Chota Char Dham Yatra.. A drive into Uttarakhand Day (-1)

21st. September 2012

In the initial stages of planning it was just KSM-Vtec and me, who were going to travel from Bombay in the Bolero. doctorque and VB confirmed their participation very much at the last moment! KSM-Vtec and me had been having continuous discussions, regarding the date and time of our departure for New Delhi. Every trip that I had undertaken so far had always been with a very early morning start. This time around KSM-Vtec suggested that we leave on the 20th of September, late in the night, drive through the night to reach Delhi on the 21st. of September by evening, check into a hotel and get a good nights sleep. Somehow he managed to convince me that it was a sound plan and very much doable with one person driving and the other sleeping.

But as luck would have it, the best laid plans go to waste. Horror of horrors, KSM-Vtec was unable to get leave for Friday the 21st. September. He had to attend office atleast for the first half of the day. Imagine starting at 12:00 pm from South Bombay, which is where KSM-Vtec's office is located and trying to reach New Delhi before 11:30 am the next day, IMPOSSIBLE I Say! VB and doctorque were okay with whatever was decided by the two of us. So what options did we have, none. So then it would have to be a continuous drive all the way to New Delhi and then onwards to Haridwar/Rishikesh. Decided to go for it!

KSM-Vtec loaded all his luggage into the Bolero the previous evening so that he could come straight from the office. VB and doctorque were ready to leave at any time, doctorque to be picked up from Worli Sea Face and VB from Malad. So on the 21st. of September I left home from Tardeo at around  10:30 am, went to the Petrol Pump near my residence to fill Diesel, air in the tyres, etc., etc. Left from there and landed up opposite KSM-Vtec's office, to be more precise at Nehru Planetarium, by 11:00 am. Was hoping against hope that having me so close to his office would spur KSM to leave early. No such luck though. Made a few calls to doctorque, who assured me that he would be at Worli Sea Face at the given time. Finally at 11:55am KSM-Vtec calls me and I hear the most awaited words "Am ready to leave, come pick me up"

So we finally leave from KSM-Vtec's office at around 12:00pm, pick up doctorque from Worli Sea Face, cross the BWSL and pick up VB from Malad. A little further on the Highway, doctorque's luggage is picked up, delivered by his Father and younger brother! 

Opp the Times of India, Malad, Arranging doctorque's Luggage

Very Happy VB & doctorque

And we are finally off! 
We reached the Dahisar Toll Plaza at around 1:00pm. So you can say that we left Bombay at 1:00pm. The roads on NH8, have improved considerably, since the last time I have been here. I guess its a result of all the flyover works being completed! Being the middle of the day, we encountered very sparse truck traffic and it was smooth sailing all the way. We crossed the Maharashtra Gujarat border by around 2:30pm. As is the norm these days, we did not take the Bharuch Bypass, but instead exited the highway, drove through Ankleshwar and crossed the Golden Bridge over the River Narmada.

Crossed the bridge, entered Bharuch town drove through and rejoined NH8. We had decided not to stop or take breaks for eating and towards that end we had already made sure that we were carrying enough food in the car. VB & doctorque made sure that none of us starved and kept on plying us with home made Theplas, Koki (A Sindhi dish like a Paratha), Mathris, biscuits, juices, etc.! A few kms after Bharuch, stopped to refuel and took the first break of the day. 

BPCL Petrol Pump at Luwara, Bharuch

The roads in Gujarat were a dream to drive on.

We crossed the Baroda-Ahmedabad NE1 by 7:30 pm and were at the Gujarat and Rajasthan border by around 9:30 pm. Again superb roads in Rajasthan helped us maintain very good speeds. Equally speedy was the food delivery by VB and doctorque. Another small 10 minutes tea break at 10:00pm, near Kherwada in Rajasthan. Stopped for refueling at Rishabdeo at around 10:45 pm. At around 1:30am we reached the Bhilwara bypass. That is 13.5 hours, the fastest that I had ever driven this distance. Mighty proud I was! Stopped for a small tea break at a road side stall and then handed over the driving responsibility to KSM-Vtec. Shifted to the rear seat to catch some sleep, while VB joined KSM-Vtec as the navigator.

KSM-Vtec continued the drive at the same good speeds and we crossed Kishnagarh Toll Plaza at around 4:15am and stopped for diesel at around 4:30am a little further away from Kishangarh at Bander Sindri. Crossed the Jaipur end of the GVK Expressway Toll plaza at around 5:15am. As was the plan, we turned off towards Agra just before entering Jaipur. Bypassed Jaipur and were on the Jaipur-Agra highway NH11, heading towards Agra by around 6:15am. Barring the roads on the Jaipur bypass, which are in an absolute mess due to construction work of flyovers, etc., the roads otherwise were great. But since it was early morning, we had to be very careful of villagers, cattle, etc.!

A Section of the Jaipur - Agra Highway NH11

   

Took a small break to relieve ourselves and guess what, the car wouldn't start up! Tried checking all electricals, etc., without luck. Finally had to resort to the classic DHAKAA START method and thankfully the Bolero roared back to life. After a while we realised that the battery was not getting charged and slowly all the electricals started failing one by one, though the engine was running. Considering that we had to reach Delhi by 11:30am, decided to continue till the engine gave up! Decided not to continue all the way Agra, but instead turn off at Bharatpur and join the Yamuna Expressway at Mathura. Reached NH 2, Mathura at around 9:15 am., and finally reached the entry to the Yamuna Expressway @ Mathura at 9:50am. 

KSM-Vtec the thorough gentleman that he is, insisted that I take over the driving responsibility on the YEW! All I can say here is that the expressway is fantastic! 

YAMUNA EXPRESSWAY (TAJ EXPRESSWAY)

YEW Toll Plaza

HAPPY FACES!

Continued towards New Delhi, only to stop Near the Buddh International Circuit to take a few clicks!

   

Change of drivers again and with KSM-Vtec at the wheels, we finally reached the DND flyover meeting point at exactly 11:30 am., after driving for 22.5 hours and covering a distance of  1,619 kms. 

SS, laluks, PC, akaush & his Parents, AS, VK & NS, were already present there. Had a very quick reunion with the IPHE team members present there and introductions to the new team members.  The others arrived shortly, but the Bombay Bolero had to leave to get the car electrical problem sorted out and to refuel, so after bundling SS and  his luggage into the Bolero, we left before the others arrived! akaush was kind enough to lead the way through the maze that is New Delhi! 

to be continued.......