[Red Panda]

Originally Posted by Samba

I have plans to visit Goa again in Feb 2018 but unfortunately it wont be a road trip. After seeing this travelogue, am wondering i should have planned a road trip!

Cannot imagine you travelling somewhere but not in your own car. But will eagerly wait to hear your story.

Cheers.

[s_pphilip]

Nice thread, reminds me of my humble adventure, exploring India by car is wonderful, I used to drive someplace every year but haven't done any recent road trips after a attending a court case in March 2017 due to a silly accident, but believe me, the feeling of freedom / liberty is best felt when you have your car along in a foreign location, you feel at home as you are always cocooned by something familiar, while your eyes feast the new surroundings.
Last year in Sept I drove from Goa to Sikkim and Bhutan in my Swift Diesel, actually started from Kerala but I switched the car in Goa. I haven't got a chance to pen our amazing experience, procrastination is a devil.

So much to admire and experience that any other mode and you are robbed of this richness also there's considerable difference between east and west coast, I mean for example in Orissa and eastern Andhra, the density of vehicles on highways are much lower than say Gujrat and Rajasthan while travelling north, its fun driving on these open stretches.


My favorite place, I loved Sikkim to bits, Himachal and Sikkim are my most recommended places to everyone who asks me about a road trip. (No, we didn't stay in this spa, we stayed in Gangtok.)


The beautiful coastline that adorns Vizag, its is a beautiful city, me and my wife agreed we could live there forever.


Forgive the unkempt look, a shave was the last of my priorities (almost 3 weeks on the road) when the beautiful landscapes beckons outside, every moment awake.

Swift Diesel is great company, was a home away from home, during all the moments we were in the car, the familiar sound of the engine, the tire's musical note, the everyday seats, all contribute to that feeling (I was so much in love with the car I always preferred a room where I could admire my car in the parking). You can't stop being grateful and amazed.

[Red Panda]

Originally Posted by ALTIMAed

Wonderful travelog Avishek. Wish I could have joined you as per our initial discussion, but due to some important issues, had to drop out. Rated 5 star.

I also wished that you could travel along with us. Hope to catch up with you soon.

Thanks and Regards
Avishek

Originally Posted by s_pphilip

You can't stop being grateful and amazed.

Wow. At some point, you resonate the same thoughts and feeling I have. Your location say, you stay in Goa. I wish, we knew each other before my trip. We could have met while I was in Goa.

And please, try to write down your travel story of this amazing Kerala to Bhutan journey. I am sure, it will be a very interesting read for everyone of us.

Take care
Regards
Avishek

[Lobogris]

Great travelogue and an epic trip!! Thank you for the narration and the wonderful photos.
We did a Delhi to Goa road trip of around 2 month duration last Aug to Oct. We took it easy though and made it to Goa in 12 days! We stopped in Jaipur, Udaipur (2 days), Ahemdabad, Nashik, Pune (3 days) and finally in Ganpati Phule before reaching South Goa. On the way back, we made it in 5 days as we were in a rush.

Your discipline and organisation of the trip are superb. One possible caution of you don't mind: I hope your son uses a seat belt (or child seat/ booster) and sits in a proper position while driving for safety. One picture shows him sitting on the side of the front passenger and hopefully that was during a rest stop.

[Jeevan Sukumar]

Nice and very informative travelogue dear Avishek. Will keep this as a reference guide for my maiden trip to Goa planned for next summer holidays. Wish you many more happy trips.

[Red Panda]

Originally Posted by Lobogris

One possible caution of you don't mind: I hope your son uses a seat belt (or child seat/ booster) and sits in a proper position while driving for safety. One picture shows him sitting on the side of the front passenger and hopefully that was during a rest stop.

Yes my son uses the seat belt everytime. The photograph was taken when we stopped for some refreshments. He was sleeping at the back seat when he suddenly decided that he wanted to cuddle with his mother. Inspite of explaining him that it will get uncomfortable for him, his emotion overruled logic. We let him stay knowing he will go back.

5 minutes in that pose, he himself jumped back and slept peacefully on my mother-in-laws lap.

Being a responsible father I make him wear seat belts.

Cheers!

