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Bollywood To God's Own Country in My Black Cheetah: Mahindra XUV500 W6
For long time I was planning a drive to Kerala from Mumbai, but my wife always said it is too far and better we fly down. Then fine one day in December 2015 she said lets go somewhere during the New Year week, considering winter I thought of covering South India as it is best time to go south. Again Kerala plan was on the table and luckily she said YES, so a drive was finalized, total 4 members me, wife and my parents. Now the planning started read lots of blogs available on web and after lots of considerations for leaves and places finally planed as below.
Day 1 – Mumbai - Mysuru
Day 2 – Mysuru - Ooty
Day 3 – OOty - Munnar
Day 4 – Munnar
Day 5 – Munnar - Thekkady
Day 6 – Thekkady - Alleppey
Day 7 – Alleppey - Kochi
Day 8 – Kochi - Varkala
Day 9 – Varkala – Madurai - Tumkuru
Day 10 – Tumkuru - Mumbai
Total distance – 3808 KM
Total passenger – 4
Vehicle – Mahindra XUV 5OO (less than 1 year)
ODO – 12000 (approx)
Total fuel – 295 Litre
Fuel average- 12.90 kmpl (100% A/C)
Considering a new car with less than 1 year (11 Months) and recently serviced I didn’t plan much for the car, only bought a Tyre Inflator (Coido 2153) as an emergency tool.
Now comes the booking part, considering week before New Year most of the good hotels were sold out still managed to get few decent properties.
Day 1 (24/25 Dec)
Route: Mumbai – Pune – Satara – Kolhapur – Belgam – Hubli – Davangere – Sira – Nagamangala – Srirangapatna – Mysore
Distance: 1050km
Travel Time: 17hrs (including 3hrs break)
Finally the day came, I had holiday but my wife had office on that day, I was busy whole day in few personal tasks which I had to complete before heading for vacation, also bought a DSLR (Canon 700d) for the trip on the same day. My wife came early from office but we still managed to start around 7 pm, loaded luggage for 4 people plus water (24 bottles), Gatorade, juices and snacks in the boot which took me around 20 min.
It is always very difficult to cross Mumbai before long weekends, thought of taking an alternate route to connect Eastern express highway but unfortunately caught in jam for more than 1.5 hrs and finally reached Mumbai – Pune express highway toll (Khalapur) around 10 pm, took a break for dinner and topped up diesel, left food court at around 11 pm. Road condition was good, less traffic took a tea break(20 min) at Tasavade toll plaza near Karad. Everyone in the car slept after that, good for non-stop journey, kept driving on NH4 till Sira, I was also feeling sleepy so was driving at 70-80 kmph took exit at Sira pulled car on shoulder and took a power nap (20 min), after driving for some 1 hour stopped for breakfast there were very few hotels asked a restaurant and he breakfast will be only available at one place at that early, breakfast was very good hot idli and medu wada, road condition after Sira was little bad there was a patch of around 10 km with almost no road, reached Mysore around 1 pm.
Due to last minute plan I didn’t pre booked any hotel at Mysore, that was mistake as whole city was booked, luckily got a lodge for a price of 4 star hotel . Got fresh and took ric for Mysore palace had lunch just outside palace, palace was very crowded and there was long queue to get in, dropped plan and took some photos outside, after that headed for Church had dinner and slept by 10pm that was end of day 1.
Mysore Palace
St. Philomena Church
For long time I was planning a drive to Kerala from Mumbai, but my wife always said it is too far and better we fly down. Then fine one day in December 2015 she said lets go somewhere during the New Year week, considering winter I thought of covering South India as it is best time to go south. Again Kerala plan was on the table and luckily she said YES, so a drive was finalized, total 4 members me, wife and my parents. Now the planning started read lots of blogs available on web and after lots of considerations for leaves and places finally planed as below.
Day 1 – Mumbai - Mysuru
Day 2 – Mysuru - Ooty
Day 3 – OOty - Munnar
Day 4 – Munnar
Day 5 – Munnar - Thekkady
Day 6 – Thekkady - Alleppey
Day 7 – Alleppey - Kochi
Day 8 – Kochi - Varkala
Day 9 – Varkala – Madurai - Tumkuru
Day 10 – Tumkuru - Mumbai
Total distance – 3808 KM
Total passenger – 4
Vehicle – Mahindra XUV 5OO (less than 1 year)
ODO – 12000 (approx)
Total fuel – 295 Litre
Fuel average- 12.90 kmpl (100% A/C)
Considering a new car with less than 1 year (11 Months) and recently serviced I didn’t plan much for the car, only bought a Tyre Inflator (Coido 2153) as an emergency tool.
Now comes the booking part, considering week before New Year most of the good hotels were sold out still managed to get few decent properties.
Day 1 (24/25 Dec)
Route: Mumbai – Pune – Satara – Kolhapur – Belgam – Hubli – Davangere – Sira – Nagamangala – Srirangapatna – Mysore
Distance: 1050km
Travel Time: 17hrs (including 3hrs break)
Finally the day came, I had holiday but my wife had office on that day, I was busy whole day in few personal tasks which I had to complete before heading for vacation, also bought a DSLR (Canon 700d) for the trip on the same day. My wife came early from office but we still managed to start around 7 pm, loaded luggage for 4 people plus water (24 bottles), Gatorade, juices and snacks in the boot which took me around 20 min.
It is always very difficult to cross Mumbai before long weekends, thought of taking an alternate route to connect Eastern express highway but unfortunately caught in jam for more than 1.5 hrs and finally reached Mumbai – Pune express highway toll (Khalapur) around 10 pm, took a break for dinner and topped up diesel, left food court at around 11 pm. Road condition was good, less traffic took a tea break(20 min) at Tasavade toll plaza near Karad. Everyone in the car slept after that, good for non-stop journey, kept driving on NH4 till Sira, I was also feeling sleepy so was driving at 70-80 kmph took exit at Sira pulled car on shoulder and took a power nap (20 min), after driving for some 1 hour stopped for breakfast there were very few hotels asked a restaurant and he breakfast will be only available at one place at that early, breakfast was very good hot idli and medu wada, road condition after Sira was little bad there was a patch of around 10 km with almost no road, reached Mysore around 1 pm.
Due to last minute plan I didn’t pre booked any hotel at Mysore, that was mistake as whole city was booked, luckily got a lodge for a price of 4 star hotel . Got fresh and took ric for Mysore palace had lunch just outside palace, palace was very crowded and there was long queue to get in, dropped plan and took some photos outside, after that headed for Church had dinner and slept by 10pm that was end of day 1.
Mysore Palace
St. Philomena Church
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