[Latheesh]

Thanks for the TL noopster, brought back my trip memories. I visited Ajanta-Ellora-DL fort-and Duplicate Taj mahal way back in 2002 or 2003. Condition of Ellora looks much better comparing to those days. Ajanta caves were well maintained. It was a real surprise when I saw duplicate taj mahal, never knew something like this existed!

[mdsaab]

Hey Anoop, nice travelogue, trust me when you messaged me the rate my jaw dropped too. The pics are fantastic and the Taj property looks majestic.
Smilestone highway ~ the food is not that great. But there is absolutely no choice when you are hungry on this highway. We too ended up at smilestone for breakfast on our way to Meherabad.
BTW ~ great control and display of emotion when tackling the cops. This trick had come in handy when we were off to Goa on a road trip once. reading your description on that brought a smile to my face, no wait a grin.
Hopefully we can join you on future road trips. Look forward to it.
Drive Safe!

[mmxylorider]

crisply written, as always, noopster!

A'nagar/Aurangabad is on the plans for a long time now. This TL will provide the much required impetus to make the trip once kids' school term is over. Can't wait!

[mallumowgli]

Noopster's sense of humor intact right from his first post here in Tbhp. Great read. I think this is your first 'logue post Vento

[dot]

Hey lovely pictures and write up. Your wide angle shots are "delicious".

On Saturday morning I did have a wild urge to join you. But..

How hot was it at Aurangabad (temperature that is)? The roads (Pune- A'bad) are still in good condition? Actually one tends to face traffic till Ranjangaon, after that traffic dies down. The road to Ajanta is also a very scenic 2 laned road, which was well maintained, last time (Mar 10) we had gone there.

[noopster]

Originally Posted by mdsaab

Hey Anoop, nice travelogue, trust me when you messaged me the rate my jaw dropped too. The pics are fantastic and the Taj property looks majestic.

It is! A total steal at that price. That's the rate those pure veg family places charge in Mahabs/Panchgani!

Smilestone highway ~ the food is not that great. But there is absolutely no choice when you are hungry on this highway. We too ended up at smilestone for breakfast on our way to Meherabad.

The food is actually not bad at all. Considering there is practically NO other decent place to eat along the route. We attacked it like it was our last meal

Originally Posted by mmxylorider

crisply written, as always, noopster!

A'nagar/Aurangabad is on the plans for a long time now. This TL will provide the much required impetus to make the trip once kids' school term is over. Can't wait!

Thanks xylo! Nice to see you here. You should totally go.

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

Noopster's sense of humor intact right from his first post here in Tbhp. Great read. I think this is your first 'logue post Vento

Thanks mallumowgli. I think you were the first one to comment on any post of mine on TBHP! Yup- while I have written about one-off trips in the VW on my ownership thread, this is the first full-blown TL in the Vento!

Originally Posted by dot

How hot was it at Aurangabad (temperature that is)? The roads (Pune- A'bad) are still in good condition?

Temperature was bearable- car thermometer showed about 34.5 deg C max. That's about what it shows in Pune,give or take. I think that weekend was a little cooler than normal in general. The road from Pune to Nagar is top-notch, gets a little ragged after that but still good.

[nomadabhi]

@noopster, great ride. I planned Mumbai-Aurangabad-Ellora-Ajanta-Lonar with family. The drive was supposed to be in 2nd week of March when Ellora festival takes place. However, it clashed with my Parent's Nepal trip. Will be planning the same in monsoon.

Waiting to see more of the pics... btw, what is the gear that you used?

[noopster]

Originally Posted by ambivalent_98

Hi Anoop,
First of all the title is unique / amazing / hilarious. I am closely following all your travelogues / pieces of information about the Vent-Oh that you post.

Thanks ambi. Don't know how I missed your first post!

I am soon going to join the VW-Owners-Vent-OhOh Club .

That's wonderful. Tdi I suppose? That's the default! Though I do see a fair number of Petrol HLs (probably ATs) in Hinjewadi these days.

I was especially laughing to read how you had handled those A'bad cops. Puneri habits of creating your "U" turns seems to have caught up with you. Those poor innocent A'bad folk must have been amazed by your innovative style though.

I actually told the cop with a straight face, "Punyaat he chaalte" (Taking a U turn like this is acceptable in Pune). He was disbelieving and said "Naahi ssaheb, Punya-Mumbaiit koni asa karat naahit" (NO SIR! Nobody in Mumbai-Pune does anything like this". I felt ashamed by proxy and shut up. Maybe we should invite him to HJW one of these days.

