[tsk1979]

SS, I never said everything with a MOX is a sulpha drug. I am simply telling them that diamox is a sulpha drug, and before following advice blindly, simply check with a doctor if you are allergic to Sulpha drugs.
If you do not know whether you are allergic or not, and cannot find out, do not take this drug!

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

SS, I never said everything with a MOX is a sulpha drug.

No, that was in response to PGNarain whom I had quoted.

Originally Posted by tsk1979

I am simply telling them that diamox is a sulpha drug, and before following advice blindly, simply check with a doctor if you are allergic to Sulpha drugs.
If you do not know whether you are allergic or not, and cannot find out, do not take this drug!

You need not worry about Diamox causing an allergic reaction to you EVEN if you are allergic to "sulfa" drugs, since the chemical pathway through which the sulphur-linked chain (the sulfone ring, as it is called) is metabolised in the body for a drug like, say, Bactrim or Septran, is entirely different from the metabolic pathway of Diamox - hence the body's immune system, even if sensitised to Septran, does not cause a Type 1 allergy when Diamox is taken (contrary to what you suggested). However, even something routinely taken by folks without ever consulting a physician, like a tablet of Brufen or Combiflam (my patients ALL seem to have stocks of either of these drugs at home, almost like salt or sugar!).

[verditer]

For a Ladakh trip from Bangalore, is this onward route optimal? The return route is not decided yet but we dont want to return the same route. We have around 12 to 14 days in hand to return to Bangalore.
(the sections are just NH wise, not day wise).

NH4:Bangalore - Chitradurga - Hubli - Kolhapur - Pune - Mumbai
NH8:Mumbai - Vadodara - Ahmedabad - Udaipur - Jaipur - Rewari
NH71: Rewari - Rohtak - Ambala - NH1 - Ludhiana - Jalandhar - NH1A - Pathankot - Srinagar
NH1D: Srinagar - Leh - Manali - Chandigarh - (NH21A,22,1) - Ambala - New Delhi

From the maps, I saw the Rewari - Ambala stretch good to bye-pass Delhi. We have no business in Mumbai or Delhi and want a smooth drive to J&K.

Expert advise please.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by verditer

For a Ladakh trip from Bangalore, is this onward route optimal? The return route is not decided yet but we dont want to return the same route. We have around 12 to 14 days in hand to return to Bangalore.
(the sections are just NH wise, not day wise).

NH4:Bangalore - Chitradurga - Hubli - Kolhapur - Pune - Mumbai
NH8:Mumbai - Vadodara - Ahmedabad - Udaipur - Jaipur - Rewari
NH71: Rewari - Rohtak - Ambala - NH1 - Ludhiana - Jalandhar - NH1A - Pathankot - Srinagar
NH1D: Srinagar - Leh - Manali - Chandigarh - (NH21A,22,1) - Ambala - New Delhi

From the maps, I saw the Rewari - Ambala stretch good to bye-pass Delhi. We have no business in Mumbai or Delhi and want a smooth drive to J&K.

Expert advise please.

Rewari-Panipat road is good now, but no saying how it will be once rains begin. I prefer to go through NCR since crossing Delhi (except in the night) is an easy task.

[ranjitnair77]

I had been itching to go to Leh for a few years now, having last been there on a motorcycle, back in 2004. My only concern was the growing popularity of the place. I didn't like the idea of going there in high season (June-September) and being overwhelmed by the tourists driving in, so I went in early April this year and spent a week in Leh. I didn't have any fixed agenda so I spent most of the week just pottering around.

It was spectacular (isn't it always?). Leh goes back to the locals which means most of the tourist shops are shut and most of the resorts are closed. A few restaurants town were open so there was no real issue with food. All the monasteries were open and I could spend hours in them without being disturbed.

I did a day trip to Pangong Tso and was in for an big surprise. The whole lake was frozen over and you could comfortably walk on it. Both Chang-la and Khardung-la were open but had a lot of snow so the taxi driver had to put on snow chains a few times. What fun !

It was an incredible trip. Flying into Leh meant that I could acclimatize at lower altitudes which meant no altitude related issues. It was cold throughout with the temperatures in single digits during daytime and below zero at night. I got used to it pretty quickly. I stayed at the Lha-Ri-Sa resort and spent hours in leisurely talk with Tashi Motup, who owns the resort, understanding Ladakh and its culture better. It was just Motup, his staff and I at the resort.

I really think that early season is a great time to go there as long as you are reasonably tolerant to cold weather. My next intention is to go there in peak winter and see Leh transform.


Frozen Pangong Tso



Stakna Monastery at dusk





Road to Khardung La




Stok Kangri

[Swift Express]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Rewari-Panipat road is good now, but no saying how it will be once rains begin. I prefer to go through NCR since crossing Delhi (except in the night) is an easy task.

Wouldnt the Kishangarh - Hanumangarh route that you suggested me earlier in June this year be a better option. I think time wise it will be less. Just asking as i wanted to know the best route to reach Jammu from Mumbai and other places down south

[verditer]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Rewari-Panipat road is good now, but no saying how it will be once rains begin. I prefer to go through NCR since crossing Delhi (except in the night) is an easy task.

Thanks HVK sir. I will go by your recommendation. If you have already documented how to cross NCR, can you point me to it?

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by verditer

Thanks HVK sir. I will go by your recommendation. If you have already documented how to cross NCR, can you point me to it?

