We took off on a
pleasant morning in end September, in our little i10 car with a due
check up and certification from the local car expert. The car always
functioned well and there was no doubt about the drive in the trusted
little guy. We had a plan to skip the Kuthiran' bottle neck' but
decided otherwise as we could pass it without much problem as we
started quite early in the morning. Our assumption proved right as
the passing was smooth there. The big tunnel which was being made
for the straightening of the road and removing the bottle neck
could be seen on the right. The road had its share of huge three axle
and four axle vehicle carrying weights to be carried by two trucks or
more. The drivers of those large beauties should really be stury
ones as it takes many days for them to reach their destinations
covering several states. We passed Coimbatore still in the early
mornings and headed straight for Salem to get the Trichy curve. The
roads in Tamil Nadu were excellent but for the large number of toll
tax gates where we have to give the small tax which is also called a
toll for passing them. A due receipt is also given and they were
generally well managed. Each toll ensured a good distance of good
road which is a driving pleasure for any road user. This time the
Trichy curve was easily visible as the road signs were sere put in
such a way that the drivers could catch it if attentive.
Once th Trichy curve
is recognized, we took the customary left turn to be born on to the
Chennai road. The signs will bring brough us to the Vandalur zoo from
where we cut across to catch the OMR road which brings us to our
cherizhed destination at Kelambakam.
We rested fopr a few
days before starting off to Bangalore a joyful run of five to six
hours. The run has its own scenic beauties and good road signs. We
cruised in to our destination in the after noon, of course, starting
in the early morning. We had been advised by other driving bloggers
that night driving is better avoided and we took those advices of the
experts or our earlier road users. The traffic in Banglore was
heavy but we avoided entering the thick of the city and went and
stayed at a far end called Jakkur Plantation side where the traffic
was a little manageable. No doubt, even there, traffic was heavy,
compared to olden times. New constructions and cheek by jowl shops
and establishments leaves very little room for any one to park or do
any thing lavishly on the side of the road. If one got a little
space to park for sometime without a shop owner or his assistants
coming running to tell you to not to park, one is lucky. But if one
could, there is a chance one may bet affable people to talk to and
enquire of the surroundings according to ones needs.
I got
an old gentle man to enquire of the road direction I had needed and
of shops where I could purchase some articles. We could spend well
half hour talking , which went from introducing the roads, how to
criss cross them, where to find a few needed shops, to heavy traffic
and parking availability. In between we slipped on to how is life?,
Ar you retired? How is the family settled?, How are the children
placed? If life really comfortable? So on and so forth. He told me
of his Delhi life, how good times were, how tough life were at times,
but could grew up children in a peaceful atmosphere where schools and
colleges werre good and teachers were dedicated. I could easily
relate to him as I had also been a Delhi worker and had similar
experiences even thoughbring ing up children were tough in those days
of old, but people aroun, all from various villages in various states
were too simple and truthful without much ego. Those times each one
understood, the others around also had similar situations at home in
their own states and the good will they had were enormous!
Oh..bothof us agreed to meet a continue with the talk, if Almighty
allowed us to meedt and parted ways by the time my co-driver had
brought the car after making a long phone call and setting the GPS on
the phone where are now available in the new kind of phones.
He
joked at me about the way side conversation that I may settle down
there, if I had more time to converse a few more people. In elderly
years, it is like that! When one gets to hook on to, the time passed
if the opposite gentleman is good and to your liking having a flare
to speak. We started off without much ado discussing our own small
work in hand as the power had suddenly shown a fluctuation while
driving. We also thought the muffler of the exhaust has loosened
somewhere. We could find a mechanic on the side of a small road who
checked up in a few seconds and said,that our silencer tube is worn
out and that has to be replaced. Then was a search for the possible
shops. Most of the shops were closed due to the Deepavali festival
but some were to be found on a small road. There was a work shop
also shown on the inter-net. We visited the work shop, a small crampy
place with a biting step steep gradient. The nice English talking
and well educated Engineer came out checked the vehicle and said he
needed a further check to thoroughly check the vehicle and wantede to
drive check and also examine in his little workshop. We agreed. He
took to the driving seat and the car brought out added energy and the
little vehicle bit on the biting gradient to his shop in a little
growl and cough. He showed a sign to his younger mechanic who went
under the car and came out to report of the worn out tube again which
our earlier mechanic had already advised, without any fanfare. The
moment the junior mechanic came out, the senior English speaking
friend got the front wheel opened and advised a possible simple
problem on the right wheel brake side which may not make a problem as
such, but could as well make a problem in future. We checked up his
total charges we if we wanted to fix them. He did not give a
straight answer but took us to his special cabin and started writing
on a small receipt book a few figures and spoke to us about the
possible causes of all the exhaust tubes available in the market and
the best tubes he would use for us which is really a smart tube and
also the simple work on the right front which he will to for a
little sum to save us a headache in future! He showed us a total
figure of seven thousand and odd rupees for the whole work at a go
and would need half a day!
