[Dr.AD]

Hello Guys,

To drowse the disappointment of having to postpone the Pondicherry and Tranquebar drive (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/team-b...er-2016-a.html), and to find alternate paths to satiate our thirst for a drive this weekend, some of us got into a discussion yesterday evening and came up with this last-minute plan:

What: Explore the ruins of Hampi, Karnataka and the surroundings
When: Friday, September 16, 2016 to Sunday, September 18, 2016.
Accommodation: Hyatt Place, Hampi (https://hampi.place.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html)
Rates: Rs. 5000 per room (two people) per night, inclusive of 21% taxes, breakfast, dinner, a complimentary trip for Hampi sightseeing in hotel vehicle, complimentary tickets to Kaladham museum, free WiFi. (Expenses for lunch, and breaks on the way are extra - DIY at actual)
Number of rooms: 15 rooms available till end of day on September 14th

Itinerary:

Friday, September 16:

• 6:00 AM to 6:15 AM (0 km) : "Hi" at NH4, just after the first toll booth after NICE road junction (location: https://goo.gl/maps/qCbNRgeuEh62) (Departure at 6:15 AM sharp)
• 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM (123km): Breakfast at Aroma Naturals (NH4)
• 12:00 noon (303km): Arrival at Hyatt Place Hampi
• Complete Roue Map: https://goo.gl/maps/ymhXgH3d8Y32
• 12:00 noon to 2:00 PM: Check-in and lunch at Hyatt
• 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM: Drive to Tungabhadra Dam and other nearby attractions
• 6:00 PM onward: fellowship and dinner

Saturday, September 17:

• 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM: Sightseeing (Hampi Ruins and surroundings)
• 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM: visit to Kaladham Museum
• 7:00 PM onward: fellowship and dinner

Sunday, September 18:

• up to 12:00 noon: Free time: Explore the Vijayanagar Township, or surroundings (DIY), and/or have a leisurely breakfast
• 12:00 noon to 1:00 PM: Lunch at Hyatt
• 1:30 PM (0 km): Departure to Bangalore
• 4:30 PM (130km) to 5:00 PM: Tea break at Blue Moon Highway Restaurant
• 7:30 PM (346km) to 8:30 PM: Dinner and "bye" at Nandi Upachar (at Nandi hills turnoff)
• Complete Return Route: https://goo.gl/maps/P9VsZsidqt32

Confirmed:
1. Dr.AD + 1 - SX4
2. RSUDARSANAN - BMW320d
3. Fortified+1 - C250d
4. Abirnale - XUV5OO
5. Tilt +1 - Jetta
6. Zebo - Jetta
7. fusionbang +1 - XUV5OO
8. cmiuc + 1 - XUV5OO
9. Pearljam - Verna
10. deepfreak + 1 - (ride??)
11. Robimahanta - (Polo/Laura???)
12. diesel_convert+ 1 - (Civic??)
13. SunnyBoi - (Cedia??)

(Note: Guys, please update your rides if I have got those wrong. )


We still have a few rooms available by end of September 14th. Others are welcome to join. Please post a confirmation here and add your name to the list.


Disclaimer: Given the current unrest in Bangalore and surroundings, you take the entire risk of your own (your car, your family etc.) when you join us. I/we or the friends who came up with this plan do not assume any risk or liability of this drive or anything related to it whatsoever. This is a 100% voluntary activity where each participant assumes their own risk to the fullest extent.

[SunnyBoi]

Updating my ride...

