[khoj]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Saw quite a bit of talk of doing Ajmer and then continuing,very bad idea.We just came back 2 days back and we intended to do Jaipur-Pushkar-Ajmer and reach Udaipur the same evening.On paper it looked very simple,but when we reached there we found out how humanly impossible it is!!The roads to the dargah are extremely narrow and the shops have extended counters jutting onto the roads,people were parking their cars are the base of the hill and walking up which would mean a whole day's trek(not to forget the touts' harassment)we offered our respects from the car and drove out.Same case for Pushkar as well.

The road to the dargah has been like that for ages. But I do not seem to recall going up a hill that may seem like a day's trek unless you are figuratively speaking.

The trick to have a headache free visit is too park your car at one of the following places and then use local three wheeler to take you to the gate of the dargah/market entry and bring you back to your ride. Always do a package deal and pay money at the end, no advance. All of these guys have cell phones so communication is not an issue.
1. Rail Station parking
2. RTDC hotel Khadim or
3. Hotel Mansingh Palace

As for touts, well I view it as helping the local economy. You can get a tout from the Rail station, this works to be the cheapest and they can generally arrange the local transport too, they are mostly reliable. The RTDC chaps depending on who is on duty may or may not help you get a guide/tout so you can get one from one of the shops where you buy the flowers, scent etc etc.
Hotel Maharana will gladly arrange a very dignified gentleman of the right lineage for a fee, who has always managed to get the 3 wheeler to go right up to the Dargah gates. Quite influential on the inside too.

I always find it more agreeable to get a guide right from the hotel for temple/religious visits. It saves you the bother of fighting of a million others and then "a known devil is better than an unknown one". On the whole this has worked for the better as some of these gents are very resourcefull and if you are civil enough with them they can enrich your visit by some real gems of inputs whether they be in getting access to restricted areas or showing you off the beaten path kind of stuff.

I am not advocating that one should get a guide as a rule but merely posting from my experiences.

[harjeev]

Originally Posted by khoj

As for touts, well I view it as helping the local economy. You can get a tout from the Rail station, this works to be the cheapest and they can generally arrange the local transport too, they are mostly reliable. The RTDC chaps depending on who is on duty may or may not help you get a guide/tout so you can get one from one of the shops where you buy the flowers, scent etc etc.
Hotel Maharana will gladly arrange a very dignified gentleman of the right lineage for a fee, who has always managed to get the 3 wheeler to go right up to the Dargah gates. Quite influential on the inside too.

I always find it more agreeable to get a guide right from the hotel for temple/religious visits. It saves you the bother of fighting of a million others and then "a known devil is better than an unknown one". On the whole this has worked for the better as some of these gents are very resourcefull and if you are civil enough with them they can enrich your visit by some real gems of inputs whether they be in getting access to restricted areas or showing you off the beaten path kind of stuff.

I am not advocating that one should get a guide as a rule but merely posting from my experiences.

I really like this way of thinking. It changes my entire opinion and point of view of the whole thing.
Now I think of it, even if a tout takes like 200 bucks and one is on a 5 day trip, this increases the total holiday budget by just a 1000 bucks but the kind of knowledge one gets with something like this is worth much much more. Cheers to that
Harjeev

[deky]

Originally Posted by harjeev

I really like this way of thinking. It changes my entire opinion and point of view of the whole thing.
Now I think of it, even if a tout takes like 200 bucks and one is on a 5 day trip, this increases the total holiday budget by just a 1000 bucks but the kind of knowledge one gets with something like this is worth much much more. Cheers to that
Harjeev

Really going out of the topic here but I need to put my point of view forth too.

IMO touts are a menace and should not be encouraged. We as Indians (most of us who are well travelled) would know how to deal with them, but imagine the plight of the foreign tourists and other unsuspecting visitors who might be fleeced by them monetarily or otherwise. Thus leaving a sour taste in the mouth of the visitors.

This is one of the main reasons why places like Ajmer/ Pushkar and for that matter Jaipur too are loosing its charm because touts are on a rampage. Hence in the long run, touts just pocket a quick buck but do not help in the economy in the long run

I will site an example to validate my reasoning. Say a tout gets me a guest for my guesthouse. He would straight away charge me a 50% commission. So the room that is for Rs2000/- I have no other option to sell it for Rs2000/- so I can give Rs1000/- to the tout. On the other hand if a proper travel agent or a guide gets me a room, they do not ask for more than 20% or max 25%. So in the second case, after giving a commision of 25% i.e Rs.500/-, I can still give the guest a discount of Rs 200-300/- and make him happy.

Regards

[ranjitp1]

Second Dhiraj's opinion completely,touts etc at any touristy or religious place are a total menace,i dont mind if it is done in a structured manner,like the way the mule-rides are done in Kufri at Shimla,but the kind of things that happen in Jaipur,Ajmer,Pushkar leaves a very very bad taste.Another instance is the con job at the entry to the city palace in jaipur,immediately after the security check 3 people stand with a camera and a background,and forcibly click your pictures,telling you that its a gift from the palace and that its mandatory to be clicked,being the gullible outsiders that most of us tend to be when we are out,you allow yourselves to be clicked by those thugs(all these happen right in front of the guards)and you are told its a free service,when you come back and ask for the picture they tell you you need to pay 300-400rs to get the photo,when you point it out to them all the words they used,they tell you they only told us its free "clicking" and not free "copies" how smart can that be?and being pictures of tourists who are never going to come back,those pictures find themselves into advertisement shots for the studio without you ever knowing about it.If this is the condition meted out to normal Indian tourists,wonder what a foreign tourist with no clue of local conditions or language has to go through and the common sentiment that I found in the city (words from a local driver)"Goro ne hame kitne loota hain,tho abhi hamari bhaari hain"sorry but I dont subscribe to it!!!

