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| Vajpayee Highways! |
My enthusiasm for road trips started only after what I
consider is one of the best infrastructure projects in India, the Golden
Quadrilateral popularly known as ‘The Vajpayee Highways’ came into being.
Driving on these are a pleasure and a peace and a primary reason for the title
of this note! I agree the toll rates are steep but then I am a firm believer in
the dictum that there are no free meals. I would happily pay if I get world
class service. It would have been apt had Tobay Maguire mouthed “With great
roads come greater toll tax!”
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| No free meals! |
The primary advantage of Road Trips is the sheer convenience
it offers by way of the start time- halt time- end time. Well known is the fact
that it saves you the bother of depending on flight and train schedules. You
can start the trip from Coimbatore to time your breakfast at Adayar Anandha
Bhavan just off Salem and your lunch at home in Bangalore with a tea/smoke
break thrown in at Krishnagiri. I am sure you can plan a similar Start-Pit stop-Chequered
Flag routine from whichever city you start and propose to end.
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| Pit Stop at A2B Krishnagiri |
Road trips often save you from absurdities too. As someone
who often finishes his day in Electronic City, Bangalore and have to go to back
to Chennai I find it faster to reach Meenambakkam Airport in Chennai by road than
reaching Bangalore International Airport, Devanahalli to catch a flight to
Chennai!
Road Trips are cheaper too. For example ticket prices for a
family of 4 by 2nd AC from Coimbatore to Bangalore or by flight are
likely to be in the vicinity of Rs.2500.00 to Rs.15000.00 respectively. Add to
it the taxi fares for Airport/Station pick-up and drops! The same by car
including the toll on the way is likely to cost around Rs.3000.00 in a self
driven car. Cheaper if your vehicle is fuelled by CNG or Diesel!
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| Move over Buddh International and F1! |
Here is another. Going to Mysore from Coimbatore? Would you
prefer to drive down via Satyamangalam directly to Mysore? Or would you prefer
a drive to Coimbatore Airport- Flight to Bangalore-Drive to Mysore? The former
would take you about 6 hours and the latter almost the same depending of the
flight schedules and at possibly 5 times the cost! Now Tell!!!
Then again you can save money by not checking in to a hotel
or check in late depending on when your work is completed. I mean start early
from Bangalore, hit to work in Chennai straight, if finished on time, return
back the same evening/night. If not check in into a hotel late and save on
tariffs. And most importantly save yourselves from being under the mercy of the
Chennai Autowallahs! Clincher!
Road trips are supposedly not very women friendly especially
with reference to ‘PissStop’ is the oft quoted criticism. My own experience
while on road trips with family is quite to the contrary. Most highway hotels
and eateries nowadays have toilet facilities. In fact for some of these places
the presence of toilets is the primary USP and the food subsequent! On most
trips we have never been more than 15-20 minutes away from a convenient place
for the womenfolk to relieve themselves. And if the womenfolk reading this are
blessed with bladders which cannot hold on for even 15-20 minutes then
sorry to say they shouldn’t go on any trip let alone road trips. Except maybe the
trip from their drawing room to the washroom!
PS: While most of what is have written above is universally
applicable, the part referring to loo breaks for women is based entirely on our
experience during road trips in South India, especially Tamilnadu and
Karnataka! "Jahan Soch wahan Shauchalay" is still some distance away in many other states I am told!
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| Only Soch, Where Shauchalay? |
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