[laluks]

Originally Posted by DigitalDragon

Great to see you back into manuscripting another action-thrill-packed travelogue, full-on, Lalu Sir !!! Just can't wait for more to come.

As i told you during the Bangalore meet, we also did the same circuit, barring few places - Our snaps are nowhere near your mobile clicks.

Thanks DD. Bangalore meet I have taken all info I wanted by interrogating you

[rajeev k]

Waiting to release the clutch along with you day in day out. Come on unfurl. Can't wait any further. Teasers are pinching.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by rajeev k

Waiting to release the clutch along with you day in day out. Come on unfurl. Can't wait any further. Teasers are pinching.

Just uploading a few videos of Day 1. Once that is done I can start. Hopefully some today

[r_nairtvm]

Originally Posted by laluks

This travelogue is dedicated to all parents who have to plan holidays as per schedule of their growing children, and for those who wish to have a driving holiday in India while having access to creature comforts for the family

Thank you Lalu.

This will definitely be template to what I have in mind for 2017

Will be glued to it for the rest of it - going by the teasers and your antecedents, I am sure it will be worth the wait. Bring it on !!!

The PPFs have indeed grown to be lovely young "ladies" since the pics in your last major travelogue

Best Regards & Drive Safe

Ram

[jacs]

Lalu sir - Congratulations! As always I love reading your family trips. While reading your Himalayan adventure trip as bachelor, I was actually wondering how did your wife and PPG's let you go. And now I now they let you go upon this promise. Good one, keep flowing.

Though not Civved or Swifted, ES'ed looks equally or more good. No wonder it was PPG's choice over the Scorp. Car rentals are the way to go for we people from down south. Saves time especially for a family trip while not letting to loose the fun of driving. And also worth it considering the toll one's personally cared cars would take.

Good photographs and detailed write ups need no mention as it is your benchmark. Your food photography was too much to handle for hungry pandas like me. Already feeling like going out for Lunch .

[Deep Blue]

As always, another 5 star travelogue from laluks. The details so beautifully noted and conveyed and only teasers have started. Waiting for the rest. PPGs have grown up. Thank you for sharing your family travelogue with us.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by r_nairtvm

Thank you Lalu.
This will definitely be template to what I have in mind for 2017
Will be glued to it for the rest of it - going by the teasers and your antecedents, I am sure it will be worth the wait. Bring it on !!!
The PPFs have indeed grown to be lovely young "ladies" since the pics in your last major travelogue
Best Regards & Drive Safe
Ram

Thanks Ram. Time flies, kids just grow up so fast
Hopefully I will be able to give all information which you are looking for.

Originally Posted by jacs

Lalu sir - Congratulations! As always I love reading your family trips. While reading your Himalayan adventure trip as bachelor, I was actually wondering how did your wife and PPG's let you go. And now I now they let you go upon this promise. Good one, keep flowing.

Thanks jacs.

Yes, they always have something in mind when they finally let me go on that solo trip. In this case April was fully spend in NE on my solo trip , and may half in HP with them

Originally Posted by jacs

Though not Civved or Swifted, ES'ed looks equally or more good. No wonder it was PPG's choice over the Scorp. Car rentals are the way to go for we people from down south. Saves time especially for a family trip while not letting to loose the fun of driving. And also worth it considering the toll one's personally cared cars would take.

Indeed self drive is the way to go, helps a lot with time, and as you rightly said our cars can be saved of such beatings. Moreover we get a choice of cars as well.

Originally Posted by jacs

Good photographs and detailed write ups need no mention as it is your benchmark. Your food photography was too much to handle for hungry pandas like me. Already feeling like going out for Lunch .

. This time I tried mostly with my mobile camera, since I felt too lazy with the D90. Of course there are pictures from D90, but majority is from mobile.

Originally Posted by Deep Blue

As always, another 5 star travelogue from laluks. The details so beautifully noted and conveyed and only teasers have started. Waiting for the rest. PPGs have grown up. Thank you for sharing your family travelogue with us.

Thanks Deep Blue. Hoping to post some late in the day.

[APV]

Originally Posted by laluks

April was already booked for my secret drive of 25+days to the North East, and June my trip to Europe on work.

So busy days ahead for us. This weekend I will be busy reading the Himachal trip (weekend blockbuster) & some time later this month North east trip travelogue may be out.

Are you hinting a Europe weekend photologue is also on the way - holiday season release I suppose.

Man this is going to be a hectic month for all Lalu fans.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by APV

So busy days ahead for us. This weekend I will be busy reading the Himachal trip (weekend blockbuster) & some time later this month North east trip travelogue may be out.

Are you hinting a Europe weekend photologue is also on the way - holiday season release I suppose.

Man this is going to be a hectic month for all Lalu fans.

North East will have to wait till I finish this one.
Europe was strictly on work, so no logs

[laluks]

Day 01: 30th April 2016, Saturday
Bangalore -> Delhi -Ambala - Panchkula - Kalka - Kasauli -Shimla - Mashobra

We were booked into an early morning flight to Delhi from Bangalore. The taxi arrived on time and we started our journey by 03:00AM. We reached the airport in an hour and did the check-in and security formalities.

PPGs engrossed in their devices. I hate it when they are so lost in them!!