[schitre05]

Query!
I will be travelling through Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar pradesh & Delhi.

I have Llumar 50 on my side and rear windows. I hope it is not illegal in any of the states. In Mumbai it has given me no problems with the cops. But I have heard that as soon as the cops see an other state registered car they start some new stories regarding legal requirements of sunfilms visibility.

Also if someone could list few must have spares to be carried in case of emergencies
I will be carrying tubeless puncture repair kit (I have seen the process).
I am in process of buying a hydraulic jack (any pointers here regarding specs, brands etc?).
In December there is a high probability of me encountering fog in the north. I am aware that in dense fog nothing can be done but one has to sit and wait for some sunlight to come, but in less dense fog which fog lamps do you all recommend.

Also I am planning to install an overhead carrier (approximate price)

please feel free to add list of important spares.

cheers!!

[hvkumar]

I think this shade may not pass muster in Delhi. I leave it to Delhiites to comment on the shade permissible.

Carry a tube also.
Carry m-seals, spare fuses.
You get trolley-type jacks, very easy to use. You can come see mine.
Heavy fog will be only in Delhi and Punjab region. You will have it once you start approaching Haryana on NH8. And also in Delhi-Agra region.

[schitre05]

Thanks Kumar, I will come and see.

The vista has factory fitted lamps in the bumper and they look similar to the headlights in terms of the throw of the light, what I know is that fogs have a yellow tinge, so i feel they would not be as effective.

yes Delhi guys help me on the llumar film legality or else i will have to drive with windows down in december, not a comfortable thing i guess :P

[khoj]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

I think this shade may not pass muster in Delhi. I leave it to Delhiites to comment on the shade permissible.

You get trolley-type jacks, very easy to use. You can come see mine.
Heavy fog will be only in Delhi and Punjab region. You will have it once you start approaching Haryana on NH8. And also in Delhi-Agra region.

hvKumar, these trolley jacks are they the same as used by the tyre shops? If different I too would appreciate more details on them.

Fog can be expected from Behror onwards, all the way through Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Western UP and Punjab.

Originally Posted by schitre05

Thanks Kumar, I will come and see.

The vista has factory fitted lamps in the bumper and they look similar to the headlights in terms of the throw of the light, what I know is that fogs have a yellow tinge, so i feel they would not be as effective.

yes Delhi guys help me on the llumar film legality or else i will have to drive with windows down in december, not a comfortable thing i guess :P

The Yellow fog lights are what will work in the fog.

As for the Solar film if it is a dark tint you could be looking at trouble in NCR, Haryana, as for Punjab police their reactions depend on their moods. Recently there have been episodes of the Delhi police simply cutting a few strips out of the dark films, basically ruining them and thereby forcing the vehicle owners to have the same removed. This after giving you a challan and collecting the fine. Haryana guys around Karnal and Ambala will stop you basically looking for chai paani using the dark films as an excuse.

[hvkumar]

Khoj, I have something like this, Italian make, cost me just Rs 1000. Very convenient to use, light and stacks away neatly.

[khoj]

hvkumar,

That is the stuff that dreams are made of. Where can I lay my hands on one or maybe even two. Kindly let me have the retailers contact details.

[hvkumar]

Khoj,
The one I have is a good Italian make, which I picked up in Hyper Mart car accessories section. I have found similar stuff with some of the auto accessories shops here. I am sure you will get it in the Reliance auto shop or any of the Delhi spares guys. I think the normal MRP is 1,200-1,500 - when I bought it, there was some discount offer.

[schitre05]

Hello Friends!!
The 'D' day has almost come.
We will start tomorrow (18th dec) early morning. target is 4am.
The plan stays somewhat unchanged

18th--- Thane- Udaipur
19th---- Udaipur
20th---- Udaipur--Ajmer--Jaipur
21st---- Jaipur-- Bharatpur
22nd --- Bharatpur
23rd---- Bharatpur-- Agra--- Delhi
24th--- Delhi
25th--- Delhi
26th--- Dehi----Udaipur/ or maybe further
27th---- Back home.

@ Deky eagerly waiting to meet you.

cheers!!

[gd1418]

Best luck & Bon Jour Suchitre05

Originally Posted by schitre05

Hello Friends!!
The 'D' day has almost come.
We will start tomorrow (18th dec) early morning. target is 4am.

cheers!!

[deky]

Originally Posted by schitre05

Hello Friends!!

@ Deky eagerly waiting to meet you.

cheers!!

Looking forward to your visit to Jaipur Sagar. Hope you have a wonderfull drive.

As soon as you enter the Kishangarh- Jaipur highway there will be a toll, save your toll ticket for the next toll or else you will have to pay again. I think there is a similar toll around Ahemdabad by pass where you will have to retain the ticket.

Give me a call for directions as soon as you pass the 2nd toll on Kishangarh- Jaipur highway.

Regards

[schitre05]

Originally Posted by gd1418

Best luck & Bon Jour Suchitre05

Thanks!!

Originally Posted by deky

Looking forward to your visit to Jaipur Sagar. Hope you have a wonderfull drive.

As soon as you enter the Kishangarh- Jaipur highway there will be a toll, save your toll ticket for the next toll or else you will have to pay again. I think there is a similar toll around Ahemdabad by pass where you will have to retain the ticket.

Give me a call for directions as soon as you pass the 2nd toll on Kishangarh- Jaipur highway.

Regards

yes deky thanks.. point noted.