THE FABIA CLUB

admin · Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:19 pm Post subject: Bangalore - Gir trip

Story coming soon...

Pics moved to appropriate place.

Rudy · Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:47 pm Post subject:

nice scenic pics Smile

k_ajay · Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 4:39 pm Post subject:

Nice photos buddy.. If the story complete with the route would make its way soon here, as well.. Smile

Nice pic of the rail tracks.. You were driving a DZire around btw?? If so, you're demanded of an explanation.! lol
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Peace precedes Prosperity..

admin · Last edited by admin on Wed Jan 27, 2010 8:53 pm; edited 1 time in total

In this Christmas - New year vacation we (wife and I) decided to do a long, very very long road trip. Bangalore - Gir forest, more than 4000 kms in 10 days. Many thought we have gone crazy. But isn't this why I bought my car.

There are essentially two kinds of human traveller. One who enjoys the destination. The other enjoys the journey as well. But I belong to a third category, I love driving too. To enjoy road trips of this length, it is important that the fellow traveller atleast belongs to the second category. Very important, I must underline the previous sentence. My travel mates did not disappoint me even once.

Getting to the story... We left Bangalore for Pune on 25th morning. Picked up a friend from Diamond District. Night halt was planned in Pune at my friend's place. The plan was to cover the 850 odd kilometers in 14-15 hours. We left at 5.30 morning and according to the calculation, expected to reach latest by 9 PM. The moment we hit the road our equations began to fail. 25th being the start of a long vacation, there was traffic every where even at that time of the day (night for some Smile

).

It took us 9 hours to cover the first 385 kms. Remaining time = 5 hrs; remaining distance ~ 500 kms => average speed required = 100kms/hr. One word for it – impossible. Since I was the only driver I had to keep a cool head. And why not, I know the roads and I know the city just too well (have spent 3 wonderful, youthful years in Pune). This time we had lunch well before our regular place in Hubli. Somewhere between Haveri and Hubli. At around 3 PM we were in Hubli, well behind our schedule. The good thing was that the worst part of the stretch was behind us. Hubli onwards the road is in very good shape. It was here that we ditched our max 90km/hr policy and decided to cover as much distance as possible before dark. For another 200 or so kms the Fabia was belted. You see the 1.2 ltr motor has its shortcomings, but the car more than makes up for it with its wonderful road manners. It is a delight to drive it at those illegal speeds. By 6 we reached the Kolhapur McDonald. Half an hour later we hit the road again. The sun had already said us good buy for the day. Driving under lights is never easy, but the Kolhapur – Pune has sufficient traffic moving at good speed. We stuck to 60-80km/hr speed form thereon.

We reached home at 10.30 pm. Hogged on to the meal already served on the dining table. Played carom and indulged in some interesting conversations including marriage proposal for my friend before hitting the bed. This trip was the longest in terms of time taken, 17 hrs, phew... . What a Day!

admin · Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 8:52 pm Post subject: Story - day 2: Pune - Vapi

Next day, 26th Dec. We meet our old college friends in Pune University. Took some time out to admire the trees that we had planted 3 years ago. They all have grown in sizes that would make any gardener proud. We had breakfast at the old University canteen, bringing back the good old memories. Only that the canteen lacks the basic hygiene. But who is complaining. They don’t fetch votes, do they?

At noon we decided to leave for Vapi. It is a small Gujrati town on the Gujrat-Maharastra border. Approx 300 kms separate the two towns. The connectivity is simple and good. The way is Pune – Mumbai – Vapi (it is on NH8, part of GC). We had lunch in one of the food plaza on the Pune-Mumbai express at Papa Johns. Good pizzas. The only complicated part on this stretch is by-passing Mumbai. This time we could do it without making any wrong turns. The part of GC just outside Mumbai was much better this time. Most of the rough patches were covered. As we distanced ourselves from Mumbai, the road got better and better. There are diversions at a couple of places due to six laning of Mumbai-Ahmedabad stretch of GC. We reached Vapi well before dark and did some shopping.

admin · Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 9:13 pm Post subject:

Some of the trees planted by us.

Rain tree. We see many of then in Bangalore

Jack fruit.

African Tulip. The ones with big red flowers.

Kadamba

Kadamba flower.

admin

My in-laws live in Vapi. As per plan, my father-in-law’s Dzire was ready for the onward journey. We parked our beloved Fabia which had already covered more than 1200 kms in two days. Both the cars are of same age but while the Fabia has covered 20000 kms, the Dzire has managed only 6000 kms.

Next day, 27th Dec, three of us leave at 5.00 AM for Gir. My father-in-law in the driver seat, my wife in the front passenger and I taking care of the whole back seat with plenty of cushion. The Dzire can not boost of the leg space at the rear as Fabia, but since I was alone at the back, it was easy to find comfortable positions. I made most of my time at rear with plenty of sleep.

