[longford]

Hi

Profound apologies for not being able to post this in the 20 days since my road trip to Rajasthan. Sifting through 1200 pics, Documenting detailed trip logs, uploading the pics, did take a lot of time, unfortunately. Still not done uploading pics, but have managed to put together a significant portion of the data that will be useful to many who may be contemplating taking it up.

A Brief history in time.
I had seen gd1418's triplog of Gurgaon-Jodhpur n back and decided that I will travel by train to Rajasthan and then do road travel there. GD's comment on that post had a good impact on my approach and ended up canceling all my train tickets and doing it as a road trip 10 days before D-day. The wife was supportive but anxious on the strain on me as I was the single driver. Like always, any family trip requires meticulous planning(my belief).With a 70 year old senior citizen, a 5 year old bundle of restless energies, and a couple in near forties, everyone had unique requirements that needed to be addressed.

The Team BHP has been an invaluable guide in my trip.

To hvkumar - Special thanks for your trip log of Leh drive

To lightinin76 - Special thanks trip log of Vadodara-Jaisalmer. Missed the Akal fossils and the Munabao border.

To Ramki - Special thanks to the insights and guidance you provided on the Ahmedabad sector specifics. Unfortunate to have missed meeting him.

To Jaysmokesleaves - Sorry that we missed driving out together on the 18th.But here are some inputs that you can use when you re-schedule your trip that side

To gd1418 - Thanks for the starter ignition on the trip.

OK. Here is how I have organized the data.

Link for Data - http://travel.snapify.net/

- Trip log
Trip logs have detailed information on petrol pumps and wayside hotels

Rajasthan Trip 18 Nov - 1 Dec, 2009
Date Traveling Kms
18-Nov-09 Navi Mumbai- Udaipur 806
19-Nov-09 Rest Day 0
20-Nov-09 Udaipur-Nathdwara-Udaipur 145
21-Nov-09 Udaipur-Chittorgarh-Udaipur 269
22-Nov-09 Local Sightseeing 0
23-Nov-09 Udaipur-Kumbalgarh 117
24-Nov-09 Kumbalgarh Fort 8
25-Nov-09 Rest Day 0
26-Nov-09 Kumbalgarh-Ranakpur-Jodhpur 224
27-Nov-09 Jodhpur Sightseeing 0
28-Nov-09 Joshpur-Osian-Jaisalmer-Khuri 335
29-Nov-09 Khuri-Jaisalmer-Palanpur 508
30-Nov-09 Palanpur-Gandhinagar-Ahmedabad 173
1-Dec-09 Ahmedabad-Dakor-Vadodra-Navi Mumbai 626
Total 3211

- Photographs

Pictures of Roads
Roads - Mumbai - Udaipur
Roads - Udaipur-Nathdrawra-Haldighatti
Roads - Udaipur Chittorgarh
Roads Udaipur-Kumbalgarh
Roads Jodhpur-Osian-Jaisalmer-Khuri
Roads Jaisalmer - Ahmedabad

Pictures of Places
Haldighatti
Udaipur
Chittorgarh
Jodhpur
Ranakpur
Kumbalgarh
More pics under upload process

-Route maps of all the road trips
Day 1 - Navi Mumbai Udaipur
Day 3 - Udaipur Nathdwara Haldighatti
Day 4 Udaipur - Chittorgarh
Day 7 Udaipur Kumbalgarh
Day 10 Kumbalgarh - Ranakpur - Jodhpur
Day 12 Jodhpur - Osian - Jaisalmer - Khuri
Day 13 Khuri-Jaisalmer-Palanpur
Day 14 Palanpur - Gandhinagar- Ahmedabad
Day 15 Ahmedabad - Dakor - Vadodra - Navi Mumbai

Wrote a long blog on Day 1, but figured the world would have fallen dead by the time they finished it. Never got around to write a detailed blog for the other days. But will try and update day wise summary details soon.

PS. In case someone is interested in reading the day 1 blog, they may access it here - The Wandering Bug Posts

Hope you find these useful :-)

[Majic]

Longford, Since the preface and acknowledgments are over can we get down to business. looking forward for a wonderful travelogue with photos from you!

