[KSM-Vtec]

After this
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ing-north.html
and this
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ing-south.html
and many more road trips...

the time had come for the road trip of a life time to happen. Ever since we started doing road trips we would dream of going to Ladakh one day TOGETHER (all 4 of us), it sounded to good to be true BUT it was going to happen this time when it counted the most(Ladakh).

2 weeks to go and Varun says he CANT make it. At first i was sure that he was joking but then when he stuck to what he said for the entire day i knew that there was something wrong.

We tried our best to postpone the trip but things were not working out for him. Just 3 days to go and Rahul says he also cant make it. So now it was left to Mihir and me.

Had put in a lot of effort to build my MONSTER specially for the trip i dint wanna let this opportunity go away.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-ve...ter-gypsy.html

But minutes before our departure i think to myself "Do i really wanna go??" a prompt answer comes back "No, not without Varun and Rahul".

Varun had been with me on all road trips and undoubtedly we make a the best team. Rahul was gonna leave for London(almost for good) and this would have been a great opportunity to spend time with him. On the other hand Mihir was banking on me and i had promised him that we will go come what may.

It was a difficult decisions for both of us but we decided to go for it this time so that we have our homework done for the next time when all 4 of us go together.

Sorry for the long post, this is the first and last one for sure. Will let the pics do all the talking. Also after HVK's, Suman's, TSK's and LoG's logs there is no need to write much, as they have in the best manner put forward all the important details.

Most Imp - This trip would not have been possible without the help of hvkumar who helped me in planning for the trip and pdev29 who helped me in building my gypsy for the trip and Rahul & Varun who forced us to go for it....Thanx a lot guys!!!!

[hvkumar]

Kaushik, that was fast - you started writing the travelogue before the first anniversary of the trip!

Am sure we are all waiting to hear the Gypsy ROAD-King-STER version - after Shakir's trip before yours.

[danlalan]

Pics with a storyline would help. Yaar am not on the thank you list.

[KSM-Vtec]

Originally Posted by danlalan

Pics with a storyline would help. Yaar am not on the thank you list.

oh ya i am soooo sorry dan...guys dan has also been very very resourceful and helped me build my gypsy and in demotivating me from going to Ladakh.

[lordofgondor]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Kaushik, that was fast - you started writing the travelogue before the first anniversary of the trip!

@KSM-Vtec: Man that sure is one mean looking green monster! I can empathize with the debate that must have gone in your mind when your mates had to drop off cause I'd gone through a similar phase before commencing my journey. Initially we're looking at a convoy of 2 cars & 2 bikes but finally only one car left.

Needless to say, now eagerly awaiting for the pics to come up and losing myself in the dreamscapes.

[KSM-Vtec]

Oh ya, even when i come to think of it today i a surprised about my decision of going ahead without them. These are friends i know for 2 decades man.

Originally Posted by lordofgondor

@KSM-Vtec: Man that sure is one mean looking green monster! I can empathize with the debate that must have gone in your mind when your mates had to drop off cause I'd gone through a similar phase before commencing my journey. Initially we're looking at a convoy of 2 cars & 2 bikes but finally only one car left.

Needless to say, now eagerly awaiting for the pics to come up and losing myself in the dreamscapes.

Actually my problem is that i cant upload pics from my office due to the firewall...so you guys will have to wait till i get home in the evening...

[Akadian]

The Gypsy looks cool, man. What with all those lights and all in front. It is a striking looker

[KSM-Vtec]

Most of the stuff has been written by Mihir and i am just posting it on his behalf with a few additions as and where required.

Mihir doesn't drive to often on highways and so most of the driving had to be done by me. Hence we decided to take 3 days to reach Manali by day 3 afternoon, i.e. covering a distance of ~2000 kms.


