Mumbai - Delhi, Road Trip

Prep

• Extensive research on routes and stay options – Google maps and travelogues.
• Waypoints set on Garmin Nuvi.
• Car Service.
• New tyres, wheel balancing & alignment.
• Yellow patti on the RHS beam (for Gujarat).

Equipment

• Tools
• Compressor
• Tubeless tyre puncture repair kit
• Spare fuses
• Coolant (0.50 L)
• Engine Oil (1 L)

Route - Onward

Day	Route	Km	Time	Way Points	Road Condition
Day 1	Mumbai - Himatnagar	600	11 hrs	Vapi, Surat (NH 8), Ankleshwar, Golden Gate Bridge, Baroda (NH 8), Ahmedabad (NE 1), Himatnagar Exit (NE 1), Chiloda (NH 8), Tropic of Cancer (NH 8)	Excellent Roads. Trucks scattered across the road up to Vapi. Mirrors folded for Golden Gate Bridge! NE 1 is fabulous.
Day 2	Himatnagar - Jaipur	597	10 hrs	Udaipur (NH 8), Chittorgarh (NH 76), Kishangarh (NH 79), Jaipur (NH 8)	Super! Sections grooved by trucks.
Day 3	Jaipur - NOIDA	283	6 hrs	-	Generally good, truck traffic, diversions every few Kms.
		1,480

Route - Return

Day	Route	Km	Time	Way Points	Road Condition
Day 1	NOIDA - Jaipur	278	5.5 hrs	-	Generally good, truck traffic, diversions every few Kms.
Day 2	Jaipur - Udaipur	423	7 hrs	Kishangarg (NH 8), Chittorgarh (NH 79, NH 76)	Super!
Day 3	Udaipur - Mumbai	780	13 hrs	Ratanpur (NH 8), Himatnagar (NH 8), Ahmedabad (NE 1), Baroda (NH 8), Surat, Vapi (NH 8)	Super! (up to Vasai Creek Bridge) Sections of the road in Rajasthan grooved by trucks.
		1,481

Onward

Mumbai-Himatnagar (1310.2012)

Wheels rolled at 630 hrs. Got out of Ghodbunder Road before the daily traffic woke up. The road condition is good as soon as you turn on to NH 8 at Fountain. Truck traffic lightens up after Vapi.

Breakfast at MacDonald’s, Empress Mall, Vapi was ok. A quick breakfast stop at Hotel Ahura, short of Vapi, might have been better.

Good tarmac up to Baroda. Turned into Ankleshwar to avoid the new bridge across Narmada and took the Golden Gate Bridge to Baruch and then got back on to NH 8. Mirrors folded to squeeze through the Golden Gate Bridge!

Stopped for lunch at Plazzo Resorts (+91 93277 09977), located just short of the National Expressway 1 (NE 1). Good clean place for a meal.

NE 1 to Ahmedabad was plain fabulous. The Swift Diesel does fine at 100-120 Km/Hr.

The Sardar Patel Ring Road, after the NE 1 exit, was patchy with a lot of truck and local traffic. The NH 8 up to Chilonda Circle is two lane and a little patchy. Fuel up at the HP pump at Chiloda Circle.

Hotel Landmark (+91 99789 29180) at Himmatnagar is along the NH 8 and offers basic facilities. Just about ok for an overnight stay. The enclosed parking area though is comforting.

Himatnagar-Jaipur (1410.2012)

Wheels rolled at 600 hrs. It’s a little chilly in the morning. NH 8 is a pleasure to drive on. The section just short of Ratanpur, Rajasthan is a little patchy. Agri along NH – vegetables like cauliflower, ladies finger and rice.

The section between Ratanpur and Udaipur winds through the Aravali’s. The tarmac is super, though some sections have been grooved by heavy trucks. Driving on this section is a pleasure.

Get off NH 8 at Udaipur as research showed that NH 79 & 76 were better options. The road between Udaipur and NH 79 though is two lane, patchy and packed with trucks.

Stop at Rupi Resort, Udaipur, near the Airport, for breakfast.

The NH 79 and 76 tarmac is four lane, unbelievingly flat and fast with sparse traffic. While there are fueling options along the way, food options are limited to small stalls that cater to tuckers. Small towns along the NH have a barricaded service lane which keeps the NH free of local traffic. The terrain along the NH is more or less flat, dotted with shrubs and rocks.

Get back on to NH 8 short of Jaipur. Stop at Hotel Panghat (+91 9926 80000) for a late lunch. Decent enough place for a quick stop.

Nuvi comes in handy to navigate through the city to Umaid Bhavan, Jaipur. With construction for a metro underway, there are diversions.

Umaid Bhavan is a traditional havelli style stay option. The rooms are small but the upholstery is luxurious, done up in traditional Rajasthani style.

The food at the Umaid Bhavan’s roof top restaurant is super. Special mention – tandoori platter, spinach soup and kaddi.