Confirmed:
1. Dr.AD + 1 - SX4
2. RSUDARSANAN - BMW320d
3. Fortified+1 - C250d
4. Abirnale - XUV5OO
5. Tilt +1 - Jetta
6. Zebo - Jetta
7. fusionbang +1 - XUV5OO
8. cmiuc + 1 - XUV5OO
9. Pearljam - Verna
10. deepfreak + 1 - (ride??)
11. Robimahanta - (Polo/Laura???)
12. diesel_convert+ 1 - (Civic??)
13. SunnyBoi - Cedia

[500ContyCruiser]

Confirmed:
1. Dr.AD + 1 - SX4
2. RSUDARSANAN - BMW320d
3. Fortified+1 - C250d
4. Abirnale - XUV5OO
5. Tilt +1 - Jetta
6. Zebo - Jetta
7. fusionbang +1 - XUV5OO
8. cmiuc + 1 - XUV5OO
9. Pearljam - Verna
10. deepfreak + 1 - (ride??)
11. Robimahanta - (Polo/Laura???)
12. diesel_convert+ 1 - (Civic??)
13. SunnyBoi - Cedia

Shall I join on 17th? Just remembered I had taken appointment with Skoda A-S-S for some work on Friday (16th Sept).
14. 500ContyCruiser - Rapid

[shifu]

Ah! This is another option for a Bang+Hyd meet! Its just 450+ kms from Hyd.

I would have joined if I had seen this before. Too late to take off on Fri.

Have fun guys!

[abirnale]

Originally Posted by Dr.AD

Itinerary:

Awesome plan AD. Glad we will be driving to somewhere for sure! Hampi at this time of the year is perfect destination.

Suggestion - lets keep some time/ plans in store to visit the Sloth Bear Sanctuary close-by.

Looking forward to the trip

Originally Posted by shifu

I would have joined if I had seen this before. Too late to take off on Fri.

May be you can still come on Saturday early AM and return on Sunday! You can make it single nighter!

[deepfreak15]

Updating my ride
Confirmed:
1. Dr.AD + 1 - SX4
2. RSUDARSANAN - BMW320d
3. Fortified+1 - C250d
4. Abirnale - XUV5OO
5. Tilt +1 - Jetta
6. Zebo - Jetta
7. fusionbang +1 - XUV5OO
8. cmiuc + 1 - XUV5OO
9. Pearljam - Verna
10. deepfreak + 1 - (Duke 200)
11. Robimahanta - (Polo/Laura???)
12. diesel_convert+ 1 - (Civic??)
13. SunnyBoi - Cedia
14. 500ContyCruiser - Rapid

[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by 500ContyCruiser

Shall I join on 17th? Just remembered I had taken appointment with Skoda A-S-S for some work on Friday (16th Sept).

Yes, sure. You can join on 17th morning. But make sure you reach there before 10:00 AM because the hotel vehicle will take us all for the local sightseeing at 10:00 AM.

Originally Posted by shifu

Ah! This is another option for a Bang+Hyd meet! Its just 450+ kms from Hyd.

I would have joined if I had seen this before. Too late to take off on Fri.

Have fun guys!

As Avinash mentioned, you can come on Saturday and make it a Saturday-Sunday drive.

Originally Posted by abirnale

Suggestion - lets keep some time/ plans in store to visit the Sloth Bear Sanctuary close-by.

Thanks for the suggestion Avinash. I was thinking about this already, but when I saw the reviews on tripadvisor, it looked like this place is good only if you stay there in the Jungle Lodges and Resorts. The reason being that the bear sightings are rare and you need to wait long hours for a chance of seeing a bear. Although we pass from next to this sanctuary, the actual entrance is on the other side - some 15km one way detour on very slow roads - and a quick passing by visit there may not be of any value. Therefore, I thought we could skip it this time. Those who are really interested should plan a trip and stay in JLR there. However, if majority of you still want to take a chance and visit this, we can certainly modify the plan to add that.

Guys, for those who can't come on Friday, there is an option of joining us on Saturday. Few folks are already doing that. Here is the list accordingly:

Confirmed (Friday-Sunday):
1. Dr.AD + 1 - SX4
2. RSUDARSANAN - BMW320d
3. Fortified+1 - C250d
4. Abirnale - XUV5OO
5. Tilt +1 - Jetta
6. Zebo - Jetta
7. fusionbang +1 - XUV5OO
8. cmiuc + 1 - XUV5OO
9. Pearljam - Verna
10. deepfreak + 1 - Duke 200

Confirmed (Saturday-Sunday):
Please make sure you guys reach Hyatt before 10:00 AM (the whole group departs from the hotel at 10:00 AM towards the monuments of Hampi)
1. Robimahanta - (Polo/Laura???)
2. diesel_convert+ 1 - (Civic??)
3. SunnyBoi - Cedia
4. 500ContyCruiser - Rapid

Now only 4 more rooms available (only till today evening).

