Team-BHP - Mumbai-Delhi-Mumbai Travelogue

This is a repost from my group PalioUsersIndia
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Hi Guys,

Apology for being late in posting this travelogue. Here you go:

Thank to all people for helping me with information and encouragement to take this trip especially Manoj, Sinoj, Anirban, Kamal, JP, Sunil (excellent tips they helped!).

The experience was fantastic Petra was rock steady and you should have seen Scorpios, Octavias shying while I zoomed @ 165 kmph on national expressway-1 (sealed expressway between Vadodara and Ahmedabad). Not even once I felt out of control of my car and came back after a 3500 KMs trip without a scratch on my car (touchwood!), only one puncture while driving to Delhi that also carried on for next 200 KMs without changing spare wheel as I had a tubeless! (Of course I had to frequently fill air after every 50 KMs or so). Not one car was able to overtake me on entire trip!

The idea was to enjoy driving so I did not care for FE but for those of you who would be interested in it I got overall FE of 14.5 with AC all the time (except for about 50 KMs near Delhi) which includes some jams too. The best FE being 16.5 between Jaipur and Delhi with some emotionally controlled driving not exceeding 3000 rpm and worst 12.5 between Mumbai and Udaipur changing from 5th to 2nd gear and exceeding 4000 rpm regularly on Day-1 enroute to Delhi.

Actually I learnt a costly lesson; Air-Dam (strip beneath bumper in NV models) decreases FE in 1.6 models as against 1.2 models where it helps gain mileage. This is based on my personal observation my car gave me FE of 12.5 so I took of Air-Dam (fitted additionally not supplied with car, as I thought it may help in better mileage in Petra also) and I got an FE of 15 on same driving for next 200 KMs! So trust FIAT for what it does not include in your car’s package!

Be prepared to pay toll fee of your life, there are about 12 toll posts one way between Mumbai and Delhi, total toll comes to about 1000 bucks one way. It is actually irritating to stop every hour or two to pay toll, it would be nice if NHAI implements pre-paid toll charge cards which drivers may just flash and go.

I was traveling with my wife and 2 infants. We had one car seat for the younger one (9 months) and we made platform sort of seating for the elder one (2 years) on rear seat by placing some bag between front and rear seat gap so that he may play around. We had about 3 big bags, 2 small bags, 1 subwoofer fitted in wooden enclosure! 1 PC (monitor, UPS, printer, CPU and other paraphernalia gift for my brother in law from my wife!), 2 laptops (one mine and other wife’s) and an inverter for repair in Delhi. We also carried a toy shop with at least 10 stuffed toys, my younger son’s walker, 1 water cooler and 1 Ice box! In a nutshell boot space is impressiveJ. I adjusted all luggages to ensure the weight is uniformly distributed.

Total Distance from CBD Belapur (Navi Mumbai) to Delhi (Pitampura) 1507. Overall FE 14.5. Route taken Mumbai-Surat-Vadodara-Ahmedabad-Himmatnagar-Udaipur-Nathdwara-Ajmer-Byavar-Kishangarh-Jaipur-Delhi.

Day-1

Started at 4.45 AM from Navi Mumbai crossed first toll plaza at Ghodbunder at 5.35 AM. Road till Surat is good clean 4 lane divided road.
First halt just after Surat for 15 minutes around 9.45 am. Road between Surat and Bharuch is pathetic due to construction of 4 lanes and 2 wheeler who prefer to drive right next to divider.
Second halt before Vadodara for tea 15 minutes around 11 am.
Third halt on Vadodara-Ahmedabad Expressway just before Ahmedabad for 25 minutes includes first refueling and tea break at 1 pm. Vadodara-Ahmedabad was fantastic, it is a 105 KMs sealed expressway with minimum speed 100 kmph. I drove 105 KMs in 40 minutes driving @165-170!! It was an awesome feeling. Petra is just marvelous….incomparable.
Small 10 minutes halt just after Himmatnagar for 10 minutes.
Reached Udaipur at 5.27 pm, total distance traveled 823 KMs, total time taken (with halts) 12.5 hrs at an average of 66 KMs per hour (including breaks). Decided to move on till Ajmer (270 KMs away) but had a puncture before Nathdwara so had to stay at Kankroli (near Nathdwara).
So traveled 823+70 Kms= 893 KMs on day-1. The travel was comfortable with no signs of fatigue even after driving for almost 14 hours in a stretch.