Jaipur-Delhi (1510.2012)

Wheels roll at 845 hrs. (the effect of lazing in luxury at Umaid Bhavan!)

The Jaipur-Delhi section opens up into a broad and inviting NH 8. Frequent diversions and truck traffic keep a check on the average speed.

Local traffic catches up in Manesar and Gurgaon. Delhi traffic is a sea change after all the highway driving.

The above Mumbai-Delhi route is a part of the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) and sections are tolled. The toll roughly works out to Rs. 1/Km. Most toll sections have an emergency number, some print the number on the toll receipt. Some toll booths even have an ambulance standing by – Bharuch-Baroda (L&T) and another section in Rajasthan beyond Ratanpur.

Return

Delhi-Jaipur (2510.2012)

Wheels roll at 600 hrs. Breakfast at MacDonald’s just outside Gurgaon. Frequent diversions and truck traffic keep progress slow.

Head to Amber Fort for some sightseeing. Its’ hot and driving up to the parking area of the Fort is a challenge but worth it. It takes a lot of first gear, hand brakes and waiting to negotiate the narrow stone paved road to the parking.

Don’t bother to try the Amber Restaurant at the Fort as they welcome Foreigners only!!

Nuvi plots a course through the old city to the Hotel. Pass by Maotha Lake and Jal Mahal. Driving through the old city is scary – pedestrians, two wheelers, auto’s make it difficult to negotiate. Pass by Badi Chowk and Hawa Mahal at the other end.

Sajjan Niwas, which shares a wall with Umaid Bhavan isn’t a great stay option.

Jaipur-Udaipur (2610.2012)

Wheels roll at 600 hrs. Getting out of Jaipur is tricky with all the diversions due to the metro construction work. Fortunately the traffic is yet to wake up.

Beyond Jaipur the roads are familiar – NH 76 and NH 79.

Driving in the old city part of Udaipur is again scary. The road (lane actually), runs between old buildings, is about 5 feet wide with to and fro traffic consisting of two wheelers, autos, cars, jeeps and a mini bus! To help there are two wheelers parked along either side of the road. Given the maze of lanes, couldn’t have got to Amet Haveli without the Nuvi.

Amet Haveli is a traditional Rajasthani style haveli right on the banks of lake Pichola. I don’t think any other place offers views of the City Palace and the Lake Palace the way Amet does. The rooms are very comfortable with the window opening just above the water line and the City Palace right across.

Their open air restaurant, Ambrai, offers an excellent view of the City Palace and the Lake Palace. Make sure you have reservations in place for the evening.

Take an auto to Shilpgram in the evening, which is about 6-7 Kms from Amet. Enjoy cultural events at Shilpgram and head back to Ambrai for dinner.

Food at Ambrai is great. Special mention – Achari Bengan & Lal Mass.

Udaipur-Mumbai (2710.2012)

Wheels roll at 715 hrs after taking in the view as the day broke.

Wanted to be out of the lanes and back on the highway before Udaipur got up. Moving early helped negotiate the lanes. At a particular section, had to fold up the foot rest of a parked scooter to make room for me! Drove past the Jagdish Temple.

Fuel up at Udaipur @ Rs. 49.10/ltr.

Back on the hilly section of NH 8 between Udaipur and Ratanpur the roads are familiar. It’s a little nippy but the sun is rising fast.

Breakfast just short of Himatnagar and lunch at Hotel Kingfisher, Surat. Decent place for a pit stop.

Fuel up @ Rs. 52.10/ltr. Take the new bridge across the Narmada at Bharuch.

Quick stop at Kamat, Vapi. Hit Godbunder at about 1900 hrs. Traffic is crazy, but after all that driving I am pretty comfortable with the car.

Home 2030 hrs.

Nuvi Screenshot - Udaipur - Mumbai

Map

Some NH Emergency Numbers -

• Khaniwade Toll Plaza, Surat - 18001216000 / 9925026000
• Choryasi, Bharuch-Surat - 09427 113 030
• L&T Vadodara Bharuch - 099798 97638 / 02666 230100
• NE 1, Vadodara-Ahmedabad - 098796 26000
• Ahmedabad Ring Road - 09909 923005

Nagla Block, SGNP

Captains Log; Star Date 1908.2012

Located off NH 8, just past the Vasai Creek, Nagla Block is the northern end of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), Mumbai. GPS co-ordinates - 19.299165, 72.906357.

The trail (approximately 3 km) starts from Sasupada Village, winds through the forest and ends on the banks of the Vasai Creek. Entry requires a fee of Rs. 30/- per person to be paid at the Forest Office at the village. To get started, take the first u-turn after corssing the bridge, look for the "Sasupada" ST bus stop board and a path going up right next to it, past the row of houses lining the highway.

The Trail

The trail is quiet and hemmed in with thick greenery. Heavy rain makes the trail a little more interesting!

