My Travel Diaries

  Started 27th October ..... Had to make calls on my route down south. The earlier plan was to run thru Rajasthan, via Pilani, to the west coast. Reach at Vapi. Down to Udupi and then swing in towards home. But, the snow filled passes in Kashmir played a bit with that. Dates got jammed by over a week. The crux was the Goa booking, which the hotel refused to adjust. Without the incentive of sitting on a Goan beach, with chilled beer and fried fish, the western run stopped looking interesting. Decided to run south on NH44. Then NH65. The kids brain stomped me into staying with an old friend of theirs in Patiala on the 25th. Thankful to them. Had an absolutely delightful time. Great home made food and lovely company. Got packed breakfast for the next day. 26th October Plan was to stop at Gwalior. But, as I closed in, saw that I was on the bypass. Jhansi was just 130 kilometers away. And, it was 1430. Got to Jhansi by 1630. Located a good hotel on the highway called JS Grand Club &...

23rd and 24th October 2022 Last time I had been  to Jammu was in 1975, early in the year, representing my college at the north zone inter varsity hockey tournament. Remember being made to stay at th hockey stadium, with frozen toilets. Had to go to the River Tawi to do the basics. Today, Jammu is no longer anything close to that memory of a dusty little town on the banks of a river. It is a huge city.  Left Baderwah after breakfast yesterday. The initial part of the run was cold. Was a great run till I reached the Chinani Nisari Tunnel.  The only road block was herds of sheep being taken out to graze. Came up on the road from Srinagar in two hours. Passed a not too congested toll, and entered the tunnel.   Exited tunnel and felt myself back in city highways. Lots of heavy vehicles on the 6 lane highway, even more private vehicles and taxis.  That is another tunnel. Never had a clue that so many existed.  Asked around. The highway and the tunnels are all in...

  22nd October 2022 Baderwah is a small town in the south of Kashmir, to the East of Jammu. Yesterday when I got in, the sun was on it's way to bed. The place I am staying Cool Breeze Homestay, is a genuine Homestay. Say this because there is a definition for a homestay in some other states, that defines a holding that has less than 7 rooms for paying guests as a homestay. Any more, and it is a hotel. This is a homestay. You have the privacy of a bedroom with an attached bath. You eat in the family kitchen area. Food therefore is great. Mild, well cooked. Had an easy breakfast. Drove out to explore the area, see what is so fascinating. Drive a bit thru town, then into the hills. Winding roads along one then the other side of the valley.   Spent the entire morning just finding vantage points in the sun, taking pictures, soaking it in. Tomorrow is into the plains.

21st October 2022 The course was set when it snowed on the 19th night. All high roads got closed. Similarly, a road which I was supposed tom drive on from Pahalgam was closed. Same reason. Got up to these sights. Departed as soon as I could. The chill is fine. But mix it with wet, and me does not enjoy. Curtails movement. Got on the road. Nice thing inside the vehicle is the engine heat. Makes you forget how cold and windy it is outside. Went past Anantnag comfortably. It is a huge city, laid out on either side of the highway. My run was before school time. Got on the Jammu Highway. This was the first traffic jam.   Lorries were stopped. Had no clue why, but they were choking the flow. Then entered the Banihal Tunnel. Quite a long one. Came out on the other side to see this beautiful terrain.   Turned of the highway as my route required me. The road got windy. BRO was working on it. Approached a city called Ramban. Movement slowed to a crawl for the next 30 kilometers. From Ra...