[ultimatechamp]

Originally Posted by razor4077

I meant coming back the same day, but I realize it will be tiring for most.

Exactly.

Originally Posted by razor4077

Garpanchkot was one destination on my mind as well, but it will be tough getting accommodation in the forest dept bungalows. I checked their online booking page - all booked until Dec end. So unless there are any alternate places to stay in Purulia, it won't be feasible.
Hazaribagh is an interesting plan... but let's keep that for another thread. A long drive like that will be a different ball game altogether... but let's keep the idea going. By the way, am not sure if we can get more than 12 people to go there anyway

Eeeks! I had checked their website just before Pujas and at that time accommodation was easily available for Nov-Dec 2008! Crickey !

I doubt about alternate places to stay there as Sudipto da had clearly stated in his travelogue that apart from that Forest Dept bungalow,standard living quarters are non-existent.

Hazaribagh would have been nice and they took about 7 hours on their Innova which included a big break at Baba Dhaba,Darjeeling more.

Guys please pour in with your suggestions so that we can plan accordingly.

[sabret00the]

I personally think a drive to Maithon and back on the same day is going to be a bit of a stretch. I think it will take close to 3.5/4 hours to reach Maithon from Calcutta (say if one starts from New Alipore). I agree that for most part of the journey we'll have highways but then again there are towns that you'll have to drive through, there's cycles, people, cattle & stray dogs which suddenly appear from nowhere. Dodging them at very high speeds can be risky. The roads are good but so good that one can maintain full speeds throughout the journey. Driving at a stretch might be too boring and highly tiring too sometimes. One can bypass the Asansol Town by not taking the left turn after Kali-pahari which is going to help a lot in terms of cutting down on time, distance and traffic-jams towards Maithon. It takes close to 35-40 mins from Ushagram (Start of Asansol) till Kalyaneswari Mandir / DVC / Maithon Dam via Neamatpur.

For a photoblog please refer to: orkut -

Here are a few pics:

[ronk]

its surprising how i really wanted to attend but missed most of the earlier meets because i wasn't in town or had some other unavoidable stuff!! and then i go and waste an entire sunday not knowing what to do, only to find out at night that a brilliant tbhp meet (including 1100d whom and whose car i really want to meet) just got over!!! unfortunately i had not checked this section for a while!
Really hope to be a part of the november meet... i think a drive to maithon and an overnight stay sounds absolutely amazing!

[ultimatechamp]

Pour in with dates for baganbari-picnic guys,ASAP.

I just now spoke to my bro-in-law,who said that it can be easily done provided we have a fixed date,because there is a heavy booking schedule for shootings in Nov-Dec at the venue.If the date is final other things will be planned accordingly.

Lets make this a grand happening! cheers:

PS: Sabret00the,your avataar looks so familiar!

[Sudipto-S-Team]

Sat Nov 22 or Sun Nov 23. We can gather somewhere on NH 6 and from there drive together.

[1100D]

Originally Posted by sabret00the

Here are a few pics:

So you had Lyangcha, I guess!

[shuvc]

Drove to Asansol today - update on the Panagarh stretch - it has been repaired !! Yippeee.

[sabret00the]

^^^ Were'nt they supposed to create a bypass off Panagarh Town. Has that been built or does one still have to use the old GT Road through the town?

Originally Posted by 1100D

So you had Lyangcha, I guess!

You bet I did have a lot of lyangcha and seeta-bhog

[Sudipto-S-Team]

Very much old GT Road. Bypass is in limbo for a very long time now. I wonder if it will happen at all.

[ultimatechamp]

Originally Posted by shuvc

Drove to Asansol today - update on the Panagarh stretch - it has been repaired !! Yippeee.

Yup,its true.My wife who went to Hazaribagh said the same thing to me when she was back last week.

[razor4077]

Small update on the Bombay road route... travelled to Midnapore this weekend. Kona Expressway is badly screwed in many places, but Kolaghat bridge has been repaired. It's still one way, so there may be delays, but at least the road is not bad. Stopped at SEP on the way back... it's a good option for an hour+ drive, food, drinks & adda.

[sumitkalindi]

Private accomodations are available in Purulia, But I doubt if they can accomodate so many cars. The last time few times I went to Purulia, I took My bike, and stayed in a Lodge which had underground space for cars. Though it was being used more as a godown than parking space.

[sumitkalindi]

How about Mondarmoni?? For a drive, or Bakreshwar, or for that matter do we need a destination at all. There is a riverside spot just near Bankura Town, had been there for a family picknik, it was great. Though we had to carry everything with us.

If you want a long route it can be Kolkata-Durgapur-Bankura-Kharagpur-Kolkata. (This Route will pass through the Riverside Spot.)

[shuvd]

Mondarmoni approach is bad I've heard. Good roads are a must. The baganbari plan looks good. The friendly forum doctor says that the maatals among us should stay there overnight and indulge in maatlamo. So, if the meet is on a Sunday, the maatals reach on Saturday evening and get drunk.

@ KD - Don't worry mate. Whenever you come down, we'll arrange a meet.

[sabret00the]

Originally Posted by shuvd

Mondarmoni approach is bad I've heard. Good roads are a must. The baganbari plan looks good. The friendly forum doctor says that the maatals among us should stay there overnight and indulge in maatlamo. So, if the meet is on a Sunday, the maatals reach on Saturday evening and get drunk.

I second that good roads are a must and it has to be close by...would have loved to drive to Maithon but 1 day trip to and back from Maithon is too hectic IMHO. The Baganbari Plan looks good to me too