[samcan123]

Nice pics. Shows that the trip was very enjoyable.
BTW, did you cover the entire trip driving by yourself, or did someone drive for sometime? If it was completely you, then I am simply in shock
I never had the energy to drive for so many kilometers.

[Red Panda]

Originally Posted by samcan123

Nice pics. Shows that the trip was very enjoyable.
BTW, did you cover the entire trip driving by yourself, or did someone drive for sometime? If it was completely you, then I am simply in shock
I never had the energy to drive for so many kilometers.

Sorry to keep you in a state of shock, I drove all the way and back. Though my wife and my father-in-law both knows driving, they are not accustomed with highway driving and didn't want to drive. So I was the one man army. Roads were very good so I didn't feel fatigued.

Thanks and regards
Avishek.

Originally Posted by samcan123

Nice pics. Shows that the trip was very enjoyable.
BTW, did you cover the entire trip driving by yourself, or did someone drive for sometime? If it was completely you, then I am simply in shock
I never had the energy to drive for so many kilometers.

Sorry to keep you in a state of shock, I drove all the way and back. Though my wife and my father-in-law both knows driving, they are not accustomed with highway driving and didn't want to drive. So I was the one man army. Roads were very good so I didn't feel fatigued.

And I was also a bit overwhelmed, happy, proud that I outperformed myself. Twice, I kinda pushed myself. But that was OK, as I compensated for that by sleeping enough.

Thanks and regards
Avishek.

[vsun]

Thanks for an excellent travelogue with nice photos Avishek. You planned it very well. You saved some days by covering maximum distances at a go. Recently when we (Me, wife and 3 year old kid) went for Hyderabad-Vizag road trip, We made a night halt at Vijayawada.
Red panda looks great throughout the trip. I think you gave good water services to your Red panda in between the trip.

[s_pphilip]

Originally Posted by Red Panda

... Your location say, you stay in Goa. I wish, we knew each other before my trip. We could have met while I was in Goa.

Yes that would be really nice, I live in Anjuna and since I noted you were in North Goa, we could easily catch up (live near Hill Top/Anjuna Police Station and mine must be the only cars in that area proudly sporting TBHP stickers), but I also know for a fact no one has visited Goa just once, I'm sure you will return, we'll catch up soon, cheers to that.

[Red Panda]

Originally Posted by vsun

Red panda looks great throughout the trip. I think you gave good water services to your Red panda in between the trip.

The car had a fine layer of dust and muddy mist mostly on the doors but it is not showing in the photographs. I didn't wash it in this entire trip. In fact, mother nature wash it several times in this trip. Especially, while returning from Hyderabad. Its was raining cat and dog and we were on the highway driving towards Vizag. Thrilling

[pganapathy]

Awesome write-up @Red Panda. The only suggestion I would make is write the distances you travelled each day, along with the driving time. Will help people who might be planning similar drives. If they do not want to drive the same number of hours they can then plan accordingly

[ultimatechamp]

Highly inspiring Avishek !
The sheer magnitude of your journey and the epic holiday you shared with your family is inspiring for all of us.
How I wish I could do half of what you did. Wonderful narration and pictures too

[VivOverland]

Congratulation Avishek on your amazing trip. As a fellow overlander, I salute your planning skills. That is one heck of a balanced itinerary with a proper mix of driving time, breaks and local touring. Also impressed by the timely early starts. Excellent way to build cadence and pace when out munching miles! Congrats too on the budding artist in the family, he has serious skills. You may already have seen it, but would welcome your thoughts on this thread.

[HighwayHopper]

Originally Posted by Red Panda

Next day, we got to know from where this sweet water is coming. High up in the mountain, we traversed through very narrow path. We could see streams flowing down and suddenly found a little pool like formation. We went down sat among the many rocks only to find out that those very rock are nothing but Multani mitti (Fullers Earth) in its purest form.
Vizag beach road

On time travelogue and a special thank you Red Panda. I just returned from Goa yesterday. After reading your travelogue, we too went to the sweet water lake in Arambol, took the narrow path, and there on to the springs from where the water was flowing to join the lake. Spent amazing, unforgettable 3 hrs in the stream of water.