[anujmishra]

Great log & detail for your drive. The more perplexed & honest line was "I did not use AC". I know, specially in North India there are lots of misconceptions regarding AC, whether it is used inside home or in car. So many misconceptions like

If you use AC at home, you will have Tuberculosis.
If you use AC in car, your engine will overheat.
If you use AC in car, your engine will not pull.
[...]

So, humble suggestion (although many already provided). Always use AC and it actually improves your own performance as it will save you from elements like dust, heat etc. Whether I drive 800 or Safari or any other car, I never switch off AC at all. Till now no issues.

[1100D]

What a wonderful and detailed travelogue! Welcome to the world of highway motoring. Am greatly touched that a thread that originated from me had been of some relevance to the maiden voyage that will result in many more to come.

Originally Posted by Kumar R

Many, many thanks to Teambhp member 1100D and his wonderfully illustrated guide here (covering many routes) - which I read a dozen times before starting the journey. I even took screenshots on my digicam in case of an emergency but they were not needed.

Although Hush Puppies quality isn't what it used to be before, it also depends on the vendor/location one buys it from.

Originally Posted by Kumar R

Meanwhile the heat (or perhaps bad timing) had weakened the glue on my Bata Hush Puppies shoes and the sole had partially come off

However, this comparison below is an unfair comparison, probably a reason why I am not rating this thread as a five star.

You are comparing a chaufeur driven faster AC train with a self driven non-AC Polo where you almost suffered from acute dehydration including in the glue of your Hush Puppies.

Originally Posted by Kumar R

Meanwhile the heat (or perhaps bad timing) had weakened the glue on my Bata Hush Puppies shoes and the sole had partially come off

Total distance covered (up and down) = 350.5 km, in 7 hours 40 minutes (average 46 km/hr)

Total toll / taxes paid: Rs 292. Approximate fuel cost Rs 1,100 to 1,400 (@70 pl)

By comparison, for a single traveller:

- a round trip on the Shatabdi Express (Howrah-Bolpur) A.C. Chair Car would have cost approximately Rs 1,400 (including taxi to / from station) i.e. 17% less and taken 6 hours 40 minutes i.e. 13% less time; and

- a round trip on Shantiniketan Express (Howrah-Bolpur) A.C. Chair Car would have cost approximately Rs 1,000 (including taxi to / from station) i.e.40 % less and taken about 7 hours 10 minutes i.e. 7% less time.

However, with such an informative thread, we can only look forward to more such daring adventures which will also benefit the driving fraternity. There are quite a few closeby destinations of huge tourist/driving interest, which are also served by trains, so that you can easily make comparisons, like Digha.

PS: Since you spoke about having filled a week in advance, the pressure might have changed 1> Over time 2> Due to heat on the highway. So it always helps to have a real time hold on the pressures.

[cr4nkshaft]

Thanks for such a detailed travelogue. You sure are a super prepper for a ride... Taking all precautions and tools worthy of a cross country trip! But to each his own.. I once started a drive to bhubaneswar at 5 in the morning with fuel in reserve, so I shouldn't even qualify to comment about prepping.

However, beg to slightly differ on your opinion of your car, which is the exact same model I have. I have done speeds in polo worthy of multiple infractions without breaking a sweat (amin, shuvc da, basu, subhro.. Remember our raid de lyangcha? :-D ). Polo's weight and wide stance contributes to a very matured high speed behavior, and the eps is very nicely weighted. And if you are struggling to pick up speed, there's a famous quote by some unknown petrolhead.. "drop a gear and disappear"

Anyway, thanks again for the post, congratulations on your trip, and hope you have more trips and travelogues!

[DriveHigh]

Hi Kumar R, Appreciate your post. NH2(AH1) always gives us a pleasant driving experience whenever we head to spend some short holidays at near by places from Kolkata. Remembering it when I went to Sonamukhi(Bankura) and Berhampore(Murshidabad) few times from Kolkata via Burdwan and the journeys were enjoyable. Average speed maintained 80 kmph with AC as more than 80 kmph speed can lead some discomfort to the co passengers (wife and my baby boy). Local roads from Burdwan are good compared to NH34 which I used to take earlier to go Berhampore (Murshidabad). Thanks for the description and pictures.

[Bhodrolok]

Very detailed and comprehensive write up. Also completely agree on the AC part, heck without the AC its diffcult to keep focus as one starts sweating as the day progresses. I have always wondered seeing people drive with windows open on hot days on why would they do that! I hadn't heard about the warnings of AC usgae on highways. Now I know.

Originally Posted by Kumar R

Yes, lesson learned on AC usage (or rather non-usage)

[Kumar R]

Hi anujmishra, 1100D, cr4nkshaft, DriveHigh and Bhodrolok -- Thank you all for your comments!

1100D, With your seal of approval, my mission is complete. My next project is Bishnupur - subject to adverse reviews.

cr4nkshaft, Reading your post I will have to re-examine the performance on my next drive. But it's heartening, since mentally I write off this model as a very underpowered car.

