We started day three all relaxed and refreshed. We slept well and woke up late. We had an east-facing room and the sun was streaming in when I awoke. We were ready in no time and Chanda ordered breakfast while Thomas and I loaded the jeep. Breakfast, like dinner, was sumptuous. We had a leisurely breakfast and started off at 9:00 AM.
The resort is conveniently located on NH 76 that goes to Chittaurghar. We stopped at the first gas station that we spotted and filled diesel. We didn’t want a repeat of the fuel crisis scenario. The roads were very good and we were soon cruising at at a steady 100 kmph. Except for a few bumpy spots, the road was very smooth.
Excellent roads in Rajasthan
Chanda spotted several road-side vendors selling traditional truck decorations like scarves and pompoms. We bought a few and decorated Chowdhury (our Bolero). We also bought some a lathi as gift for my dad. Chanda's theory was that since our parents were renovating their home, this would be good for security as we now had several strangers walking in and out of the house!
Chanda with the Lathi
No sooner had we resumed the journey that Chanda ordered me to stop. She was not happy with her previous purchase and she had just spotted a shop selling better scarves. This place was in Bhilwara. While Chanda was buying the scarves, we noticed that the guys from the same shop were decorating a truck with stickers. You can read more about our trip sticker in the post #bbc2leh.
#bbc2leh
By now, we were pretty sure that we are running behind our schedule again! :) Though, none of us were regretting that after getting the sticker. We decided to continue driving until we got hungry!
After driving non-stop for 3hrs, we stopped at a place called Tolamal for lunch. The restaurant, Hotel Amar, had a bar - a dark little room adjoining the main restaurant - where one could sneak in for a drink. They refused to serve us chilled beer in the restaurant - they didn't want to scare away their non-drinking clientele. So we decided to skip the beer and order food instead. The food was excellent and the best part of the lunch was hot-hot chapatis and chaach.
The best thing about this restaurant (in addition to the great food), was that there was a Cafe Coffee Day right next to it. Chanda got herself a Frappe and I a cappuccino.
After lunch, we decided to drive non-stop to Haryana. The roads continued to be excellent and we reached Jaipur by 4pm. Seeing that we were tourists (several telltale signs, starting with our number plates), several "hotel agents" on motorcycles tried stopping us to sell hotel accommodation. Some of them got very close and that got Thomas very worried especially because he was driving. This is a common thing in several tourist towns in India. So if this ever happens to you, don't pull down your windows. Simply wave them away with a smile!
The rest of the drive was uneventful and smooth until we entered Haryana. The traffic got progressively worse. We finally stopped at a dhabha for tea. This was a typical north Indian dhabha. It consisted of a small building that housed an open kitchen, living quarters for the staff , and a small store room. In the large courtyard were a row of cots. These places are frequented by truckers who, after a bone jarring drive in their WW2-quality trucks, stretch out on the cots for a quick nap. We ordered some strong tea - something that's not common in these parts of the country. After all, we were in Haryana where people drank milky tea (ugghh!) As a parting gift, the dhabha owner offered us Hanuman ji ka prasad (boondi) as it was a Tuesday. That really touched me. We were after all a bunch of strangers. Offering prasad is like sharing blessings. Do people in other countries share blessings with strangers? The greatness of our country lies in the fact that there still is unity in diversity. I really don't care what the cynics may think!
Having tea at the dabha
We decided that I would drive now. Delhi traffic can be scary - high speed and lack of lane discipline often makes it hard for new comers. However, I learnt to drive in Delhi and I drive like a Delhiite. :)
We soon entered Gurgaon. The wide roads, hi-tech offices, and speeding traffic gave it a very international feel. Traffic was a bit unruly, but I was completely at home. The toll gate was crazy though, with hundreds of vehicles lined up. The efficiency of the toll agents impressed me.
Things eased up a bit after we entered the India Gate area. After meeting Rajiv, and having dinner with Chanda's parents, we reached my parents' place (Matt's parents) in Indirapuram at 12:30 AM.
Route Details
Take NH 76 to Chittaurgarh.
At Chittaurgar, switch to NH79 that goes to Ajmer.
DO NOT enter Ajmer, but continue towards Kishangarh.
At Kishangarh, switch to NH8. This will take you to Delhi via. Jaipur and Gurgaon.
In Rajastan, NH8 is a crowded 2-lane highway. NH79 is a fast 4-lane highway with a toll gate. Truckers generally avoid this.
Any reason you went into Jaipur city instead of taking the excellent bypass?
ReplyDeleteTip for those driving on this route: Refuel in Haryana, which has fuel cheaper than Rajasthan!