We
tahnked him for his advice and moved on to find the required exhaust
pipe. Without much problem we could locate the shop with the help
pof a few other mechanics who were also going to the same shop. We
could recognize them easily as it was a mechanics cum automobile area
and most of the real mechanics had greese and black on their hands
and they all wore soiled clothes whhich is a sign of good mechanics
as they have to go under vehicles all the time and do the work on
vehicles which are worn out. Affable people though, they guided us to
the shop and we made a good buy of the tube mentioned.
The
bill showed a fine charge plus a few taxes and the latest GST tax
which was really a bit to drink in. Once the tube was our own we
had to wait to get the bill cut and payment done. I was standing at
the shop holding the long exhaust tube as a pole for a while and
then thought I shall as well put it in the car some how. Once I was
putting it into the car a boy came running from the bye-lane and
asked if I wanted to fix it straight away!
He said
his Ustad was free then, and he could fix it for a small sum and his
shop is just few meters only. We agreed and in a matter of half an
hour his Ustad, a middle aged youngster, with a broad inviting smile,
in all grease and black in totally soiled clothes fixed it, drove the
car around and took his fees of four hundred rupees and that was it.
The work was done in half an hour and including the price (which was
a bit high with the taxes) it came only below four thousand. The car
now became smooth and the lost power came back and the extra noise
was gone! A day's rest and we were ready for our next leg to Goa.
The
next morning took us through a panoramic drive under a cloudy sky
through the mountainous curves and hair pins, zig-zags and hill
ranges of Karnataka to ultimately arrive at the city of Churches and
St. Francis Xavier in the late afternoon. We could get the blessings
of St. Mary as we reached a church of the Immaculate Conception and
attend mass there. It was raining and the blessings were there, sure
to be enjoyed. We could find a little inn nearby and settle down for
the night. Could walk around the beautiful and clean streets around
and see the boating going on in the inlet waters with the huge signs
of the boat companies and a very very large board of 'Kingfisher'
drinks. (The bird itself is a very very small one, those who have
watched the kingfisher would know. Of course, it is a colourful bird
and a joy to see always).
(Continuation..)
We
walked in the streets near by our stay holding little umbrellas as it
was raining heavily. The Arabian sea is generous with its abundant
rain clouds over Goa which the mountains in Goa and Karnataka stop
from going easterly and they rain over Goa profusely. The feeling is
great and any one can enjoy it if they liked rain as such. The small
hotel were we entered had culinary delights and at very reasonable
cost. There are plenty of eateries and places to drink in Goa which
are generally people friendly as in Calcutta or its suburbs.
There
were pleasure boats cruising in the inlet waters and were collecting
customers even in late hours. One could see the boats sailing away
with lights and the Managers and Executives of the company were
accepting guests with great gusto in a gentlemanly way. We did not
go for a cruise as we had to travel out early and a lot of places to
see the day after before we started out the day next. The hotel
which we stayed in too were very family friendly and provided all
needs for the little kid with us. The next day we visited the St.
Francis Xavier's relics and the undecomposed body (even after five
hundred years) of the Saint kept in a casket. The body was buried
twice and exhumed to find it was uncorrupted. Then transported to be
interned in this church called Bom Jesus Church, meaning Little Jesus
Church. A red stone structure of great architechural beauty. Any
one who visited got a blessing from the Saint and felt the peace
within.
Opposote
or Eastern side of the church is a much more beautiful Cathedral
Church! Being a World Heritage church it is well maintained while
there are no charges for the visit. The culture of St. Francis
Xavier and St. Francis of Assissi were evident as the whole place of
a complex of four wonderful churches are a marvel by any standards!
The day
next we travelled out again into the forest zig-zags which we had
used to enter Goa. This time it was another way but the same
mountains and mountain roads to catch the national High Way. For a
couple of hours we had to follow the boards and be very careful as
there were boards informing crossing of wild animals on the route.
There were signs of caution about falling boulders. If the rain is
too heavy the danger may become real from the present warning.
Luckily for us there were no rains but fog which was also a matter
for caution as head on traffic would have to be tackled at times.
