips with the road conditions in rajasthan; if you would avoid one of the "fort'sy" type places, which one would it be?
vkochar, thank you for your encouragement, it helps more than one might imagine.

Trip should begin by the final week of this month, and hopefully will fit within 20 days.

Hello

I am onway to J&k starting from pune early 19th morning. More details are posted here http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ammu-pune.html.

NihilisticLogic · 19th December 2009, 22:22

The trip schedule has been finalized. I'll post the route, sights, hotels tomorrow. Probably leaving in the coming week. Big thanks for the route suggestions, I've modified my plans accordingly.

I just had one question thats been itching me for a long while now.

Since I am going solo, is it safe to drive through the states of rajasthan, gujarat, himachal, punjab, delhi? I know that it is indeed probably safer than the trip I took through the east coast of india but I am still a bit apprehensive.

I have made a list of things I have to follow to enure my safety, but if there are any particular stretches of road ( manali- amritsar - bikaner ), where I might get waylaid by highway robbers?, I would like to know about it, so I can remain alert.

I just need some encouragement from Team-bhp. I know I shouldn't be worried about driving in my own country, but...

Finally, 2 questions:
1] Madurai- Mangalore route ; I will be taking the palani-pollachi-palakkad route, is this right?
2] Manali- Amritsar ; I will do this in 2 days ( manali- dharamsala and dharamsala- amritsar ), is this fine?

hvkumar · 19th December 2009, 23:09

No safety issues anywhere en route (in GJ, RJ, DL, HP, PB, HR) day or night.
Madurai-Mangalore routing is perfect. From Palakkad, you will join NH17 near Kozhikode, via Perinthalmanna.
Manali-Dharamasala is quite a long drive, so leave Manali early morning. D'Sala-A'Sar is just a 5 hour drive.

NihilisticLogic · 21st December 2009, 20:04

Thanks a bunch hvkumar, I guess I should be able to handle the trip alone. I have got a bunch of phone numbers of hotels at all places along the route and will make the bookings on the day that I might reach them.

Considering that the new year is about to begin, will some places along my route ( goa, shimla and others ) have no free rooms?

During such an instance, what do you think of sleeping in the vehicle?
Under the rare circumstance that I do have to sleep in the vehicle, my plan is to park it in some fuel bunk, center of the city, near a police station and sleep.
Is this safe to do in india? Is it legal? What problems could I expect to face?

Also, is it fine if I keep the a.c./heater running through the night? Do I need to keep some windows slightly open if the a.c./heater is running? I will of course put it on fresh air.

I haven't found the time to redo my original excel file with all the details, but I hope to post details of my journey and queries within this same thread the next few days. Is this fine?

It seems insane but Team-bhp is the only reason I bought the vehicle and am doing this trip, I am really thankful for all the support.

Finally, I need to find some hotel to stay between between goregaon and vasai. I have lived in bombay for 18 years but unfortunately am not able to find any decent hotels on that stretch.

hvkumar · 21st December 2009, 23:17

Take details/ phone numbers from web-sites of RTDC, Haryana Tourism, HP Tourism.

You will get rooms.

Sleeping in the car - park it next to a dhaaba or in a petrol pump compound (all allowed by the Indian hospitality), no problems at all (make sure there is a toilet nearby). When I do something like that, I keep my window partly open, doors all locked, no engines running. The weather is nice and cold, no need for AC, and unsafe to keep windows closed.

The best place to stay between Goregoan and Vasai is a Hotel Fountain/ Express Inn at Ghodbunder on NH8 - reasonably priced, OK for a single male, decent rooms, guys I know have stayed there jhave lived to tell the tale.

There are also several hotels between Ghodbunder and Vapi, at Vasai, Manor, Charoty, Talasari and Bhilad.

19th December 2009, 22:22	#17
NihilisticLogic BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Tamil Nadu Posts: 25 Thanked: 5 Times	Safety- The trip schedule has been finalized. I'll post the route, sights, hotels tomorrow. Probably leaving in the coming week. Big thanks for the route suggestions, I've modified my plans accordingly. I just had one question thats been itching me for a long while now. Since I am going solo, is it safe to drive through the states of rajasthan, gujarat, himachal, punjab, delhi? I know that it is indeed probably safer than the trip I took through the east coast of india but I am still a bit apprehensive. I have made a list of things I have to follow to enure my safety, but if there are any particular stretches of road ( manali- amritsar - bikaner ), where I might get waylaid by highway robbers?, I would like to know about it, so I can remain alert. I just need some encouragement from Team-bhp. I know I shouldn't be worried about driving in my own country, but... Finally, 2 questions: 1] Madurai- Mangalore route ; I will be taking the palani-pollachi-palakkad route, is this right? 2] Manali- Amritsar ; I will do this in 2 days ( manali- dharamsala and dharamsala- amritsar ), is this fine?
	() Thanks

19th December 2009, 23:09	#18
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,454 Times	No safety issues anywhere en route (in GJ, RJ, DL, HP, PB, HR) day or night. Madurai-Mangalore routing is perfect. From Palakkad, you will join NH17 near Kozhikode, via Perinthalmanna. Manali-Dharamasala is quite a long drive, so leave Manali early morning. D'Sala-A'Sar is just a 5 hour drive.
	() Thanks

21st December 2009, 20:04	#19
NihilisticLogic BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Tamil Nadu Posts: 25 Thanked: 5 Times	Leaving- Thanks a bunch hvkumar, I guess I should be able to handle the trip alone. I have got a bunch of phone numbers of hotels at all places along the route and will make the bookings on the day that I might reach them. Considering that the new year is about to begin, will some places along my route ( goa, shimla and others ) have no free rooms? During such an instance, what do you think of sleeping in the vehicle? Under the rare circumstance that I do have to sleep in the vehicle, my plan is to park it in some fuel bunk, center of the city, near a police station and sleep. Is this safe to do in india? Is it legal? What problems could I expect to face? Also, is it fine if I keep the a.c./heater running through the night? Do I need to keep some windows slightly open if the a.c./heater is running? I will of course put it on fresh air. I haven't found the time to redo my original excel file with all the details, but I hope to post details of my journey and queries within this same thread the next few days. Is this fine? It seems insane but Team-bhp is the only reason I bought the vehicle and am doing this trip, I am really thankful for all the support. Finally, I need to find some hotel to stay between between goregaon and vasai. I have lived in bombay for 18 years but unfortunately am not able to find any decent hotels on that stretch.
	() Thanks

21st December 2009, 23:17	#20
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,454 Times	Take details/ phone numbers from web-sites of RTDC, Haryana Tourism, HP Tourism. You will get rooms. Sleeping in the car - park it next to a dhaaba or in a petrol pump compound (all allowed by the Indian hospitality), no problems at all (make sure there is a toilet nearby). When I do something like that, I keep my window partly open, doors all locked, no engines running. The weather is nice and cold, no need for AC, and unsafe to keep windows closed. The best place to stay between Goregoan and Vasai is a Hotel Fountain/ Express Inn at Ghodbunder on NH8 - reasonably priced, OK for a single male, decent rooms, guys I know have stayed there jhave lived to tell the tale. There are also several hotels between Ghodbunder and Vapi, at Vasai, Manor, Charoty, Talasari and Bhilad.
	() Thanks