[supremeBaleno]

Pondicherry - the name evokes memories of the French, the quaint buildings on roads that always cut at 90 degrees, paved footpaths, the beach, Aurobindo, Auroville and ofcourse last but not the least, dirt cheap fuel for both man & machine.



Located just 150kms from Chennai, with 2 awesome roads leading to it that can help you make the journey in 2-3 hours. But still, a Chennai tbhp trip to this place has not happened for a long time now inspite of planning many times. Another attempt is being made now to finally make this happen.

Idea of carving out this new thread is mainly to have a poll for the date so that we can decide on which date would be good for majority of the guys, resulting in a good turnout and also to have posts on this meet at one place. Please indicate your date preference using the poll.

I am quoting below all the relevant posts from the chennai meet thread.
__________________________________________________ ____________

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Anyone game for a Pondicherry drive-cum-overnight-stay meet on the weekend of 9th-10th Aug ? A couple of tentative itineraries that I can think of :

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Plan-A (300kms round trip - 1 night + 1 day) :

9th-Aug, Saturday :
5PM - Meet at a common location and leave for Pondy.
8PM - Reach Pondy and check-in at any hotel.
- Taste what Pondy has to offer (and which Chennai doesn't have).
- Discuss and finalise once-for-all whether a Fiesta-D can or cannot beat the Safari in a drag.
Get some sleep.

10th-Aug Sunday :
Depending on when everyone wakes up, grab some breakfast and drive around Pondy, catching all the attractions in the ex-French colony. Get some time at Auroville beach with some cool beer.

Leave for Chennai by evening.
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Plan_A would be a 300km journey (to & fro). I am sure neoranjith would not be satisfied with such a short distance trip. If others agree with him, we could do Plan-B which is :

Plan-B (600kms round trip - 1 night + 2 days) :

9th-Aug, Saturday :

1PM - Meet at a common location after lunch and drive down to Karaikkal (part of U.T. of Pondy).
7PM - Reach Karaikkal.

On the way are places like Chidambaram, Pitchavaram, Poompuhar some or all of which we could cover either on our way down or during return.

At Karaikkal you have the Danish Fort at Tranquebar (Tharangambadi), the temple of Sani (Saturn) God, and some 40kms down Velankanni church. This would make the round trip come to like 600kms.

Anyone game ?

We could share cars & fuel, instead of each driving their own car. Our bit to responsible use of fastly-depleting fossil fuels.

Originally Posted by headers

guys, the Palar Challenge is the next weekend 13,14,15 August 08. Hence we will have to move the drive later. Doubt whether Arka and I could make it on 9,10 weekend!

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Oh, oh. How does the weekend of 30-31 August look like for Chennai bhp-ians ? Or the weekend of 6-7 September ? I think it would be useful to have a poll for the dates so that we know which date is best for most people.

Originally Posted by madan80

will be difficutl for an overnighter at Pondy- why not a day trip -leave late monring- hae lunch and drive back?

Originally Posted by nitrous

This is something you and I would do. Not the alcohol consuming crowd.

Originally Posted by Rahulkool

yeah that sounds like a better plan to me

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

guys/gals who want to leave the same day are most welcome to do so. Folks who want to spend the night wining & dining will stay back

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Sounds reasonable to me - just leave it to the individuals as to whether they wanna return back same day or stay overnight.

Originally Posted by neoranjit

...and the ones who want to continue driving.. can keep driving as well

Originally Posted by nickatnite

Have we decided on a date for the Pondy trip?. I'm eagerly waiting.

Originally Posted by madan80

im ok with such an arrangement -not because i dont drink. (so lets not pull that into the whole covnersation! )

Originally Posted by nickatnite

Have we decided on a date for the Pondy trip?. I'm eagerly waiting.

Originally Posted by neoranjit

...am assuming thats going to happen post Palar and before you leave.

As the tagline says, "Come to Pondicherry. Give time a break".

[ph03n!x]

First to vote..! And I can join in, right??!

[supremeBaleno]

Sure you can. The more the merrier.

[condor]

Would have been good on the long weekend - Aug 15, 16, 17. But clashes with the Palar challenge.

[ph03n!x]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Sure you can. The more the merrier.

Thank you!! Neo - what were we talking at midnight??!!!cheers:

[esteem_lover]

Am game for any of the given dates

[anandtheleo]

Would love to join in for the trip, even though i had gone there only last week. Count me in for the weekend of 30-31.

[neoranjit]

Originally Posted by ph03n!x

Thank you!! Neo - what were we talking at midnight??!!!cheers:

Yeah, I know.. tell me about it. btw, any progress on the getz ?

[rjstyles69]

Ooh I would love to join , but then I have done this trip so many times. The difference is that t-bhp'ians are around this time.

Have fun chaps, am sure its a fun filled drive all the way to Velankanni, if you guys decide on Plan B.

[ph03n!x]

Originally Posted by neoranjit

Yeah, I know.. tell me about it. btw, any progress on the getz ?

Will eventually Getz it

[nickatnite]

Count me in for the weekend of the 9th. Let's just do it!.

[supremeBaleno]

The majority seem to prefer the weekend of 30-31st Aug as per the poll figures.
@nickatnite, till when are you in India ? Is 30-31 Aug OK with you ?

phoenix & neoranjit, what's the parallel track that you guys are having on this thread about waltzing, getzing etc ?

iceman91@blore, I see that you have voted for 6-7 Sep option. You planning to visit Chennai around that time ? If so, even if the Pondy meet happens on some other weekend, we could still get together for a meet in Chennai with you as the cheap guest.

[nickatnite]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

The majority seem to prefer the weekend of 30-31st Aug as per the poll figures.
@nickatnite, till when are you in India ? Is 30-31 Aug OK with you ?

phoenix & neoranjit, what's the parallel track that you guys are having on this thread about waltzing, getzing etc ?

iceman91@blore, I see that you have voted for 6-7 Sep option. You planning to visit Chennai around that time ? If so, even if the Pondy meet happens on some other weekend, we could still get together for a meet in Chennai with you as the cheap guest.

@supremeBaleno

August 30-31 is ok with me too. Let us firm up plans then.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by nickatnite

August 30-31 is ok with me too. Let us firm up plans then.

Great. So, looks like Aug 30-31 is the crowd favourite.

I had a look at the votes and see that of those that voted, the only ones who did not find Aug30-31 convenient are phoenix and iceman91.

[iceman91]

majority wins..if evryone wanys the aug weekend then will manage it..no dramas