What to see on our Grand India Road Tour (GIRT) ?

gautam

To add to it, all these places would be beautiful in Jan winters , + food is just mouth watering

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"Your thoughts could be your prison"

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Kerela backwaters - by beach

Arun

Wow, what I wouldn't give to join you...

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Jai Hind.

Dilliwala

And to add - Uttaranchal is also left out. And it's called an INDIA tour?? Unaccceptable!

ksb,
I DEMAND that my favourite state be included!
If only as a token. Easily done too if u include Sada's HP route and then it won't be a token any more - from Chandigarh head to Panchkula, turn onto NH 73 until u get to the junction with NH 72 at Shahzadpur, follow all the way Nahan-Paonta Sahib-Herbertpur-Dehradun. Then either onto NH 72A DD-Mohand (thru RAJAJI NATIONAL PARK! well ok, park boundary)-Chhutmalpur-back onto NH 73 to Roorkee;
or continue NH 72 DD-Doiwala-Satyanarayan (thru RAJAJI NATIONAL PARK! ok, buffer zone)- onto NH 58 Haridwar-Roorkee. Thereafter follow the 58 all the way to Meerut-Delhi.

Alternatively (oh boy, a real can of worms opened up here - I shud never have been let into this thread):
From Mandi go upto Beri, turn left for Darla Mor, then onto NH 88 to Shimla-Solan-Kumarhatti (2km off-route is Dagshai)-left-hand road goes direct to Nahan, rest as above.

Hey, have u guys thought of IM'ers joining u for short stretches?

ks_bluechip

SK thanks for your suggestion. Actually, our original plan was to go to upto Pathankot and return via Chandigarh ... but later got cut short a bit to save on time (when we added Rameshwaram and Tanjore). We have a deadline to complete latest by 26th Jan; due to personal reasons of one Driver-Enjoyer.

Actually our 1st original plan included Srinagar (J&K) and N-E states upto Burma border) ... but then we decided to do this in winter for a "cool" trip and cut out Srinagar and also do this as a "safe" trip for now ..... and tackle N-E states a bit later in life!

Anyway now with so many new ideas flowing in, from IMers, we will consider all suggestions and try and do some changes that seems worthwhile. Obviously, since some of us have travelled Uttaranchal and HP extensively, we tried to keep it out for now.

But for now I do welcome all suggestions from IMers .... we will discuss same amounsgst ourselves and decide changes.

- KS

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ks_bluechip [My Travel Blog] [My Flickr Photo Sets]

ks_bluechip

Dilliwalla:

Thanks for your ideas, we will consider your suggestions. I must say, I have been reading your travel posts with great interest and with growing amazement! I am reminded of a poem I learnt in school, of which two relevent lines are:

"Still they gazed and still the wonder grew
How such small head could carry all he knew"
- Goldsmith

May not be an "exact" quote, now after some 43 yrs, since Class-9, but that is what I am reminded of, when I see your "detailed" posts. I have concluded, that you are a true Travel-Guru and I must meet meet you some time (maybe in Dilli on/around 27-28 Dec while we are there, if GIRT goes on schedule and you are free).

BTW: We are going on my Indica-V2 Deisel. The one I bought for such long road travels, as the most fuel-economical small car in (2005). It was giving me about 19.12 Kms per/lt, on Highways and costing Rs 1.95/- Per/KM in Dec-2005 prices.

Yes will take a vote with the guys to let some IMers join in for some sectors

- KS

ks_bluechip

Gautam.... We are not great photographers but usual Digital P&S users ... nowadays these amateur cameras are so good they take professional pictures, on their own. Still I am seriosuly thinking about buying a Nikon D-400 as suggested by one IMer before we leave on this trip.

Car? Indica V2 Deisel (see other post) .... we would have loved to drive one of those SUVs (like Scorpio, Honda etc) but economic reasons dictate Indica ... any alternative suggestions here also welcome.

- KS

Aishah

And your car will serve you well! Same as ours bought for the economical diesel reason and also comfortable for our longer trips to Jodhpur (although mentioned in a car post previously quite a few IM'ers think it is too small and not so good!!!) I think, with its wider wheel base etc. it is very good.
(Although..tongue in cheek..have to admit the Innova I used with friends on 10day Rajasthan tour in Feb. did have the edge on comfort..!)

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"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

ks_bluechip

Hey Aishah,

Yes, I agree on Indica (fuel economy and parkable in small spaces).... even though the pickup is a bit sluggish and sounds a bit like you are accelerating a truck .... but once you hit 50-60 KMPH its pretty OK. Another important point I was told (not yet tested) that any rural-road-side-mechanic in India can repair it (like Hindustan Motors's Ambassador). I am also quite happy with its Air-conditioning. And, I think its simple-squat frog-like look, also discourages roadside thieves/burglars from breaking-in.

Of course, Innova is something else! .. in fact, my wife tried a diversionary tactic, by arranging a test-drive in her friend's new Innova then (Sep-2005) [wow ] ... but in the end my rational sense prevailed. Though, I think now in 2007 there may be better options ... even Indica has a turbo-jet option.

Also, I like the Indica-Ad with the four girls driving it ... I dream of meeting then on the Highway sometime during GIRT ... we won't be like that stupid fella suntan-ing himself in the Ad .... KS

SitaParityaga

On the road between Jaisalmer and Bijaner, you may like to stop at a little town about in the middle of the trip: Ram Deoragh. Nice temple town.

The Jain temples just outside of Jaisalmer are worth visiting: beautiful place.

ks_bluechip

Hi Sita,
Nice to hear from you (after a gap) ... noted Ram Deogarh & Jain Temples, outside Jaisalmer. Hope you are doing well? I know you must be seeing my posts (EBC) and feeling happy that I am doing OK ... right? - KS

capt_mahajan

Hope not at the same time

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When I look up, I see people cashing in. I don't see heaven, or saints or angels. I see people cashing in on every decent impulse and human tragedy. -Heller, Catch-22

ks_bluechip

Ha ha ... u got me there!

When the girls saw the suntan man ... I noticed all four applied the brakes suddenly and simultaneously

capt_mahajan

Just a reminder to be a little careful in Eastern UP and Bihar, and Naxalite areas.

If I was the suntan man, they would've suddenly and simultaneously stompled on the accelerator

ks_bluechip

Certainly ... we dont want to "take panga" with the thugs there!

Ha ha ha! ... Certainly, If you look like you the guy pounding the keyboard in your Avatar! .... suddenly, my mind is flash-backing to a cartoon scene: Tom's Owner-Lady tottering on a tall stool, yelling: Thomas! Thomas!! where are you!!! ...... when Jerry runs up her skirt

Dilliwala

It's the other way around, I'm afraid.
'Big' and 'little' wud actually be more appropriate, heheheh!

You do me a great kindness, sir, however I have to state I have a long way to go (pun intended) before I can rightfully take on that title. But I'm working on it - I'm going for a LIRT myself this week to fill in the gaps in my Garhwal map - Mussoorie, Malari, Mana (or the triple M trip, also the 'Cruising the NH58' trip - never done all of it in one go). A meet-up end-Dec wud be great.

PS: Congrats on conquering Everest! Just going thru your EBC posts.