Total Kms: 558 Kms
Total Tolls: 645/- [160 (ORR) + 485 (5 on NH44)
Avg Speed: 65 km/h
Drive Time: 8:34hrs
Time spent with TBHP folks: PRICELESS!!!!
For everything else there's TBHP Forum
Backdrop: Due to travel and other commitments hadn't been too active this year and once I found some time mid of last month, check this thread for any updates. See the message of a Whatsapp group created by dheepak10 and send a PM on June 25th especially after seeing "No forwards sent in this group" in the post. Oh, how much Whatsapp has spoilt us. Get added to a world of like minded freaks in Hyderabad. After initial intros and catching up with few known faces, threw a spark (idea of a drive) into the haystack (group) to see what happens. Man, it caught fire big time and the messages kept bombarding furiously debating about places, what day etc.. Soon some folks show their interest and it goes on this thread next day. Talk about quick execution. From there on it was a matter of deciding on the place and tagging other members to see if they are interested. We finally end up with 6 participants as Arun_kun (Arun) had to dropout due to his kid being under the weather, and ecosport_rules (Dr.Kumar) who was tentative couldn't make it due to his better half being under the weather too.
The Day:
Being an early start, started at 6.15AM hoping to reach the Meetup point Classic Dhaba by 7.10AM as per Google Maps prediction. Hit the Outer Ring Road (ORR) within 6 kms and gave the Engine a good morning workout of getting into cruise mode for the long drive ahead in the day. Boy oh Boy, sense the early morning workout of cruising in 5th gear for good traffic uninhabited stretches seemed to have inspired it and I end up reaching the meetup point bang at 7AM. Google Maps too proudly displays the "Reached Early by" message. Sometimes I wonder, if Google folks too predict with extra buffer times just to showcase they are accurate most of the time like how airlines do with Arrival timings for On-Time performance awards.
Wanted to grab a quick coffee only to notice the Dhaba was closed. Google, you were so wrong about the timings of this Dhaba though. It ain't Open 24 hrs!! Hoping it may open soon and to while away time while rest of folks arrive, wake up an hidden "trying to be" photographer in me and try visualizing how to get the cars parked, how to click pics, the angles, the light etc.. The passerby's must have wondered what I was doing by squatting, kneeling etc. at different angles and trying to click the car with a closed Dhaba background. All these antics resulted in a test shot below of my steed with my phone.
Disclaimer: No SLR's were harmed during the making of this shot and so Pro Photographers, pardon me if you are critical of this shot.
Within 5 minutes, Speedmunster (Bishu) shows up in his Black Scorpio and with his Scorpio having its tank full, he is eager to get loaded up too as plan was for folks arriving early can have breakfast while waiting for others. With no option at Classic Dhaba, we decide to go on a breakfast hunt. Thanks Bishu, for ruining all my photo op visualizations I did earlier and looking like a lunatic to passerby's. Just kidding!!
We find a decent fast food joint Darshini nearby and send the message across to the group about the change in meetup location. Dheepak10 (Dheepak) shows up in his Balenno in a few minutes and most of us finish breakfast while the rest continued to arrive. With the clock ticking 7.45AM, shifu(shubham), psn(Pathik) arrive in their respective rides, Vento and Cruze. Just as we are about to leave as a group, drvhplyevraftr (Sivakuru) arrives in his XUV5oo. [OT: Yes, I know, I too don't have an idea of what Sivakuru's TBHP handle name means or how you pronounce it. Please post those questions to him]. He was supposed to catch us up at Divya Resort & Restaurant but guess he made his XUV5oo justify the cheetah tag. Btw all of them arrived with their +1, +1/2 in tag but using only these guys name to make my life easier.
So we start off the drive as a group just a few minutes late and then begins the fun. Perfect sequence of Convoy driving, swapping of car positions when one wants to lead or stay in some other position. Sync up after every Toll Booth to get the convoy going again in case someone got left behind. Its been a while since I have been a part of convoy driving. Used to do this in the US with the lane driving, limited speeds, no idiotic guys cutting in front of you with no indicator whatsoever and expecting us to have sixth sense or telepathy of their next move. So it was good fun to be doing it again and felt like driving in one of those VIP convoys where all you hear when standing outside is "Zuppp Zuppp". Please envision it guys, couldn't find a better word to describe it.
Was the last trailing car for a few times just to watch the entire convoy with the clear pitch black tar roads with no undulations and worth the Toll amount paid for. After having few drivers cut me off from the convoy, decide to swap positions than being the last car. You see, hatchbacks don't have the intimidation factor like what a Scorpio or a XUV5oo have in one's rear view mirror. No wonder all these politicians choose Scorpios, Fortuner, Innova's as their rides. After few swaps of positions, decide to be the lead car and rush past the others and make my intentions clear. Whether they understood or just wanted a Ferrari Red Color Car lead them is a different matter.
