The road south

 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 & Resort on the bypass. Clean, good food, not expensive at all. Just had to make them change the sheets. But, shower was good.

27th October stayed with plan, Have been staying at a place called The Legends Inn at Nagpur on most of runs south. It is on the highway. Each room is named after a sporting or adventure legend. Got in by 1430. This time my room is called Kapil Dev.

28th October had made a booking at a new hotel called Swagath Grand in Miryalaguda, about 130 milometers past Hyderabad. Got a call late 27th evening, inviting me home in Hyderabad. Again, the kids. Stayed with this great couple. Spent a fun evening. The lady woke up early the next day and made hot aloo parathas for breakfast. Wiped them by 0830.

29th October. Back home at 1630. Got a free car wash in a cloud burst past Ongole. Not that it made too much of a difference to the dirt on and in ( excluding me ) the car.

Been a great run. 

Lots of firsts - used multiple spare fuel tanks, got wet walking while it was snowing, took pictures in the snow with the wind blowing me off, drove in the snow. Drove over multiple passes at altitudes over 16000 feet. Met some very grounded people.

Tons of learning.

Will start the next plan in a while.

Till then...

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