We boarded the flight by 04:45AM. Flight promptly took off on time at 05:05AM and after an uneventful 2.5 hours landed in Delhi. I took this 2.5 hours to catch up on some sleep, so that I become ready for the full day drive ahead. Collected our luggage and we came out of the terminal by 08:00AM.

Change is good. Some work were going on in the terminal



Our self-drive car was booked from 09:00AM onwards. We took the time to settle down for a nice breakfast of Samosas, Dosas and Chai from the airport terminal.

Samosa time


While we relaxed, and enjoyed our Samosas I got a call from the designated driver of Zoom Cars. He greeted me and said he would be at the Airport by 08:30AM and will complete the formalities so that by 09:00 we can start our trip.

Promptly by 08:30AM our car was in front of the terminal, an orange Ford Eco Sport from Zoom Cars. The driver helped us with the luggage and we drove out of the terminal and parked. As written earlier we did the formalities of accepting the car and on completion driver wished us a pleasant journey and left us on our own to start our journey. 09:00AM, we have our car. Wonderful.

Documented the starting odometer reading and we started our journey to Himachal Pradesh.

Starting odometer reading


Drove out of the crowded Airport area and parked by the roadside to fit my GPS, Dash Cam, and Mobile onto respective holders and chargers.

Tested Dash Cam, the place where we stopped



Around 10:45 we reached Murthal. Pahalwan Dhabha was full so stopped next to it at Gulshan Dhabha


We were not hungry, so picked up lassi and continued on with our drive.

We were passing by Ambala Cantt., and this sign board got my attention.

Welcome to Science City

Ambala Cantt. was established in the year 1843 and is an important centre for manufacturing of scientific & surgical instruments. It is also called the science city due to huge exports of scientific instruments

We were chatting and going on and missed a crucial signboard near Zirakpur.

We missed this signboard


So we could not immediately take this turn to Chandigarh and Shimla


We went ahead took a U turn and then got another exit from the other side


Finally we are in Shimla Direction


This is how we missed the turn and returned back to track

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=einPX8UHYeE

continued...

[laluks]

Day 01: 30th April 2016, Saturday
Bangalore -> Delhi -Ambala - Panchkula - Kalka - Kasauli -Shimla - Mashobra


By 13:00hours we reached Punjab state border and I was looking out for the tax collection point. Since Zoom Car belongs to taxi category we need to pay taxes for each state before we can drive inside the state. Zoom car had already paid taxes for Delhi and Haryana. We need to pay for Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.

Barricade announcing Tax barrier ahead


This counter seems to be for some other tax


Road tax collection center ahead


Tax Collection Center


In Punjab road tax can be paid per day. So I paid for the return dates as well. It was Rs220 per day.

You can also pay the same online.
https://olps.punjabtransport.org/Dea...ehicle_ST.aspx

But since I came to know the vehicle Registration Number just a few hours back, I chose to pay it physically at the counter. No rush, No issues, No Nothing. Just walk in, pay the tax and drive off.

Punjab State Border and Tax Collection Center

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoHYHPfKP4A

Eco Sport at Punjab Tax Booth


Odo says 61932, which means we came 223Kms from Delhi Airport. It was 40 degrees outside



Since we were doing good times, I thought of going via Kalka to Shimla. Wanted to check out on the Kalka Railway Station from where the toy train to Shimla starts.

Which meant I had to take a left towards Pinjore


All cars were headed straight to Shimla


We took a left


Kalka is ahead


Turn off to Kalka

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucVftZWdCKo

Entering Kalka Railway Station


Finally we were at the parking lot by 14:45 hours


Drive to Kalka Railway Station

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN3FDT2D3-s

continued...

[nda992]

What an awesome travelogue!

I was in Palampur for 3 years and I've been to most of the places you visited, except Chhamba Khajiar. I guess your trip has motivated me to think of a road journey to that beautiful state once more.

Just one query, how would you rate the traffic discipline in HP, especially of the Buses? During my stay, I used to witness extreme rash driving, even on narrow hilly roads.

Anyways, a wonderful write up and wish you and your family many more mile crunching trips.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by nda992

What an awesome travelogue!

I was in Palampur for 3 years and I've been to most of the places you visited, except Chhamba Khajiar. I guess your trip has motivated me to think of a road journey to that beautiful state once more.

Just one query, how would you rate the traffic discipline in HP, especially of the Buses? During my stay, I used to witness extreme rash driving, even on narrow hilly roads.

Anyways, a wonderful write up and wish you and your family many more mile crunching trips.

Thanks nda992

I have not found anything annoying with the traffic in HP, probably because I am used to Bangalore

Visiting cars were fast and rash, especially the big big cars from PB and DL. But then just let them be, and we had our share of fun.

[laluks]

Day 01: 30th April 2016, Saturday
Bangalore -> Delhi -Ambala - Panchkula - Kalka - Kasauli -Shimla - Mashobra

We took 4 platform tickets and entered Kalka Railway Station.

Some pictures from Kalka Railway Station


















Kalka Shimla Railway is a recognized world heritage UNESCO site



continued...

[laluks]

Day 01: 30th April 2016, Saturday
Bangalore -> Delhi -Ambala - Panchkula - Kalka - Kasauli -Shimla - Mashobra

Some more pictures from Kalka Railway Station






A train arrived at Kalka

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u_8SmA5wOM

it was 15:03






Few clicks of the platform






continued...