[Full_Minchingu]

Nice travelogue there and looks like you had a very good drive too. Thanks for the detailed write up.

I am planning to visit Pondicherry during 3rd week of May. Wanted to ask about the weather there, being summer I know it will be sunny but is it manageable? or unbearable?

How are the bike rentals there? is it available at the villas? do we have to book it before reaching there?

Regards,
-Badri

[tazmaan]

Originally Posted by Full_Minchingu

Nice travelogue there and looks like you had a very good drive too. Thanks for the detailed write up.

I am planning to visit Pondicherry during 3rd week of May. Wanted to ask about the weather there, being summer I know it will be sunny but is it manageable? or unbearable?

How are the bike rentals there? is it available at the villas? do we have to book it before reaching there?

Regards,
-Badri

Hi, the heat was around 41 degrees at peak as shown by temperature meter of the car during afternoon parked under the sun. But since our villa was on the beach the breeze made us comfortable. The mornings and evenings are good but afternoons are better spent in shade or inside with AC on. I would say after living in Mumbai I found the heat very similar and bearable most of the time.

The bikes are available readily. There are many posters/numbers all over the beach area advertising bike rentals. My villa manager was willing to arrange one (Activa) for INR 350 per day with helmet. I don't think you need to book one before hand however if you have a contact who is willing to reserve a bike do it.

[anup.bronco]

Hi 'tazmaan', Lovely Travelogue and a lovely place, Pondicherry is one of my fav. places. though I've never been there, great choice of villa as well, right on the beach, that's icing on the cake. Your truck looks really cool! perfect vehicle for a perfect location! Hats-off to your planning on all aspects, good move to send family by air, driving alone and soaking in the vistas, pondering thoughts on a long drive is a feeling of its own. Surfing!! Wow now that's cherry on the icing , hope you continue surfing and I would love to see a surfboard atop your truck which would be so apt. Cheers and keep exploring. God Bless

[ARAY]

Very informative blog. Reminds me a lot of my Pondicherry trip .
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...uster-awd.html
Places like these would never lose their charm and India so beautifully articulated with coasts on either side will only enhance the number of tourist attractions.
Keep travelling and sharing such beautiful blogs.

[MSAneesh]

Originally Posted by tazmaan

Once I got a call from airport I started towards Devangere. I reached Krishnagiri at 2.30 PM where I had Lunch at the same hotel I had stayed on my way back. After that luckily I did not encounter much traffic in Bangalore and reached Devangere at 8:15 pm. I was stopped on NICE road at a road block where they were checking for Cash due to elections which cost me 15 odd minutes. Not knowing the local language does not help either. Had a quick dinner and called it a day.
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Thank you tazmaan for this nice travelogue.
Where did you stay in Davangere? What is your feedback on the hotel and do they have ample parking space available?

[tazmaan]

Originally Posted by anup.bronco

Cheers and keep exploring. God Bless

Originally Posted by ARAY

Keep travelling and sharing such beautiful blogs.

Thank you !!

Originally Posted by MSAneesh

Thank you tazmaan for this nice travelogue.
Where did you stay in Davangere? What is your feedback on the hotel and do they have ample parking space available?

I stayed at a hotel called Srigandha Residency. Its a small hotel but is very clean with good food and service. The standard rooms are small so booked a Suit room for INR 2500/- . Parking for around 4 to 5 cars is available inside a gated compound.

Room Pic.

[prajosh]

Hi All,

Need route suggestions for a road-trip from Pune to Puducherry during Diwali. One thought is to go from Pune to Hampi (2 nights halt) to Pondi. What should be a good return trip with one or two halts in between? Don't want to go to Coorg. Flexible on total number of days.

Thanks in advance

[tazmaan]

Originally Posted by prajosh

Hi All,

Need route suggestions for a road-trip from Pune to Puducherry during Diwali. One thought is to go from Pune to Hampi (2 nights halt) to Pondi. What should be a good return trip with one or two halts in between? Don't want to go to Coorg. Flexible on total number of days.

Thanks in advance

Sorry for the late reply. I am not sure regarding Hampi since I have not done any research on it yet. It's there on my list. In case you want to do return journey with one halt I think Davangere at midway to pune (11 hrs) or Hubli (14 hrs) is your best bet.

[vroom_vroom]

Hello BHPians,

I think I could seek some help in planning for an upcoming road trip from Pune to Pondicherry and back.

I am planning a week-long trip towards the end of December from Pune to Pondicherry. The plan is to start from Pune on Dec 23 with one one-night stay each in Bengaluru and Chennai before heading to Pondicherry and visiting Mahabalipuram on the way. The stopover in Chennai is mainly to relish some tasty south Indian food .

I am planning to take the usual NH48 to travel to Bengaluru from Pune, however, I recently came to know that there are a lot of diversions between Kolhapur and Belagavi.

Can someone please confirm this and how much does it add to the driving time?

Google shows me an alternate route via Solapur, Vijayapura and Chitradurga. Does someone know about this route?

Any help will be really appreciate.