Being the lead car, had to keep a lookout for the convoy in the rear view mirror to make sure I haven't left them behind. Got to admit, it is fun to see when taking a curve with all the cars following in unison. In some curves, I would switch to the right lane just to see the convoy behind take the turn in the left lane in unison. Brought back memories of childhood of peeping through the sleeper class window during a curve to see the loco and the rest of the train follow. Still get that excitement during train rides except that AC Class doesn't give you the experience of what a sleeper class does. Coming back, I so wished I had a co-passenger to grab a pic of these moments and other such moments.
We reach the stopover place Divya Resort by about 9AM and get going on the breakfast for folks who haven't had one. Breakfast was Ok with standard fare and nothing much to write about. Then we do the compulsory photo shoot of all the cars.
L to R: Shifu's Vento, Bishu's Scorpio, self Punto, Siva's XUV5oo, dheepak10;s Baleno, psn's Cruze.
4 out of the 6 i.e. Vento, Scorpio, Baleno and Cruze were Auto trannies to which came Shifu's comment "Desh badal raha hai" [The Country is changing]
The way to the falls is absolute bliss. Smooth tarmac, not many village crossings, not much of truck traffic or any traffic either and what else can you ask for a perfect drive. A screen grab of the road condition from my dashcam video. Ignore the screen reflections and quality, as I didn't realize I had changed the lens position while changing the SD Card and forgot to reset the video quality back to 1080p (was experimenting with lower quality earlier evening to see how it comes out). If only I had a co-passenger to click better pics. Hopefully, others will upload better one if they have.
The exit off the highway and into the falls is a narrow village road. They had a surprise police check right after the highway exit and taking a right that leads to the waterfalls. Every car was checked to see if any alcohol was being carried. There was an incident of drowning few days earlier and so this checks were being made I believe. Being the Solo guy in the car, came for special scrutiny with the cop asking if I was sure there isn't any alcohol anywhere in the car and what I was doing coming all alone. When I mention I am part of the group of 6 cars, comes the double whammy question " Then why you driving alone and why you guys came in so many cars". Now, how do you explain the concept of long drives and that you can get your kicks not only from alcohol but also by driving
Tell him something on similar lines and he lets go with a smile. Phew!! What all perceptions you got to live with being a bachelor. The check immediately after taking a right turn from the feeder road of the highway.
After driving through some "just enough for 2 vehicles" road, we enter a small section where the entire stretch is covered with tree cover. It was beautiful. A low quality pic again from dashcam just to get the essence.
Being a Sunday, there was quite a rush with the parking lot almost full and we had to park at different spots available. Couldn't get a spot to accommodate all of us in one stretch.
To reach the falls, there is a hike of about over a hundred steps with some of them being steep inclines. Getting down was all easy-peasy with the excitement and though the falls was not really what we were expecting, it was ok with the breeze blowing and the group finding a good secluded spot to just sit, relax, wet their feet. Spend a good amount of time and after clicking a few pics, decide to head back. Ascending the steps turns out to be a challenge with the humidity sapping the energy of everyone. Slowly but steadily, everyone makes it through in a fair amount of time to reach the entry of the stairs where the rest of group is waiting. On the way to the parking lot, indulge in some "wanna be" Kwality Walls ice cream brand "Dairy Milk". Such was the humidity and the energy sapping weather,no one cared rather dared to think about the brand.
Grabbing a few chilled drinks and some stuff to munch on, we start the return journey to find a decent lunch spot as there isn't much available at the falls. Some folks did carry lunch as everyone was aware of food options being limited at the spot. Special credits to the Cake made by Siva's better half that was the show stealer when having the snacks.
Stop by at "Singh is King" Dhaba to be treated with the typical Dhaba rotis, Dal fry, Paneer, Butter Chicken and Lassi/ Buttermilk.
Drive back was quick with one final stopover at a Dhaba after the last but one Toll Booth (Bhiknoor Toll Plaza) for tea/coffee and say goodbyes and recollect some good memories of the drive and plan of when to do the next one. Reach home by 8.32PM and click the speedometer readings to grab the statistical data of the drive.
All good things comes to an end they say and so did this drive meet. However, every end is a new beginning and here's wishing many more such drive meets and may this Hydeez group resurrect again!! Cheers!!!
P.S: Missed clicking some pics of the group near the falls, stopover points etc.. as others were clicking them. Will let them share those pics.