Any more pictures coming our way....say no pictures of your ride ??? Taken at Ajanta or in front of the Ellora...!!!

Not really. My wife is used to my "weird ways" but in fron of our friends shooting pics of the car and not the monuments might be a bit much. One has to maintain appearances, you know!

Originally Posted by nomadabhi

@noopster, great ride. I planned Mumbai-Aurangabad-Ellora-Ajanta-Lonar with family. The drive was supposed to be in 2nd week of March when Ellora festival takes place. However, it clashed with my Parent's Nepal trip. Will be planning the same in monsoon.

Waiting to see more of the pics... btw, what is the gear that you used?

Hehe. Would you believe a Sony point-n-shoot? Anvancy was shocked at the panoramas I got with it on our Lavasa drive meet! This is the H55, Deepika Padukon model. I lack the patience for an SLR and its accoutrements, unfortunately!

Originally Posted by Mr.Boss

Nice write up noopster.
BTW I was searching for the Vento in your snaps

Not there. I don't like to photograph it without its logos. There are plenty on my ownership thread though.

[nomadabhi]

Hehe. Would you believe a Sony point-n-shoot? Anvancy was shocked at the panoramas I got with it on our Lavasa drive meet! This is the H55, Deepika Padukon model. I lack the patience for an SLR and its accoutrements, unfortunately!

Great going. I too bought a Fuji HS10 after almost finalizing on 550D. Amazing and to my understanding the panaroma is frame by frame capture. So for that I would credit your stable hands.

Sorry to know about your vento logos. I have once seen a red vento with temp number plate and garland on hood with both front/back logos missing.

[nanduchitnis]

Excellent photography and triplog. I have travelled this route a couple of times and always enjoyed driving and riding here.

BTW is it 4 lanes now Pune to Aurangabad?

Rgds

Cdr Nandu Chitnis
Retd

[pjay_in]

Excellent travelogue, noopster. Very informative for those who haven't been to these places (like me).

Nice pictures and thanks for the mini taj mahal photo. Loved the hotel pics too.
.....

But those are emus, emus!!

[ajay_satpute]

Very nice travelogue Noopster. The photos are pretty good too. You always write well, whether its travelogue or Vento ownership thread.

Just one small doubt: Why no photo of the beauty (Read Vento)???

I was hoping to see a teaser having the Vento in it. I think the logue is incomplete without the photo of the Vento.

P.S. I agree with pjay_in that those are emus. Ostriches are way too tall AFAIK. They are atleast 5 & half feet to almost 9 feet in height.

[shabahmad]

Originally Posted by nanduchitnis

Excellent photography and triplog. I have travelled this route a couple of times and always enjoyed driving and riding here.

BTW is it 4 lanes now Pune to Aurangabad?

Rgds

Cdr Nandu Chitnis
Retd

Yes, infact its 4 lane till Jalna City, But lots of toll booths.

[dot]

Originally Posted by shabahmad

Yes, infact its 4 lane till Jalna City, But lots of toll booths.

Any idea why till Jalna city? Is it a place of commerce?

As long as it is maintained well, dont mind paying toll.

[noopster]

Originally Posted by nomadabhi

Great going. I too bought a Fuji HS10 after almost finalizing on 550D. Amazing and to my understanding the panaroma is frame by frame capture. So for that I would credit your stable hands.

Sorry to know about your vento logos. I have once seen a red vento with temp number plate and garland on hood with both front/back logos missing.

Thanks abhi. The H55 has a sweep panorama feature that auto-stitches the images. You give me too much credit .
Let's not get started on the logo thefts- it;s just too depressing.

Originally Posted by nanduchitnis

Excellent photography and triplog. I have travelled this route a couple of times and always enjoyed driving and riding here.

BTW is it 4 lanes now Pune to Aurangabad?

Rgds

Cdr Nandu Chitnis
Retd

Hey thanks Cap'n! Yup it's 4 lane all the way.

Originally Posted by pjay_in

But those are emus, emus!!

Yeah yeah got that now.

Originally Posted by ajay_satpute

Just one small doubt: Why no photo of the beauty (Read Vento)???

I was hoping to see a teaser having the Vento in it. I think the logue is incomplete without the photo of the Vento.

Sorry man. I forgot all about shooting the car because the place was so beautiful. Next time for sure.