[longford]

Originally Posted by Majic

Longford, Since the preface and acknowledgments are over can we get down to business. looking forward for a wonderful travelogue with photos from you!

Do visit http://travel.snapify.net/
Maps, Photos and trip log uploaded.

More photos esp of the Jaisalmer leg and Ahmd sightseeing will follow soon.

Blogs need a lil time :-)

[hvkumar]

LongFord, great trip. But one piece of advice, I would never have refilled air in my tyres at that juncture with the tyres so hot and in pumps where the calibration is suspect. During my trips, I never refill air unless I suspect a puncture, and invariably there is hardly any drop in air pressure even during a 10-15 day trip.

[issigonis]

longford,

I have been waiting for just this - a detailed, meticulously written travelogue, to compliment hv kumar's logs for Rajasthan, plus anainar's inputs on hotels & stay. I have planned a Bombay- Udaipur- Mt Abu road trip with day time visits to i. Nathdwara/Eklingji/Haldighati, ii. Chittorgarh, iii. Ranakpur-Kumbhalgarh, keeping Udaipur as base and then to iv. Mt. Abu

Time to start reading!

Regards

[longford]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

LongFord, great trip. But one piece of advice, I would never have refilled air in my tyres at that juncture with the tyres so hot and in pumps where the calibration is suspect. During my trips, I never refill air unless I suspect a puncture, and invariably there is hardly any drop in air pressure even during a 10-15 day trip.

You are right and I agree.

That day was a slog day and wanted make sure that we did reach the destination early after the night fall. En route to Vadodara, I felt drag when I tried to push and figured it may be coming from reduced tyre pressure plus also remembered a similarly felt comment in your Leh posts . And at the Shell, all the four tyres showed a significant drop on the digital meter which had alarm bells ringing all over my head. Thought logically, pressure should have risen after the long speedy drive! Wanted to get it fixed asap. But there were just these two pumps after taking the detour into the city.Not much choices.

But things have been not very comfortable since I changed my stock BS tyres to the new Michelin XM1+ in Sep. I filled Nitrogen from day 1, believing that the pressures would stay stable for at least 2-3 months and hoping my mileage will improve because of the N02 and the better XM1+ technology. Neither has happened so far. My tyres have been losing pressure in between fills and my mileage has dropped by half to one kmpl.

After returning, did a full service with tyre rotation alongwith deflating the tyres and reinflating with N02. Guess what all 4 tyres showed a drop when i filled up again 2 days ago. No hard driving; just sticking to 80-100 on Palm Beach.

Investigating it. planning to stop by the tyre dealer(Best Tyres,Vashi) and have the tyres thoroughly checked. Hoping to finally see the light with my new Mich XM1s

[Majic]

Sorry, i went through the site and found it a really wonderful experience.

[longford]

New Photo Albums uploaded
- Khuri Village Dunes
- Jaisalmer

Link - Travel Zone

Day 3 blog also coming up real soon.

[issigonis]

longford,

Can you please attach the travelogue and the pics in a post here as I an unable to access these due to firewalls in my machine?

Thank you

[longford]

Originally Posted by issigonis

longford,

Can you please attach the travelogue and the pics in a post here as I an unable to access these due to firewalls in my machine?

Thank you

Not sure why you are having the access problems. The entire content is on google platform and the site is completely public with no restrictions whatsoever.

Try this direct link as well - Mein Travails (travelzfamily)

The reasons, I chose to host it on that site are
1. To organize all the trip data in one place to whomsoever who wanted to travel that side. Like a reckoner.
2. The data is quite a lot, Have uploaded about half of the snaps ( 500 out of 1200) and to post them individually here would really soak up some space and invite the moderators' ire.
3. To share the content with family and friends as well who are not members here or are not familiar with forums stuff.

But if many of us feel that that including all data here itself would be the best idea, will gladly try to port the links here as well in a couple of days.

UPDATES:
Day 3 Visit to Nathdrawa updated.