However, we got considerate drivers and road users all through and we
entered the national highway to Mumbai. Once on the high way one is
alerted by the frequent tolls and most of the time the roads are
really very good. Until we reach Mumbai one has to be on rapt
attention on the road and be careful in his lane. There are generous
number of Toll Gates and one only has to keep a bag with loose money
to pay as and when the toll comes. At times the Toll Gate Operators
are slow to slow down and irritate the road users in as much as there
will be clogging at the gates and huge lines will be seen waiting to
pay the tax, undedrstand, to pay our money to them and to proceed.
For this one loses time on the road which was meant to increase your
easiness of travel from point to point. Next is POL. I mean petrol
which one pays of and on as the tank empties out on the constant run.
The travel goes without incident till the Pune Mumbai High way
which is generally considered to be one of the assets of the travel
as it is a prestigeous roads.
The
long drive had made us a bit complacent and we did not check on POL
for a while. We we noted the danger we were already ending on the
Pune Mumbai High way. We decided to pull up sat the next HP Bunk and
we did. The highest price we paid for Petrol was here a sky
rocketing Righty Two rupees per litre. Since we had no other option
we filled up and continued our journey after a little snacks at the
exhorbitantly priced airport like shops there. It seemed there was
some under arrangement to skim the travellers from the side of all
the authorities together the HP leading it. The lesson learned was
there is no room for complacency while on a long haul and fill up at
convenient places without waiting for the last drops or the empty
light to blink.
We
entered Mumbai in the late afternoon with the help of the Google GPS
and it brought us to the place of our friend where had to make a
visit.
To
Udaipur from Mumbai
We had
a day's rest with them and visited the famous Mahim Church where the
prayers to St. Mary are always stated to be granted. The picture and
statue of St. Mary of Perpetual Help were on all sides of the Church
and a continuous flow of devotees from all walks of life to the place
made it a great prayer centre. Even though it was hot and humid,
the people visiting were enormous. It was informed the Novenas are
attended by one and all without consideration of religion as it has
been reported to be fruitful to attend a prayer there. After our
prayers there we proceeded to the old Bandra church Fort and the
adjoining park which seemed to be a lovers' paradise. We could see
the Bandra Worli Link Bridge from there whichis also a great sight.
We wished to take a ride on the bridge but decided against it as
going up upto Worli may get us into heavy traffic and would take away
a lot of time in the humid heat. We thought it better to save our
energies to the other drives on hand.
After a
nights rest at Gandhinagar Gujarat, next day early morning we started
the maze again to catch the High Way to Udipur in Rajasthan. The
GPS on the phone were extremely useful in guiding the correct route
to climb to the High way to Udaipur. The roads again were good with
enough tolls to spend our money, of and on, and the early morning
breeze were soothing! We drove on the toll ways and switched off the
GPS. Once we are on the highway, the sign boards in green will guide
us well either to Delhi or Calcutta which are great cities. Enroute
is Udaipur or Jaipur. Since it would be tiring to catch Jaipur or
Delhi in one lap we had planned a pit stop at Udaipur. We had
prebooked a small hotel called Ramvilas Hotel, where two double
rooms with three beds each were good for us. This we did only as a
matter or caution as in case we reach late etc. we may not have to
wander around searching for a stay. Once there, we could find plenty
of small hotels which would have taken us on arrival too. But a pre
booking on the net saves us a lot of on the spot paper work and all.
The
road was good and smooth with the land-scapes on either side with
either plan land or fields or mountainous terrain. At times there
was the sudden spurt of small winds throwing up the reddish or white
dust which makes an air conditioned and closed vehicle a good asset
to travel. This kind of wind is natural to this part of the country
as there were less rain in this period of time. If the wind is
strong it can throw up a dust cloud too called a 'loo' here. Luckily
for us there was no major wind or 'loo' (as such winds are called here) on the way. At a little way
side tea stall a young boy was selling tea in the morning. We made
an unscheduled stop for a sip and it was worth it. A few country
gentlemen had already assembled for their morning teas and the boy
was meticulous in serving them, first come first basis. His
charge was a simple Rs.5 for tea and Rs. 7 for a good samosa. The
village people are full of goodness. They do not overcharge!
The
Rajasthan country has a lot of marble excavation and hence one can
see the long lorries carrying marble to various places in other
states and most of them one will get on the high way from time to
time. Even though the lorry trucks are huge by any standards, it did
not seem they are properly air conditioned for the drivers and staff
accompanying in their cabin. May be the conditions will improve in
the coming days.
