[btirthankar]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

good fun at Benaras, meeting BT at Benaras and predatorwheelz and adc at Kolkata were some of the highlights of the trip.

It was a pleasure catching up with you at VNS. We also discovered we use the same camera model SONY DSC H3.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by btirthankar

We also discovered we use the same camera model SONY DSC H3.

AND that both your sis-in-law and mine live in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad! And that you and my sis-in-law's son share the same first name!

A little more of the travelogue now...

As the sky lightened further, we sailed across the Kanpur bypass, with no more interruptions than a toll gate and a huge number of mosquitoes splattered on the windscreen. It was time for a quick P&T stop. Though we had enough petrol to just get to Allahabad, no risks needed to be taken, and 5 litres were all we needed. So what better place to pull in to, than a pump with this sexily-coloured 3-wheeled chariot? Note: Not all pumps on the highway sell petrol, and of those that do, I often suspect the quality. I prefer filling up at major cities, so we filled only 5 litres.


Cleaned out the windscreen of bugs before I remembered that you, dear BHP-ian, would be ever so inquisitive about just how may bugs were there! So here's a pic of the front bumper and registration plate instead!


Tank filled, bladders emptied, we were on our way again as the sun peeped through the trees.

[toiingg]

SS sir, you have me hooked. Nice pictures and brilliant narration.

[vnabhi]

Gosh, your car has killed more mosquitos than my Mortein at home. Gotta search for a way to drive my car inside my home!

BTW, nice pics SS. Keep 'em comin'.

I was also a bit curious to know how P&T translates to liquid in liquid out. Should it not be T&P?

[akroy]

SS da,
Aah UP-78, brings back lots of fond and nostalgic memories.
I spent my 4 years of college here.

As toiing said, I am hooked to this drive as well.

Abhi

[Sudipto-S-Team]

Sorry SS, missed this thread completely and hence missed meeting you too. Will wait for your 27th one .

[Eddy]

Am also hooked. And sir, how is the back treating you ?

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by toiingg

SS sir, you have me hooked. Nice pictures and brilliant narration.

Thanks. Hope you enjoy the stuff coming up.

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Gosh, your car has killed more mosquitos than my Mortein at home. Gotta search for a way to drive my car inside my home!
As they say, Don't try it at home!
BTW, nice pics SS. Keep 'em comin'.

I was also a bit curious to know how P&T translates to liquid in liquid out. Should it not be T&P?

Oops, stumbled on a technicality! It's liquid out, liquid in (LOLI) LOL!

Originally Posted by akroy

SS da,
Aah UP-78, brings back lots of fond and nostalgic memories.

Yes. Cawnpore of yore and the famous footwear too!

Originally Posted by Sudipto-S-Team

Sorry SS, missed this thread completely and hence missed meeting you too. Will wait for your 27th one .

I was looking forward to meet you too, but since I was in and out of Calcutta in less than 48 hours, it was unfortunate that we couldn't meet.

27th one isn't happening any more this year. But yes, I'm planning to take a 4th look at the NH-8 later this month, on my way to Pune.

Originally Posted by Eddy

Am also hooked. And sir, how is the back treating you ?

Oh, the back! Yes... It's held up after a fashion, but that was one more reason I'd gone to Calcutta - to get a great orthopedic to look at it. He says I ought to have light pelvic traction (25 lbs.) for a month to sort out a slight curvature of the spine that I've developed. Am in the process of organizing a home set-up for the same. I'm also using an elastic lumbosacral corset throughout the day. But yes, I'm better than before. Thank you so much for asking.

[SS-Traveller]

Kanpur to Allahabad was a fairly smooth run,



except for some 2-3 sections where the dual carriageway has not been completed. Here we needed to delicately run the car across rough patches and sudden dips, to prevent damage to the undercarriage.





Of course, as the morning progressed, suicidal (and homicidal) wrong-siders started to trickle on to the road, and constant vigil and lower speeds needed to be maintained. My bro-in-law was at the wheel, and he is a reserved and careful driver anyway, so I had nothing to worry.







Crazy traffic sense. Even animals are wary.

Heck, even this horse seems to be saying something! Like, get off that road, child, or you'll get run over like that buffalo.





Although the buffalo carcass was clicked later, I thought the two pictures above matched each other perfectly. Roadkill seen on this trip included umpteen dogs, this buffalo, and two humans. Really.

Often on this stretch, we found a dense haze in the distance



and as we closed in, found that the wind was blowing a fine dust across the expressway from stone crushing units. There are quite a few of them on this stretch.

[SS-Traveller]

So we sedately made our way towards Allahabad, and the numbers on the mileposts reduced a few digits at a time.


P&T stop at a very old-style dhaba, with the charpai's to stretch out on. I really love dhabas like this, though nowadays they can only be found few and far between.


Truck drivers busy with their bath, not bothered by our presence.


The modern plastic-chaired dhaba has moved the truckers' den to the back, perhaps with the idea that city-slickers like us might not like such an eyesore to accompany their tea and pakoras.

Bah... give me my charpai any day.

[Deeps]

Wow, great narration! Keep it coming. 904km still to go.

[phamilyman]

sarkar we need to meet up and swap stories!

I completely agree with you on the way to travel - absolutely same same. I always need a charpai wala dhaba while traveling. the seat wala thingie doesnt work for me.

[ghpk]

missed this thread, Else there would be nice tea/coffee from me at Allahabad (a Newbie BHPian )

[btirthankar]

I remember seeing this dead buffalo. Did you take the snap on the VNS-CCU leg?

[btirthankar]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

sI always need a charpai wala dhaba while traveling.

an illustration should help here.