My ever-reliable XUV 500 AWD aka McQueen has already clocked 1,23,350 kms.

BHPian lovecars21 just lately shared this with different fans.

Right here we’re once more with one other travelogue of our Could 2023 Mountain journey. I perceive our travelogues have decreased in numbers owing to our restricted journeys. We now have a 4.5-year little champ whose busy schedule must be well-assessed earlier than planning any journey.

My final street journey to North India was in 2017 once I drove to Spiti in Figo and since then all my journeys have been primarily to the North-Jap a part of India submit the little champ was born to get him acclimatised to street journeys and mountains. Now that he’s hitting 5 in a number of months, we determined to broaden our ambition and plan a North India journey. Now we have been eyeing Shinkula for fairly a while now and so we lastly selected the identical as our vacation spot.

Some Introductory Photographs

Initially, I deliberate to maintain it gentle with locations like Dharmshala, Dalhousie, Haridwar, and Rishikesh however then in the future all of a sudden whereas hovering over Gmaps one thing inside me advised me why not add Sach Go and Killar Keylong route. Instantly I began figuring out the plan and shared it with my spouse and pals.

Day 1 plan was to drive on to Noida and keep at my brother-in-law’s place and chill out for a day or two then drive to Dalhousie, and keep for an evening. Past Dalhousie, our stays can be in Bairagarh after which Keylong. From Keylong, the plan was to drive to Baralacha La and return by way of Manali.

Plan A:

• nineteenth Could 2023: Asansol to Kolkata
• twentieth Could: Morning Kolkata to Asansol. Relaxation until 7 pm after which depart for Noida
• twenty first Could: Take a 3-hour break at Lucknow and attain Noida by 9 pm
• twenty second Could: Loosen up at Noida and revel in household time.
• twenty third Could: Noida to Dalhousie
• twenty fourth Could: Dalhousie to Bairagarh
• twenty fifth Could: Bairagarh to Keylong by way of Sach Go
• twenty sixth Could: Keylong to Sissu with a go to to Baralacha La
• twenty seventh Could: Sissu to Mandi
• twenty eighth Could: Mandi to Noida
• twenty ninth Could: Begin from Noida within the night and attain Asansol on thirtieth Could
• thirty first Could: Asansol to Kolkata

The plan was finalised and bookings have been carried out. Referred to as my brother-in-law Sabyasachi and he was completely happy to know that we have been planning for North India this time. Our final go to to their place was throughout his Son’s rice ceremony again in December final 12 months. We deliberate to remain at his place in order that Ishaan may take pleasure in himself together with his Mama, Mami and their 1.5 yrs outdated son Neil. So now because the dates have been finalised my spouse, Sudeshna utilized for her depart and it was permitted. I additionally began planning my work schedule in order that through the journey I can take pleasure in and chill out with my household. For the reason that inception of the plan, I had began following the Fb web page of Lahaul Spiti Police and in addition contacted DC Workplace Management Room. They alerted me and knowledgeable me concerning the unhealthy climate forecast throughout my week of journey.

By then Sunil Kumar had contacted me and confirmed that he needs to go for the drive alongside together with his household. I travelled with Sunil da to Arunachal Pradesh final 12 months and he’s a gem of an individual and a seasoned driver. Gave him the detailed plan and advised him there’s a 10% probability that Sach Go might be open. He was happy with it and booked his stays.

My plan was to drive to Kolkata from Asansol on the nineteenth of Could and on the twentieth morning drive again to Asansol with Sudeshna and Ishaan then take a 3 to 4 hours relaxation at my hometown and begin our in a single day drive to Noida. Sunil da was to begin from Asansol on the twentieth Morning and drive as much as Lucknow on the twenty first to succeed in Noida. Sunil da most popular day driving whereas I most popular night time so we have been to fulfill at Noida after which drive alongside.

Ready my ever-reliable XUV 500 AWD aka McQueen which had already clocked 1,23,350 kms. The Service Advisor at Rudra Mahindra suggested me to get the entrance disc pads modified and to get my battery checked at Amaron Pit Cease. Thus far, I had been utilizing solely OEM spares however this time deliberate to do some additional analysis and shortlisted Bosch Efficiency Disc Pads. They’re 4 occasions cheaper than OEM ones and the evaluation over the web was fairly good. Ordered the pads by means of Boodmo and inside every week they have been delivered. Acquired them fitted and drove round 400 kms to be assured concerning the pads. The Himalayas and particularly the Sach Go-Killar-Udaipur street is unforgiving.

Subsequent was to get the battery checked. It was then 4.4 years outdated and had by no means given any situation however because of the age it was finest to get it examined. Purchased a battery tester from Amazon as our Pit Cease didn’t have the machine to check the battery completely and mere voltage testing was not adequate. I’ve shared the hyperlink beneath and would recommend everybody to have such a tool, it helps in getting an concept concerning the State of Well being of the battery.

The battery was examined and it got here out with 80% SOH after a full cost. So, the battery handed the check however nonetheless to keep away from any unprecedented state of affairs at excessive altitude borrowed the 70mai Jumper Starter battery from Bhpian Arindam Chakraborty (journey tax).