Our planned route was Vapi to Vadodra on NH8. Continuing on NH8 after Vadodra (not taking the express way to Ahmedabad) till Vasad. Vadodra to Vasad is a mess with heavy truck traffic, but the road is good. At Vasad we left the NH8, took left turn for Bagdodra. Vasad to Bagdodra via Borsad, Tarapur and Vataman is not a four lane road but it is well laid with very little traffic. This is the stretch where I took to the wheels. The stretch from Bagdodra to Jetpur is part of the east-west corridor. This part of road is so good that I couln’t stop raving about it for days. After Bagdodra we stopped for lunch at Limdi. I drove for some more time on this beautifully laid road before retiring to back seat. From Jetpur we headed for Veraval/Somnath. We reached Veraval well before sunset. We covered ~ 750 kms in less than 12 hrs.

admin · Last edited by admin on Fri Jan 29, 2010 11:54 am; edited 1 time in total

Veraval is a small town on the coast, 40 kms south of Sasan Gir. This was the only place where we could get accommodation in advance due to New Year rush. The hotel was decent but the whole town had a distinct foul smell. No it was not fish. From the hotel we got the information that to get the permit for safari we will have to start very early.

28th Dec. We did start early and reached Sasan by 4.00 AM. The 40 km run from Veraval to Sasan was not at all uneventful. We saw a fox, a small cat which had squirrel like fur and stripes and a deer. When we reached Sasan there were people already standing in the line. Soon the main gate opened and everybody rushed in to form another line. This was where the permits were being issued. People standing ahead of us were mostly taxi/gypsy operators (read touts/agents) and we soon realized that we don’t stand a chance (limited no. permits are issued). We moved on to the other safari point, Gir Interpretation Zone. But nobody told us that it opens at 8 AM. In fact the road leading to the GIZ office itself opens at 7 AM. We learnt all this the hard way. After a bit of roaming around we found a man with his family, sitting by the fire, waiting for the bus. The man was very helpful and explained us everything (The GIZ safari is bus based. Takes just half an hour. You will always get to see lions in this safari because this one is kind of fenced. The fencing covers a large area and the lions are still wild, they hunt themselves).

A deer like animal spotted on our way to Gir early morning.

It was still dark when the man boarded the bus with his family. We rolled up the window and sat quietly, waiting for the sunrise. We could feel the air of disappointment which was more because we unnecessarily woke up so early Smile

. Even before we could ensconce our selves for a nap we heard some noise. It was a roar emanating from some distance. With time, each roar became louder and louder. We knew that the chance of lion coming unto the road was very minute. But still, it was both thrilling and frightening. My wife’s wild imaginations were icing of the situation. We didn’t get to see the lion but those two hours made our day. Sitting in the dark in a jungle, waiting for the unknown.

Gir Interpretation Zone, the gate.

At 8, we got the tickets for the safari. It was a usual routine. We sat in the bus. Bus took us around the fenced area. There was a pride basking in the sun unmindful of the visitors. Very soon the safari was over.

Wild life

Next we decided to roam around some more. Roads in most part of Gir are not free. One needs to avail free passes from point A to go to point B. The pass mentions the duration before which one has to reach point B. At one such point A we took a pass. The road passed through moderately dense part of the jungle where spotting wild deers became a common affair. A meter gauge railway line also ran parallel to the muddy road. We spent some good times there before heading back for lunch. These moments can be explained only through pictures. We even snapped a deer doing a ‘Gulam’ like stunt in front of an approaching train.

Fun on track

Watch the deer

In the evening we went to visit Somnath temple. The beach near the temple was quite clean. Sat there till the sunset.

Another day well spent.

Somnath temple

admin · Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2010 7:40 pm Post subject: pics

Bad manners!

admin · Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2010 7:45 pm Post subject: more pics

Sunset from Somnath beach

admin · Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 11:57 pm Post subject: Story Day 5: Veraval - Vapi

29th Dec. We drove back to Vapi. Our drive started at 5 AM and finished by 4 PM. I took to the wheels first this time. By starting early we were able to munch miles pretty fast and smoothly. I also got time to explore the Dzire. The engine was smooth, acceleration was good, had speakers at the back too (Fabia has only front speakers Sad

). The brakes were crisp and sharp. But the problem was that it was always sharp, even under normal braking. Fabia on the other hand has a smooth braking operation, I guess mostly due to Dual brake assist. I found the Fabia more comfortable to drive, but I think it is because I am used to driving it and the driver seat height adjustment is a boon. The Dzire was good at low speed but at high speed it didn’t have the sure footedness of the Fabia. Steering also felt very light. Managing curves at high speeds in Fabia is lot more fun. At just 7000 kms, the Dzire rattled a lot. I will also have take into account that it is not driven with the same care as I drive my Fabia Smile

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admin · Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 12:15 am Post subject: Story Day 6: Silvasa

30th Dec. Our plan for this day was to visit places in Silvasa, Lion safari and the Deer park. We were accompanied by my friend and his wife who came to visit us from Delhi. This safari is the smallest that I have ever been to. It has only one lioness (she was alone last year too). I still like this one. Whole chapter ends in less then 20 mins, but the atmosphere here is very calm and relaxed and that is what I like about this. Our gang had the whole bus to ourselves.

Next was the Deer park. This is my favorite. Entry is free. Vehicles are allowed. This park covers a large area. One can spend the whole day here. It’s a poet’s paradise. Nice for couples to do chigi vigi stuff:).

We spent the evening on a beach in Daman.

admin · Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 6:11 pm Post subject: Re: Story Day 6: Silvasa

k_ajay · Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:21 pm Post subject: Re: Story Day 6: Silvasa

admin · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:36 pm Post subject: Re: Story Day 6: Silvasa