Day-2

Started at 11.30 am from Kankroli (near Nathdwara enroute between Udaipur and Ajmer).
First Halt at Byavar at 1.30 pm after driving 150 KMs for refueling -15 minutes.
Stuck in Jam near Jaipur at 4.28 pm for 30 minutes. Reached Jaipur at 5 pm. Total distance traveled around 320 Kms (Nathdwara-Jaipur) covered in 5.5 hrs (including breaks) @60 kmph average.
Two hours break in Jaipur at our estate!
Started from Jaipur at 7 pm for Delhi (not really a good decision as truck traffic was too much!)
Took a halt for 45 minutes for dinner at Midway (Shahpura).
Got stuck in a Jam just outside Delhi for 2 hours!
Reached Delhi at 1 am!
Total distance traveled 629 KMs on Day-2 (includes 15 KMs inside Jaipur).

The drive to Delhi was absolutely fantastic, Car was simply comfortable, awesome performance and absolutely fantastic handling. You feel in control at speeds over 165 kmph with absolutely no body roll or shaky feeling.

Now the travelogue for Delhi-Mumbai drive. Route: Delhi-Jaipur-kishangarh-Ajmer-Nathdwara-Udaipur-Himmatnagar-Ahmedabad-Vadodara-Bharuch-Surat-Navasari-NewBombay. Total Distance 1507. Overall FE 14.5 kmpl.

Day-1

Started from Delhi (Pitampura) at 10.45 am!
Halt at Petrol pump near Domestic airport 15 minutes.
First Halt Haldiram’s at Gurgaon after 50 KMs for 30 minutes.
Reached Jaipur 4 pm, stayed in Jaipur till 8.30 visited temples etc.
Started from Jaipur at 8.30 for Ajmer. The expressway between Jaipur and Kishangarh is awesome, 6 lane wide concrete expressway. But down side are illiterate truck driver not driving in their lanes. Imagine three truck trying to race with each other and occupying all three lanes.
Reached Ajmer at 11 pm.
Total distance traveled 430 KMs

Day-2

Went to Ajmer Sharif
Started from Ajmer at 2.40 pm for Nathdwara.
Reached Nathdwara at 5.15 pm (200 KMs in 2.5 Hrs). Had Darshan at Nathdwara temple.
Started from Nathdwara at 7.35 pm for Udaipur. Udaipur-Nathdwara is 2 lane wide highway with no divider and its ghats (Hilly) drive.
Reached Udaipur at 8.30pm. Stayed at Hotel Kajri of RTDC.
Total distance traveled 275 Kms (From Ajmer to Udaipur).

Day-3

Started from Udaipur at 10.15 am
You bypass Rishabdev, The drive till Gujrat border (120 KMs) is fantastic.
Took halt at a restaurant near Himmatnagar for 30 minutes.
From Udaipur to Himmatnagar the road for abt 200 KMs is fantastic.
Reached Vadodara at 3.30 pm (Total distance from Udaipur 364 KMs average speed 70 kmph.
I raced with an Octavia and Scorpio on expressway. Scorpio in any case shoed away after 140 kmph. Octavia continued till 165kmph and than simply disappeared from my rear view mirror! May be guys was not sure of handling of his car after 165 kmph!
Stayed in Vadodara at a relative’s place 3 hours.
Started from Vadodara at 6.30pm (hit the Mumbai highway at 7 pm).
Road is pathetic with truckers and two wheelers till Surat. Slightly better after Surat.
Avoid driving in night on this stretch, I had a meeting early next day so really did not had a choice.
Reached Navi Mumbai at 2.30 am. (Total distance covered from Vadodara 440 KMs in 8 hours average speed 55 kmph.
Total distance traveled 804 KMs.

Divider-less streches (from Delhi):

Kishangarh to Udaipur 300 Kms stretch (if you choose the stretch I chose, otherwise Nathdwara-Udaipur only (50-70 KMs)).
Himmatnagar to Ahmedabad 120 KMs.
Bharuch Surat some stretch of about 100 KMs.
So almost 1/3 way is 2 laned without divider between Mumbai and Delhi.

Phew! That was some trip! The car is awesome; I have already decided not to part with my Petra even though I plan an Octavia in next 2 years. I shall keep it till the time it becomes vintage classic. The performance was out of the world. I had gone to Jammu from Delhi driving a New Honda city automatic and believe me I did not enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed driving Petra. Fiat is a different breed, don’t think you can compare them with any car else!

I would be happy to share any other info with group.

Before I close, a special vote of thanks to my both Sons for behaving themselves and trying to appreciate their father’s spirit of adventure, it was their first non-air travel, they behaved beyond my expectation. Good boys!

And of course a very special vote of thanks for my wife for jotting down all the details, being my navigator/co-driver, calculating average for me (Mathematics drive me nuts!) and above all being patient with me with all the swearing and choicest verbal condiments I hurled on truckers throughout the trip.

I would not mind a travel like Kashmir-Kanyakumari or Laddakh-Kanyakumari to prove sturdiness, dependability and performance of my Fiat….given Fiat sponsors my trip.

Fiat India…..Are you listening? J

Cheers & Regards,

-Rishi