Hello Everybody,
This is the detailed account of my first major road trip, though have done many a short trip of maximum upto 500 kms a day but was never on road for four continous day. Had been planning since long for a good road trip and the weekend of 2nd April presented this opportunity to me. Wife had three day continous holiday on 2nd, 3rd and 4th April on account of being a good friday, saturday and sunday.
Around March 1st week, she came to me
She : April me teen din chutti hai 2nd april se, teen din ghar par baithkar kya karungi?
Me : Mera to koi chutti nahi hai, good friday ka no chutti and saturday as usual half day.
Next day went to office with a thought in mind that this is a time for a trip I have been wanting. I called her and said , if you can make some plan for that week then I can manage leave from my work too but I straightaway put one condition -this had to be a road trip. She reluctantly agreed and then we started looking out for a suitable place that can be done in 4 days.
I wanted to catch a IPL match at Bangalore, my mistake didn't see the schedule, if had planned during the ugadi week on 16th march, would have caught one at Bangalore. But no issues, if no IPL match then we get more time with friends and relatives.
We discussed Panchmarhi, Bangalore-ooty / Bangalore - Yercaud. Ooty was shot down and we finally decided we will head to Yercaud as place is just perfect for a one night visit and it would be a new place for us.Both of us have been to ooty before. We took a additional leave on monday, 5th april so that we get enough time to drive down to hyderabad by evening.
Started preparing for the trip, search for hotels started, went through various travelogues on TBHP for Yercaud. I am putting those link here for reference:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...y-yercaud.html http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...g-yercaud.html http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...y-yercaud.html http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...d-yercaud.html http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...t-yercaud.html http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...st-2007-a.html
and finally
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...y-yercaud.html
There are other threads too, but reference to these threads where enough to plan yercaud trip.
Preparation for Trip
My car got it's yearly service in february 2010, so it was all set, but got the headlight bulb upgraded to 90w/100 though needed the headlight for 3 hours during the total trip. Bought glass cutter, extra tube,stuffed a bag full of snacks and three 1-litre water bottle.
Had been waiting for 1st April very anxiously. Had planned to come from office, have quick dinner and then off to sleep by 8 p.m so that we can catch up with some sleep as we had planned to get rolling by 3 a.m on 2nd April. But couldn't sleep in the excitement. Finally got up at 1 a.m, woke up wife, and then I picked a cloth, system G and wax polish and headed straight to parking. Cleaned the car, wiped it, waxed it and came back sweating. Quick bath and freshening up , we had breakfast of tea and toast , we were finally rolling at 3:30 a.m
Crossed the PVNR Expressway and we were soon on NH 7. Headlight upgrade was worth it as found the light good enough, much better than the stock bulb.
By day break time, around 6 a.m we had already Kurnool. We did first 100 kms in 75 minutes and in 2.5hrs we had already covered 200kms. Roads were in perfect condition and Truckers were in left lane. It was blissful drive.
Now for some snaps of NH7.
Following a Truck
Day break
Smooth surface of NH 7
The curves
Approaching Ananthpur-ISKCON temple
Some greenery on the stretch.
NH7- good surface all through
Accident enroute
Saw many accident through the route. Saw a terrible accident due to diversions, a truck swallowed a tractor, only the mangle remains of the tractor remain, when we reached there, police were on the spot and tractor was being pulled from inside of the truck with the help of crane. It was a deadly head-on collision.