Memorable events:

Day 1- Gujarat: when we entered Gujarat, we had to go thru a “swain flue” check post, where this guy, with a mask on his face came and asked us whether we were “fine”. We said yes, and he let us move on !!! awesome way to prevent spread of swine flue

We stopped the first day at a guest house in Behror, with decent food & good rooms.

Day 2 – we stopped at Swarghat, after climbing 40 kms of ghats in the night. Lunch was in Zilmil Dhaba at Karnal.

Day 3 – we reached Manali, made our customary calls home n bought a lot of chocolates. Desperately wanted a body massage, but could not get it !

It was time to get the car checked at the famous Maruti *** in Manali. I must say that they did a good job.

It was not cold until now, with both of us in 3/4ths n t shirts.

Dint click too many pics in this segment but here are a few of them.

[KSM-Vtec]

This was one of the most beautiful drives, as far as scenic beauty was concerned. The climb to Rohtang was marred by absolutely on existent roads for the last 20 odd kms…there were khaddas as big as craters… and Rohtang – was non recognizable – no snow. The place where we had done skiing last year was plain, barren, brown !!





















Post that, the scenery was a sight to behold, no words can possibly describe it – only snaps can.









Now it was time for the first surprise. We close into this huge truck, the road gets really narrow and we have the valley to our left. The soil was very loose and hence i decided to get into 4X4 to make sure i have all the grip. We cross the truck after folding in the ORVM. When i try to get into 2X4 my 4X4 gearbox gets stuck in neutral. It was time to get the tools out and we finally slotted the 2X4 with the screwdriver....lol

later we reached Keylong and got the gear stick fixed back...close one i must. We could have got stuck in the middle of nowhere on day 1 itself.

We crossed Tandi – with the next petrol pump 365 kms away. We topped up out 40ltank & carried 20l extra in Cans – 60 should be enough !


We passed by Deepak Tal & Suraj Taal – pristine turquoise water – beautiful.


But, thts about the beauty – time for our second surprise 60 kms before Baralachla, our accelerator cable snaps ! 2 hours of daylight and we are in the middle of nowhere again...

[KSM-Vtec]

Not enough daylight left to be spent on fixing the cable and so we take jute / cloth rassis, tie it to “the accelerator pulley ” pass the rassis thru the vent in the bonnet, thru an open window & accelerate via pulling the rope by hand !!! so, the clutch is controlled by left leg, steering wheel AND the gears by the left hand and the accelerator by the right HAND .. ridden a horse before & pulled the cord around its neck ?? well, similarly, pull the accelerator here.. and doing this we climbed a very dangerous 62 kms to baralachla..


It was all downhill post that – not easy, but easier than the climb.

[KSM-Vtec]

Sarchu – WINDY , COLD .. one of our coldest nights, temperature was between 0 & +5 that night as we were told. We had tents to stay in & although they kept the wind out, it sure was cold & u could hear the wind thumping against the fabric of the tent all night.

We insulated the car engine with the many jute gunny bags we were carrying in order to keep the heat in to start it the next morning.

We had over 270 kms to do the next day & the accelerator was not working….with Tanglang la, loops & More plains ahead, we were in for a scary, exciting drive the next day… will we make it … on time ?

I am sorry guys the pics are in a random order as i am not very good with the organizing stuff on my pc.

[MileCruncher]

Hey KSM, thats a good pictologue that you started. Awesome pictures I must say. Especially the picture of switchbacks at Baralacha La is amazing. Never saw that !

As regards to the Maruti A S S in Mannali, they are awesome, even we got our vehicles fixed there on the way back.

[maddy42]

Waited for this adventure since tsk told that he met you guys. More pics of the gypsy man

[Rudra Sen]

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

Especially the picture of switchbacks at Baralacha La is amazing. Never saw that!

Which one are you talking about?

As regards to the Maruti A S S in Mannali, they are awesome, even we got our vehicles fixed there on the way back.

Is that one at Patlikuhal?

[akas_chauhan]

From where you clicked 1st picture in Post#10?
Nicve pictures, keep them coming.