Spotted:

• Signature Spider
• Crab Spider
• Tiger Butterfly
• Blue Tiger Butterfly
• Glory Lilly
• Wild Ginger Plant
• Wild Turmeric Plant
• Tamarind Tree
• Sag Tree
• Brahminy Kite
• Leaf Bird
• Coucal

Vasai Creek

Indian Planative Cuckoo, Kharghar Hill

Location: Kharghar Hill
Stardate: 1006.2012

Flamingo Watch, Sewri Jetty

Captains Log; Stardate 1205.2012

Best to get there just before:

• sunrise.
• low tide. (tide calender)

Camping at Big Red Tent, Kolad

Captains Log; Star Date 2801.2012

Get off the NH17 just after Kolad, on to SH60 (Kolad - Mulshi – Pune). Take a left some 9 km down the SH60 on to a narrow mettled road and head to village Kamat via, Turtaoli and Gaolwadi. Take a right onto a gravel road just before the village and head to the Big Red Tent (BRT) campsite on the banks of the Kundalika (GPS Co-ordinates N18° 26’ 16.6” E73° 15’ 56.9”).

The site is smaller as compared to their Khopoli campsite but the location is superb to say the least. The surroundings have a forest like feel. The rear of the campsite opens out into a section of Kundalika’s backwater.

The site is equipped with decent spaced out tents, hammocks and common bathrooms. The place has basic facilities, and you help yourself to whatever, right from pitching up your own tent to getting your barbeque ready. The hosts, a couple, are around to help and support.

There’s no provision for electricity, so you depend on the moonlight and lanterns once the stars are out. Cell phones don’t work here as yet.

Spend the evening kayaking in the safety of the still backwaters.

Reece the river bank for a flat area to pitch tent. It’s up just as it starts to get dark. It’s pretty chilly so we layer the base with foam mattresses, duhri and a blanket to insulate against the cold ground.

The night’s pretty quiet. The outer cover of the tent keeps the dew out effectively. By morning the dew drops are almost like rainfall!

Captains Log; Star Date 2901.2012

Mist seems to rise from the river water as the sun starts to rise.

Leisure walk up to Martini bridge.

After breakfast I am all set for the day’s event – Rafting down the Kundalika.

The tumtum picks us up from the campsite for the start point which is about a half an hour ride from the Campsite, past Sutarwadi on the SH60, near the Bhira Dam.

The Dam releases water every day at about 930 – 10 in the morning and this water gushes down the Kundalika. A 12 km section of the river provides for a decent rafting opportunity with 2+ grade rapids.

Brief instructions on the basics of rafting from instructors from Wild River Adventures, gear – life vest and helmets and a paddle and we’re good to go.

The instructor puts us through a practice session, in calm waters, to ensure we’re clear of the instructions – forward, all back, right forward left back, right back left forward, and how to pull a guy back into the raft, just before we hit the fast flowing river.

Adrenalin rises as the raft lines up to hit the current. Adrenalin pumps harder as the raft hits the current. All forward! Paddles dig in deeper and push harder.

The raft hurtles down the river along with current – bobbed up and down by the rapids. All the time, the instructor, at the rudder position, is in full control of the raft.

As things get calmer down-river, were told its safe enough to jump overboard!

The water isn’t all that cold, the life jacket keeps you afloat and the current just pushes you down-stream. For about half an hour we’re just floating down, effortlessly.

Get hauled back into the raft as we get close to the broken bridge.

Land close to BRTs campsite.

Birds spotted:

• Indian Roller
• Rosy Minivet
• Bhraminy Kite
• Black Drongo
• Small Sunbird
• Greater Coucal
• Small Bee Eater
• Rufous Backed Shrike
• Little Cormorant
• Red Wattled Lapwing
• Little Egret
• White Breasted Kingfisher

Heard:

• Grey Hornbill
• Brown Headed Barbet

Map

View Larger Map

Matheran

Captains Log; Star Date 2611.2011

The road between Chowk (on the old Mumbai-Pune highway), Karjat & Neral is patchy.

The last 6 odd kms, the road twists, turns and climbs some 600 odd meters. Upper sections of the road are pretty steep.

The second gear on the Swift diesel is sluggish to start with. Sluggish changes to aggressive as the turbo kicks in at about 1800 RPM. Shifts to the first gear are frequent on slow climbing turns.

Rail tracks running across the road have the potential of scraping the car’s bottom if not negotiated carefully.

Doesn’t take long to realize that the place is pretty popular as soon as you reach Dasturi Naka – the point up to which vehicles are allowed.

Parking at Dasturi Naka is jam packed and haphazard. Cars are parked at any angle at every nook and corner. The area is dusty and uneven.

Be warned about the moneys at the parking lot. Fellows can get pretty aggressive scavenging for food.

Matheran Toy Train

The Market Area is a 45 minute walk from Dasturi Naka. Walking along the rail track is a better option. It’s quite and scenic. Unlike the main track which is horded by horses and mules.

It makes a lot of sense to hole up at a decent place like Lord’s Central Hotel, Verandha or Fleetwood and enjoy the quiet of the premises rather than go point hopping along horse tracks.

Lord's Central Hotel