Going from NH8 to NH1 through Delhi is very simple, and this is the route I follow:
Ajmer Road to National Highway 1 - Google Maps

Briefly,
After crossing Terminal 1 for IGI Airport, the Gurgaon Expressway will branch out - the right fork goes to Nehru Place, and the left fork (which you take) is marked fro Dhaula Kuan.

At Dhaula Kuan, at the massive interchange, take the exit marked for Naraina, and now you are on the Ring Road.

Follow the Ring Road all the way till Azadpur, where you take a left towards Jahangirpuri/Panipat. This road is NH1 and within a short distance you cross another major interchange which is Mukkarba Chowk, after which you leave the city and soon exit Delhi towards Panipat/Ambala.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Follow the Ring Road all the way till Azadpur, where you take a left towards Jahangirpuri/Panipat. This road is NH1 and within a short distance you cross another major interchange which is Mukkarba Chowk, after which you leave the city and soon exit Delhi towards Panipat/Ambala.

Instead of taking the Azadpur route, i recommend this route to cross Delhi as the traffic mess is lower. NH 8 to National Highway 1 - Google Maps

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Swift Express

Wouldnt the Kishangarh - Hanumangarh route that you suggested me earlier in June this year be a better option. I think time wise it will be less. Just asking as i wanted to know the best route to reach Jammu from Mumbai and other places down south

Yes, for those proceeding directly to Jammu - and in order to avoid Jaipur & NCR - it is best to turn off the Jaipur highway at Kishangarh and go via Hanumangarh to Abohar. You have the choice of going from there to Pathankot/Jammu via Amritsar - longer - or via Moga to Jalandhar where you can join NH1A towards Pathankot/Jammu.

Some of my friends have planned their drives as D1: Bombay-Kishangarh and D2: Kishnagarh-Amritsar/Pathankot.

[Irish]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Going from NH8 to NH1 through Delhi is very simple, and this is the route I follow:
Ajmer Road to National Highway 1 - Google Maps

Sir,

Giving more clarity to the route as explained by you. Shall be helpful for people crossing Delhi for the first time:


HVK: After crossing Terminal 1 for IGI Airport, the Gurgaon Expressway will branch out - the right fork goes to Nehru Place, and the left fork (which you take) is marked fro Dhaula Kuan.

Or in other words - After crossing Shiv Murti on your right and new runway on your left --> Go straight --> Another (Old) Runway on your left --> Take the flyover --> Now on the flyover, it will branch out in to two places i.e. Nehru place and Dhaula Kuan --> Go towards Dhuala Kuan


HVK: At Dhaula Kuan, at the massive interchange, take the exit marked for Naraina, and now you are on the Ring Road.

Or in other words: As soon as you reach Dhaula Kuan after crossing Delhi Cantt red light and Dhaula Kuan bus stop --> Take left fork and then again left fork (which goes towards Naraina).


HVK: Follow the Ring Road all the way till Azadpur, where you take a left towards Jahangirpuri/Panipat.

Or in other words- Take left towards Azadpur Sabzi Mandi after Shalimar Bagh and Wazirpur flyover. Go straight towards Panipat / Karnal and cross Mukarba Chowk. Witness a man made tourist attraction (with natural aroma) on your both sides as soon as you reach Mukarba Chowk.


Cheers!
Irish

[SachinVD]

Dear All,
Is it possible to do Leh either via Srinagar or via Manali in the last two weeks of May? I am deliberating on a plan to do the trip in 2013. Are the roads open at that time of the year? I have the time constraint since the schools start in the second week of June.

[faustus77]

SachinVD
Hi
You go via Srinagar s that route would be open though the roads may not be in the best of conditions.
Going via that route you minimize your chances of suffering from AMS.
Obviously you are going with children so play it safe.Remember that if one person shows symptons everybody gets affected.
Returning via Manali may or may not be possible so it can be dicey.You can decide at Leh
In 2011 around 20th of August I met some bikers in Patnitop who could not cross Rohtang as it was closed.
A few days later I met some people in Drass who had to return from Rohtang and drive via Drass.Their car got stuck and they had to pay rs2500 to a crane to pull it out.
Regards

[Swift Express]

Originally Posted by SachinVD

Dear All,
Is it possible to do Leh either via Srinagar or via Manali in the last two weeks of May? I am deliberating on a plan to do the trip in 2013. Are the roads open at that time of the year? I have the time constraint since the schools start in the second week of June.

Going by past stats the Srinagar - Kargil - Leh route does open earlier than the Manali Leh route. This time it got opened in the last week of April-12.

As for the Leh Manali route it got officially opened on 1-June-12.

You can definitively plan for taking the Srinagar Leh route in the 2 nd half of May-13 and for the journey back you can keep the options open. If you are lucky enough you will be able to drive back through Manali.

BTW which vehicle r u travelling by. As suggested by Faustus 77 taking the Srinagar - Leh route is advisable for acclimatization

Also check out this site for live updates on road status
http://devilonwheels.com/index.php/m...y-status-2012/

[SachinVD]

Thanks Swift Express.
Nothing finalised yet on the vehicle to travel by. Currently I own a WagonR 2003 model. Although it is in good condition, I don't know whether it can make the journey. May go in for a new car this year, preferably with high GC(thinking about the Ertiga-petrol due to my limited running per month). Keeping the options open.