[LongDrive lover]

Originally Posted by ampere

@LDL,
Sorry for the OT. Felt like penning this down. As Dickens said. Those were the best of times and those were the worst of times! ..
I had quite a time in Western UP Aligarh/Agra! Language was amazing and so was the land; Amazingly fertile,
Such were my travels and travails! What a place! What place!

@ampere. Need not be sorry for this. You have made me relive my childhood and youth. Believe me, I was born and brought up in precisely those settings, and have gone through all the experiences mentioned by you, including swimming in Holy Ganga, except taking that night passenger train! In fact spent my first 16 yrs staying on the bank of Ganga, so swimming came naturally.

Roads used to be pathetic till recently. However, have been relaid with modern techniques. Now, Agra - Budaun- Bareilly is a good two lane highway. GT road (NH 91) has also been relaid. I have studied in Agra, Delhi and from home used to travel by UPSRTC buses on those routes mentioned by you during holidays. Incidentally, have been a moot spectator to that Aligarh bus conductor episodes several times, even when traveling with wife after getting married!

And yes, western UP (I am talking about Meerut-Ghaziabad- Muzzafarnagar belt) have given a taugh competition to Punjab and haryana in agricultural production and fertility. Aligarh-Agra belt is also fertile. People of these areas have been very hard-working in fields. But, am at pain to say that new generation is not following good work done by our forefathers. Liquor and crime is taking a toll and traditional base of prosperity in these areas has been a great sufferer of this.

I think I even went more OT.

[LongDrive lover]

Originally Posted by MX6

Dude, consider this!
I once travelled jhansi to kanpur by some train (way back in 1996).
There were close to 300 people in the sleeper class coach, with 4 people lying on the middle berth, which had reservation on my name.
I love UP! There's a degree of innocence attatched to the place!

@MX6. I am sure that must have been a Lucknow/or Allahabad - Mumbai train. Such scenes are common in that route which carry hundreds of people from remote eastern parts of UP and Bihar to the Maya nagri in search of employment. I'll not go in detail about our cops, civic sense, and lawlessness, else it'll become an OT special thread.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by LongDrive lover

Roads used to be pathetic till recently. However, have been relaid with modern techniques. Now, Agra - Budaun- Bareilly is a good two lane highway. GT road (NH 91) has also been relaid. I have studied in Agra, Delhi and from home used to travel by UPSRTC buses on those routes mentioned by you during holidays. Incidentally, have been a moot spectator to that Aligarh bus conductor episodes several times, even when traveling with wife after getting married!

Wow! Ditto!
Even I studied at Agra and used DTC and UPSRTC buses a lot!

[sami316]

Hello LDL,

Sir I am still waiting for more pics of this travelogue. Please upload them at the earliest.

[MX6]

Originally Posted by LongDrive lover

@MX6. I am sure that must have been a Lucknow/or Allahabad - Mumbai train. Such scenes are common in that route which carry hundreds of people from remote eastern parts of UP and Bihar to the Maya nagri in search of employment. I'll not go in detail about our cops, civic sense, and lawlessness, else it'll become an OT special thread.

My post is not to highlight the lawlessness or civic sense in a negative way. Just took it with a pinch of salt. I was rather bemused at the happenings. It had a innocent charm to it.
I had many a discussions with the auto drivers and the rickshaw (the leg powered one's) drivers while at Kanpur to understand the local etiquettes and living conditions. Anyway. enough of OT.
LDL. over to you.

[LongDrive lover]

Sirs,
We all got so immersed or submerged (Holi Ganga river effect!) in OT, that story is crying to be heard! . I already posted Day 1 this morning above. Pics coming soon.

[MX6]

We've read the Day 1 already. It's not counted untill you post the photos. How old was your daughter when you did that almost 15 hour drive to Indore?

[LongDrive lover]

Originally Posted by MX6

We've read the Day 1 already. It's not counted untill you post the photos. How old was your daughter when you did that almost 15 hour drive to Indore?

Almost 5 yrs old. Not many photos of day 1 as focus was on covering distance. Very few, coming up. But have for other days. I know another of those scolding about child care coming up! To make the perceived scolding lighter, sir, we took quite a few breaks.

[LongDrive lover]

Day 1 photos:

Very few, pl don't give attention to their quality, but, these are impt as they represent the famous Chambal belt between Etawa and Gwalior.

PS: Problem in uploading pics. Will check size and upload then.

[Fordmanchau]

I have nice memories of my drive to Etawah to Gwalior and back. We were picked up from Etawah station and then taken to Gwalior in a convoy comprising of Tavera's, Qualis and Dzire. We went for a marriage to Gwalior.

Now post the snaps asap. It's already been long overdue.

[MX6]

Nothing to scold. At 5 years she's handled it remarkably, the 15 hour (with breaks). Now at 10 years, I'm sure she'd be raring to go!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by MX6

Nothing to scold. At 5 years she's handled it remarkably, the 15 hour (with breaks). Now at 10 years, I'm sure she'd be raring to go!

Raring to go?
Yes, she would be demanding the wheel.

[MX6]

Originally Posted by ampere

Raring to go?
Yes, she would be demanding the wheel.

At 10 if my daughter demands the wheel, I'll give her a bucket and a cloth and say, wash the car for next 8 years.

[LongDrive lover]

Originally Posted by MX6

Nothing to scold. At 5 years she's handled it remarkably, the 15 hour (with breaks). Now at 10 years, I'm sure she'd be raring to go!

I think, there's some confusion. The fact is she was exactly 4 yrs 10 months at the time of trip, and now is 5 yrs 2 months (not 10 ). Just got the net connection back, will try to upload pics.

BTW. CONGRATS MX6! You became a Senior BHPian today. Just saw it.

[LongDrive lover]

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

I have nice memories of my drive to Etawah to Gwalior and back.
Now post the snaps asap. It's already been long overdue.

Thanks FM. BTW, where are you heading next after 'Yeracud josh'! Snaps coming soon, had net problem today.