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by Kumar R

4. Return (Bolpur to Kolkata) [Distance: 174.3 km, Time: 3 hrs 40 minutes]

On arrival at Shantiniketan, I rested for over an hour before starting the return drive. I had earlier planned to let the heat subside and............. and steering was effortless as always -- perhaps a little too effortless. I will have to see how the steering / mileage is after the planned upsize my tyres and rims later this month.

*****

Thanks for reading! Suggestions and comments most welcome.

Hello Kumar,

Thank you for this very informative and also cheerfully anecdotal travelogue!
I am a relatively recent resident of Kolkata and look forward to the travelogues from other members on their excursions in and around Bengal. We have been touring for many years now, but mostly confined to the northern and western parts of our country.

With the wonderful lamp-lighter travelogues of veterans like you, Golam, 1100D and so many others, I hope to make some excursions of our own in and around this part of the country.

[1100D]

Originally Posted by Kumar R

My next project is Bishnupur - subject to adverse reviews.

Originally Posted by shashanka

Hello Kumar,

Thank you for this very informative and also cheerfully anecdotal travelogue!
I am a relatively recent resident of Kolkata and look forward to the travelogues from other members on their excursions in and around Bengal. We have been touring for many years now, but mostly confined to the northern and western parts of our country.

With the wonderful lamp-lighter travelogues of veterans like you, Golam, 1100D and so many others, I hope to make some excursions of our own in and around this part of the country.

It will help to go through this fantastic and informative thread.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-tourists.html

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by 1100D

It will help to go through this fantastic and informative thread.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-tourists.html

Yes indeed - I did go through Samba's thread earlier, and as you say it is very thorough and informative.

[aak91]

Very detailed and well crafted writeup for the trip. Great work my friend.

Originally Posted by cr4nkshaft

However, beg to slightly differ on your opinion of your car, which is the exact same model I have. I have done speeds in polo worthy of multiple infractions without breaking a sweat (amin, shuvc da, basu, subhro.. Remember our raid de lyangcha? :-D ). Polo's weight and wide stance contributes to a very matured high speed behavior, and the eps is very nicely weighted.

I agree with Anindya here, I having owned a polo 1.2 tdi and have driven the polo 1.2 petrol many times on the highway as well as in the city. Never have i felt a drop in power due to AC even at triple digit speeds.

All in all, superb work. Keep them coming. Looking forward to meeting u again.

[ultimatechamp]

Extremely informative write up Kumar. I have been to Bolpur so many times with an Esteem,an Estilo,an Ertiga,but never had observed so many things on the road,let alone remember them and note all of it down for help to others.
Kudos to you

Hope you travel to other places as well, and make all highways so easier for us.
Thanks

[Samfromindia]

Amazingly detailed travelogue for such a short trip! I recently did Kol-Santiniketan-Kol and loved the experience. However i had no planning, decided at midnight and next morning i am dashing through the durgapur expressway I can only imagine the amount of detail you will put next time you pen down a longer road trip like Sikkim or Delhi. Polo petrol is not under powered so please don't underestimate your car considering there are lots of people who drive say alto, wagon r or even nano in highways. Trust me polo is still a dream car to many people out there. I really expected to see some pics Santiniketan here, but this seems to be strictly a road guide. I guess i will just make my own.

[DogNDamsel12]

Originally Posted by Kumar R

I was probably one of the slowest cars and plenty of big and small vehicles dashed by at speeds in excess of 100+. The highway is well maintained with 4-6 lanes throughout and a number of flyovers. Petrol pumps are located every 7-10 km. The weather was hot! (39 deg C) and I did not use the AC for fear that the increased load would affect performance.

I am glad that you took the Polo out on the highway and congratulations on this trip. Speed is completely based on one's own comfort zone. So it doesn't matter what your speed was.

At 41 degrees sitting in a Polo for 174x2, some 250 odd kms - you are lucky to have gotten away with the sole of the Hush Puppies. I may have started to shed off my skin, really!

I am certain that if you began to experiment with the Polo a bit more, you would lose the friends who advise you to turn off the AC. The AC does nothing to the performance at 100+, especially with the model that you have. And, that holds true for most new-generation cars.

I came across an Owner's Review from 2016 (An owner's review of the VW 1.2L MPI engine) where the gears @2000 rpm is mentioned and may be helpful in gaining an understanding of the car.

Though I don't have the same conclusion as him in terms of whether he would want to own a second polo, coz I did end up owning a second Polo, again a 1.2 MPI.

Here is the link to my experience with my VW Polos (Adieu VW Polo | A sweet farewell)

This hatchback is one of the most capable cars in terms of handling, and also one of the safest ones in its legacy.

Clocked 44,000 km this weekend - city, highways, hills, extreme summer and winter in Delhi (never turned off the HVAC), and through waterlogged Kolkata monsoons!

Originally Posted by cr4nkshaft

However, beg to slightly differ on your opinion of your car, which is the exact same model I have.

I stand with you in complete solidarity over that feeling of 1000 papercuts on the skin with which you wrote that!