Originally Posted by psn

Hi, I am interested, But I am from Hyderabad. Anybody coming from Hyderabad, so that my family and I can drive with them?

Great! However, so far, nobody from Hyderabad has signed up. You can wait and watch this space till today evening.

[psn]

Hi, I am interested, But I am from Hyderabad. Anybody coming from Hyderabad, so that my family and I can drive with them?

[abirnale]

Originally Posted by Dr.AD

6:00 AM to 6:15 AM (0 km) : "Hi" at NH4[/b]

I suggest we meet at this point - https://goo.gl/maps/BY5qE7tNhHJ2

This is convenient to everyone. Just take the toll receipt for Rs. 34 at this JAS Toll Booth, and pull over to left. There is ample space to park and absolutely no blocking of traffic. If you are the first one to arrive here, switch on your parking lights/ blinkers ON so the next person arriving does not miss it.

Top up the tanks and get your travel supplements/ accessories in order tonight. Lets hit the road again!

[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by abirnale

I suggest we meet at this point - https://goo.gl/maps/BY5qE7tNhHJ2

This is convenient to everyone. Just take the toll receipt for Rs. 34 at this JAS Toll Booth, and pull over to left. There is ample space to park and absolutely no blocking of traffic. If you are the first one to arrive here, switch on your parking lights/ blinkers ON so the next person arriving does not miss it.

Thanks Avinash. Agree that this point is a lot more convenient to all. So let's meet at this point you have suggested.


The only change in the itinerary:

Meeting point changed to: https://goo.gl/maps/BY5qE7tNhHJ2

The meeting time remains the same (6:00AM), since this is hardly a 10 minutes drive from the original point.

See you guys tomorrow :-)

Thanks,
AD

P.S. By the way, rooms are still available if anybody else wants to join us last minute. You can now directly contact the hotel and book your room, but they are available as of now:-)

[abirnale]

This is how we stake claim on the area available to us. What fun it was to drive through these state roads!



It feels like pulling over every now and then and do a photo shoot for cars and enthusiasts!

Stay tuned for more pictures!

[abirnale]

A nice morning walk hotel and exposure to such a beautifully campus! Speechless.





Reminds of thirsty crow?


The other side of the world!




More to come during day...

[RSUDARSANAN]

Riverine tension between KA and TN necessitated the postponement of the Heritage drive. The void so created was filled up, thanks to some nifty planning by Dr.AD. In 48 hours flat the Q3 overnighter was resurrected. Destination Hampi !

Fri 16th:

Some canine antics while we wait for the rest to arrive at the rendezvous


Breakfast venue


Rides taking a break too


Inviting tarmac


Rocking rides


The motorcade


Our gateway to Hampi


The hotel


The porch


The room


to be contd:

[RSUDARSANAN]

In continuation:

After settling into our rooms and a post lunch siesta we were off to Tungabhadra dam :

View from atop


The Guest House at the dam


Jindal Steel Works main entrance, by night


Some fizz to liven up the evening


Add some palate teasers


....and what have you - thirsty folks, a cross section


'Xcuse a couple of bad clicks
to be contd:

[RSUDARSANAN]

Sat 17th:

Today was the scheduled tour of Hampi.
Await professional lensmanship and detailed photologue in due course.

Until then do bear with an amateurish glimpse of the historical site.

Hampi1


H2


H3


H4


H5


H6


H7


Evening we visited:
Kaladhaam art & cultural centre, Vidyanagar


K2


K3


to be continued: