RISHABDEO to BOMBAY - Day 15

18th. July 2010.

Wake up at around 6.00 am. This is the day we will be finally coming home or should I say finally going home! Journey ends today, will be back in Bombay by tonight, will have to get back to work tomorrow. On the brighter side, will be seeing family after 15 long days. This is the longest that I have been away from my son, ever. The same holds true for Arshad too! Dinesh is a different case altogether, mainly because of his job and then his photo expeditions! I call up room service and order tea, which arrives pretty soon. Arshad and Dinesh are awake too. We decide to order for breakfast and the choice for the day is Parathas.

Finish taking a bath, pack all our belongings, load them into the car and then head to the restaurant at around 7.30 am. Piping hot Parathas are served to us almost immediately, along with Curds and pickle. We are through by 7.50 am. Head to the reception, pay all the dues and we are good to go. It's 8.00 am. when we leave the hotel premises and head out on NH8. A 'U' turn and we are on our way to Ahmedabad.

We pass the Kherwara Toll plaza (the 1st. of the day) at around 8.12 am., Kherwara village, Bicchiwada and stop at an I.O.C. petrol pump at Khajuri village at 8.42 am. After the Bolero tank is filled to capacity, we move on and pass the town of Ratanpur (the last big town in Rajasthan on NH 8). We cross the Gujarat RTO check post at 8.55 am., then the town of Shamlaji. Reach the Vantada toll plaza at 9.08 am. As expected the roads are a dream to drive on. NHAI has done a great job on the 4 laning and maintenance of this highway. Pass the towns/ villages of Dawli, Raigadh, Mathusula, Gambhol, Hamirgad, Kankrol and are at the Himmatnagar exit at 9.30 am.

Drive on past the towns/ villages of Ajipur, Nananpur, Salal, Rasulpur, JAisankpur, Prantij, Kamalpur and reach the Kathpur toll plaza at 9.47 am. Cross the Gandhinagar exit, Chiloda circle, Ranasan Toll plaza and the Ramol Toll plaza. The time is 10.40 am., high time to take a tea break. Stop immediately after the Toll plaza for a 15 min. tea break. Typical Ahmedabadi chai, sweet and filled to the brim and overflowing onto the saucer! Team it up with some Khaari biscuits, awesome combo. Reminds me of my days in Navsari, on my first job! Chai Ane Khaari, Wah Wah Mazaa Avi Gayee!

We reach the Ahmedabad end of the NE-1 (Ahmedabad -Baroda Expressway) at 10.57 am. This is an absolute razor straight road, a delight to drive on. I was holding a steady speed of around 120 kms/hr. without any problems. The only problem that I encounter on these types of roads is the monotony. Sort of lulls you into a false of security, which in turn may lead to a driving lapse! Give me a mountainous road any day, at least it keeps you awake!

We reach the Toll plaza at the Baroda end of NE-1 at 11.45 am. and at the end of the expressway at 11.49 am., covering a distance of 92 kms., in roughly 54 mins., with a small halt for dispersal of fluids. Arshad takes over the driving at the end of the e-way and I head to the backseat for some shut eye. Reach the Baroda- Bharuch Toll plaza at 12.27 pm. Again a very smooth and well maintained road. We are at the Bharuch Toll plaza at 12.52 pm. Cross the bridge over the River Narmada. Drive past the towns/ villages of Sarangpur, Ankleshwar, Kapodara, Panoli, Nandav, Kim, Pipodara and reach the Choryasi Toll plaza at 1.38 pm. The road seems pretty crowded today, with Arshad having to weave in and out of traffic, especially unyielding truckers, with a full load, driving in the extreme right lane at a speed of 40 kms/hr.

Reach the Surat exit at 1.40 pm., drive past the villages/ towns of Vav, the Bardoli exit and stop to fill diesel at an I.O.C. pp at village Karan, just before Vesma. We reach Kabilpore on the outskirts of Navsari at around 2.20 pm. On my request Arshad and Dinesh agree to have lunch at Hotel Sheetal on the highway at Kabilpore. I assure them that the food is good. (Having spent 3 years in Navsari on my first job, this is the place I used to come to have Dinner on the day of my salary. As far as I remember the food was delicious!) We drive into the restaurant. A lot of things have changed since I last visited this place ( Eons ago!) We order my favourite dish from years ago - Dabba Ghost and a Chicken dish, accompanied by Tandoori Rotis. The Dabba Ghost is as I remembered it, very good and Arshad agrees. I feel vindicated!

We leave after a longish break of around 55 mins., heading towards Valsad. Reach the Boriyach Toll plaza at 3.40pm. Drive past Gandeva, Alipore, Thala, Samroli, Dungri, Valsad exit and reach the Bhagwada Toll plaza at 4.40 pm. Onwards, on the Vapi Flyover, with Vapi town on either side of the highway. The roads from Surat to Vapi have been quite good, with intermittent diversions for construction of flyovers. We have managed to maintain decent speeds so far.

We reach the Gujarat-Maharashtra border at 5.15 pm. The moment we cross into Maharashtra, it begins raining. The less said about the condition of the highway, the better. The road is one long stretch of potholes with a few patches of tarred road somewhere in between. And they actually charge you a toll for these roads! We cross the town of Talasari and stop for tea at the village of Amboli at 5.40 pm. After a 10 min. break, we proceed towards Bombay. If we were hoping for a smooth ride into the city, we are sadly mistaken. The condition of the highway is so bad, that no one in their right senses would dare to speed up to more than 30 kms/ hr. One would expect the roads to be well tarred, wide and generally in a good condition, whilst one is approaching a major city and the last time I checked, Bombay was a major city! (Have things changed in the last few days?)

The condition of the road, is causing a lot of traffic build up, what with the trucks having to weave in and out to avoid the potholes. We reach the Charoti Toll plaza at 6.00 pm, drive past Manor Naka, reaching Khaniwade Toll plaza at 6.55 pm. We are at the Virar exit at 7.00 pm. and cross the Vasai Phata at 7.15 pm. We are at the Ghodbunder bridge at around 7.30 pm. In front of us is this huge line of vehicles. This is going to take a very long time! But to my surprise we manage to cross the bridge in the next 10 mins. Not too bad! But I did not know what was in store for us!

We cross the Bridge and the junction leading to Thane. Our woes begin from there. There is absolutely no point in writing anything in the log book. We are just not moving! Can't shut the car engine, AC is on as it's pouring outside. Can't figure the reason for this kind of a traffic jam! Maybe its the Sunday crowd returning! (Thankfully the long periods of waiting at Rohtang pass, has taught the three of us the virtue of being patient, so we just sit in the car, while everyone around us is honking or trying to cut lanes, to move ahead!) We finally reach the Dahisar Toll plaza, our entry into Bombay at 9.00 pm. The best part, there are only two lanes of the Toll plaza which are operational, while the other 3 are shut. This is probably one of the main causes of the traffic jam!

Our patience is wearing thin now, as we near our final destination. The heavy rain is not helping elevate the mood. Only one thought on everyone's mind, "Ghar Kab Pahuchenge?" It's 10.00 pm, when we reach Kemp's Corner, Arshad's alighting point. We say our good bye's and he takes his luggage and rushes out in the rain. Next stop Joothica building, Sleater Road, to drop Dinesh and his luggage. Thankfully his building has a canopy at the entrance. His camera bags and luggage is taken out, without it getting wet! Bid him good bye and good night and am on my way to Sonawala.

Reach Sonawala at 10.20 pm. Try to find a good spot to park, unsuccessfully! It's still pouring, so I decide to leave most of the luggage in the car. I will pick it up in the morning. Just carry my small haversack, with the camera equipment, wallet, etc. and head home. Thankfully there is a light on in the living room, that means someone is awake (Has to be Arthi). I open the door with my house keys, so as not to disturb Mom and Aditya and sure enough there is Arthi watching TV. After a long hug and embrace, I head to the bedroom to give a hug to Aditya, who is fast asleep. Mom is sleeping too. I decide not to disturb them.

Boy it sure feels good to have finally come home and see your loved one's after 15 days. Arthi has a whole host of questions for me! Give her a very brief synopsis of our trip, with a promise to give her the complete story over the next few days. Time to go for a shower and change, have dinner and then off to sleep. While taking a shower, it finally dawns on me that the journey has ended. There is no getting up tomorrow and planning the next stage of the drive! Back to work from the next day! Ok maybe not the next day, probably the day after that!

Thus ends my journey! The longest, furthest and most adventurous so far! I've crossed rivers, plains, deserts, mountains, valleys. I've seen the best and the worst of Nature. All this with friends who I am sure enjoyed it as much as I did. I feel truly blessed!

Will I do something like this again?????

YOU BET I WILL, VERY VERY SOON!

The End.