[MileCruncher]

Day 4:
Start Time: 0700 Hrs, September 14, Udhampur
Stop Time : 1410 Hrs, September 14Boulevard Road, Srinagar
Sector : Udhampur - Patnitop - Banihal - Anantnag - Awantipora - Pampore - Srinagar
Starting Odo: 10039 Kms (Trip Meter: 2481.3 Km)
Closing Odo: 10298 Kms (Trip Meter: 2740.3 Km)
Distance covered : 259 Kms

Few pictures of the my friend's house were we stayed and enjoyed my friend's superb hospitality apart from having a detailed discussion with Uncle on J&K politics.





We started off from Udhampur after a good night's sleep at 7 am. We were enjoying the scenery while climbing up the hills and progress was decent. While we were almost nearing Patnitop, my wife gave a scare that she might have left her phone at Udhampur. But some frantic searching resulted it in being found buried deep inside the luggage. All items located, we set out again and were able to cross Patnitop by 8.15 am. While coming down from Patnitop, I had stopped for a bio-break and on return was surprised to see some smoke coming from under the bonnet. Lifted the bonnet and could smell burning from the front brakes. Shut-off the engine and restarted the car and while trying to move the car wouldn't budge. On fiddling with the brake pedal the brakes that had locked, eased off and we were on the roll again. This incident got us all worried and Bidisha called up the Mahindra helpline and was given the number for Works Manager of Chowdhury Motors, Srinagar. At this moment we decide to tweak our plan to stay two nights at Srinagar instead of the one night that was originally planned.
Few pictures of the route before Jawahar Tunnel.







































Because of the brake problem our progress was slow and we finally entered the Jawahar Tunnel at 11.30 AM. The scenario changes quite drastically as you inch closer to the Jawahar Tunnel with umpteen number of search parties and patrol vehicles guarding the place. The tunnel is definitely a marvel and once out the view of Kashmir Valley from Titanic View point is just breathtaking.Few pictures of the Green Tunnel and Saffron fields enroute Srinagar.

[MileCruncher]

We finally entered Boulevard Road in Srinagararound 2.10 where the Mushtaq, owner of the house boat where Vishal was already staying and booked us as well, was waiting for us. Initially we had wanted to stay in the houseboat but had been adversely warned in Jammu about water supply in houseboats and hence decided against it. Still decided to have a look if we would change our minds. But that was not to be. Dal Lake is a mini township in itself with floating shops coming themselves to the houseboats to sell their wares. It was an unique experience in itself.

Anyways we finally negotiated and landed up at Hotel Parimahal on the Boulevard Road itself. Since my car was giving problems and 2nd Service was also due, went to drop it at the workshop which is located just outside town. And while coming back I had a taste of how life in Srinagar is. I was wearing a half jacket and a cap and travelling in an auto. Just outside Badami Bagh cantonment, the auto I was travelling in was stopped and the cops wanted to see what was in my poly-bag that I was carrying. Poly-bags checked I had to tell them where I was coming from and show ID proof.


Evening was spent on a Shikara Ride before heading to Vishal's houseboat for the night cap

[vnabhi]

MC, that brake trouble is a bit worrying----what happened? I recall that even HVK had brake failure on his Scorpio somewhere in Karnataka recently.

[hvkumar]

I suspect that the Bolero's brakes must have got heated up thanks to the frequent braking in the ghat sections, since there were no further problems. Hence, the burning smell of the liner.

I do not think MC had any problems with his brakes rest of the trip. Would have been disastrous if the problem had persisted.

In my case, the problem was bad - the brake booster failed suddenly and the brakes became difficult to engage. This happened in the Dobespet-Yelahanka section on a Bombay-Bangalore drive, and I had to crawl all the way to Shirish Auto in Madivala and replace the brake booster. I had also another type of problem during my recent North East trip - the accelerator wire jammed and I could not reduce my throttle.

[MileCruncher]

Even though brake fading due to heating of the brakes was there, the problem I faced was of brake jamming up or the brake pedal hardening up. Due lack of adjustment on the brake booster, either it was not working or working so slowly that the front disk pad was not releasing once the brake pedal was released.

[hvkumar]

M&M brake systems are mysterious. During the same trip, I had brake failures (yes, brakes failed to engage) on a few occasions, but the problem set itself right on its own. My brake boosters have already been replaced and I can only suspect that there is some quirky problem with the hydraulics (like an air bubble?) which can cause this kind of problem from time to time. Of course, it is no use going to a M&M ASC - they are such buffoons and incapable of diagnosis - so I continue to search for solutions and pray that the problem just goes away.

[vnabhi]

hvk---that's scary to note. Given the number of miles you munch, a comprehensive solution to your brakes is the highest priority.

[MileCruncher]

Day 5: September 15, Srinagar

I got up a little late at 7 am due to the effect of previous night's nightcap and not finding anybody else awake decided to take a stroll down the Boulevard Road. In the early hours, Srinagar loked like anyother city what Children being transported onto land thru Shikaras and then waiting for the bus to go to school. Dal Lake also looked extremely serene and I decided to have a Shikara Ride. The boat owner/operator was a nice young man in his mid twenties and we had long discussion about J&K Politics, Militancy, Growth in tourism in the last few years and about the wants of the common Kasmiri person. Few pictures clicked during the Shikara ride.



















The car was scheduled to be ready by 12 but was able to get it only by about 1.30 pm. As the agenda of the day was good food and sight seeing, we went to Mughal Darbar near Polo Grounds for wazhawan cuisine, but somehow were not exactly enthused with the Yakhni, Gushtaba and Rishta. As a matter of fact I did suffer a mild stomach upset due to mixture of some seekh kababs had at Jan Bakery near Dal Gate.

After lunch we went on the "Bagh" circuit starting with Chasme - Shahi continuing to Mughal Gardens, Pari Mahal, Nishat Bagh and Shalimar Bagh. We got to know at Nishat Bagh that Dal Lake initially used to be divided in 4 quarters by roads running through the Dal Lake. Few pictures of the "Bagh"

[MileCruncher]

Some view from Pari Mahal of the Dal lake and some pictures of Nishat Bagh & Shalimar Bagh

[laluks]

Nice pictures of the garden.
Any hint about the name of this one?

[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by laluks

Nice pictures of the garden.
Any hint about the name of this one?

This was at Chashme - Shahi.

No idea about the name though

[laluks]

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

This was at Chashme - Shahi.

No idea about the name though

Let us wait. Some TBHpians will know for sure

So you enjoyed Srinagar quite well amidst all the green and flowers, and a shikara on Dal. Cool!!

[sj_koova]

Basu,
The morning shots of Dal lake looks awesome.
Looks like you got a nice house boat too.

[contactme27]

excellent post... keep going..

[hvkumar]

Some comparative images - MC's Sep 2009 and my Dec 2002- how seasons change:

Dec 2002


SEp 2009


Dec 2002


Sep 2009



DEc 2002


Sep 2009


DEc 2002


Sep 2009