The opposite few equipment that have been added to McQueen since final 12 months’s Arunachal Journey are as follows:

1. Baggage Provider from Rouf Rails

Baggage Provider High View

2. Battery Monitor from Amazon which included a 100a shunt.

That is how I related the 100amp Shunt

3. Automobile seat fan from Flipkart

4. AC vent rotating fan from Amazon

5. Entrance and Underbody digital camera with a toggle change

That is how the cockpit appears to be like

Because the climate forecast deteriorated within the Lahaul area so made a Plan B which was to drive to Zanskar by way of Shinkula Go hoping the move can be open. When in comparison with Sach Go Shinkula and different foremost passes of Ladakh open earlier than Sach for Military commuting.

On Could fifteenth knowledgeable Sunil da that Plan A is known as off and we’ll observe Plan B. Our Bookings have been cancelled and for Plan B we determined to ebook on the go.

Plan B:

• nineteenth Could 2023: Asansol to Kolkata
• twentieth Could: Morning Kolkata to Asansol. Relaxation until 7 pm after which depart for Noida
• twenty first Could: Take a 3 hours break at Lucknow and attain Noida by 9 pm
• twenty second Could: Loosen up at Noida and revel in household time.
• twenty third Could: Noida to Chandigarh
• twenty fourth Could: Shangarh to Jispa
• twenty fifth Could: Jispa to Padum by way of Shinkula
• twenty sixth Could: Native site-seeing at Padum
• twenty seventh Could: Padum to Sissu
• twenty eighth Could: Sissu to Mandi
• twenty ninth Could: Mandi to Noida
• thirtieth Could: Begin from Noida within the night and attain Asansol on thirty first Could
• 1st June: Asansol to Kolkata

All the things was set and packing was carried out however the climate predictions have been getting worse with extreme snowfall predicted in Lahaul, Sunil da referred to as me one night and knowledgeable me that he would moderately go later than get caught mid-way. Now it was time to resolve whether or not to go forward or change dates. Mentioned with Sudeshna and he or she stated her leaves are permitted and it is too late to vary dates. So, we determined to go forward and in case Darcha-Padum street is closed we’ll take pleasure in ourselves at Jispa and Sissu and return. So, with a ten% probability of the street being open, we moved forward with the plan.

The important objects like medicines, an oxygen cylinder, a conveyable range, and a few ready-to-cook packed meals have been loaded. Sharing the listing of medicines for fellow travellers who want to journey with youngsters.

Sudeshna steered I journey by bus from Asansol to Kolkata and drive again with them to Asansol in her Aspire aka Musty. As a consequence of six planning works between Dankuni and Panagarh, there are quite a few diversions and bottleneck areas. The present journey time between the 2 cities has turn into 5.5 hrs. Loaded my baggage, and important objects and saved McQueen prepared for the drive.

DAY 1: Asansol to Kolkata: 240 kms, Journey Time: 6.5 hrs by Bus

On the nineteenth Morning took a bus to Kolkata and as predicted the street between Panagarh to Galsi was pink with stand-still site visitors. The Volvo bus driver took a detour by way of Guskara. The route passes by means of some slender winding roads surrounded by lush inexperienced bushes. It was enjoyable. By bus it took 6.5 hrs to succeed in Kolkata that day, due to Sudeshna for her suggestion else would have certainly confused me out.

DAY 2 and three: Kolkata to Asansol, 240 kms, Journey Time: 3.5 hrs. Asansol to Lucknow 800 kms Journey Time, 13 hrs. Lucknow to Noida 550 kms Journey Time 6 hrs together with breaks:

On the twentieth Morning received their baggage loaded in Aspire and drove to Asansol. To our good luck site visitors was easy that day and we reached Asansol in 3.5 hrs. Lunch was made prepared by Mother and after a heavy lunch took a brief energy nap whereas Ishaan performed together with his grandmom all afternoon. Because it was unbearably scorching in Asansol that day so loading of baggage was delayed and we began our drive one hour late.

Our plan was to succeed in Topchanchi by 9 pm and have dinner there however as we have been late to begin we needed to take a dinner cease simply after crossing into Jharkhand.

After dinner at Lodge Sumandeep I ready Ishaan’s mattress in order that he may sleep effectively all night time. We began off from Beliyad at 10 pm and drove begin to Aurangabad.

From Aurangabad took the Buxar street to connect with Purvanchal Expressway.

My plan was to cowl this stretch through the wee hours in order that there can be a minimal human and cattle inhabitants on the street. This street passes by means of quite a few densely populated villages so driving by means of this stretch throughout day time would add to undue stress.

As deliberate we contact Purvanchal Expressway at 4:45 am and took a tea break. The following plan was to drive to Lucknow and keep at Jalsa Resort which I had booked by means of Oyo for under 750/-. Properly, the worth was nice contemplating we might keep for 3 to 4 hours. We reached Lucknow at 9 am and checked into the lodge. Ordered a heavy Breakfast and took a bathe to clean up.

After having breakfast took an influence nap and left Lucknow at 1:30 pm.

Subsequent forward have been two extra Expressways earlier than we attain Noida and the Solar was over our heads with burning temperatures exterior, the automobile’s cabin was saved chilled with the newly added followers.

Took the Lucknow Agra Expressway after which Yamuna Expressway and reached Noida at 8 pm.

Unloaded the baggage and cleared the baggage service as we have been to journey by means of Punjab. The third row was folded and the Baggage was all put inside.

Loved the night with a shock celebration organised by Sabyasachi and his spouse Sudeshna. After a late night time adda we retired for the day. Tomorrow was a day to chill out.

Proceed studying BHPian lovecars21’s travelogue for extra insights and data.

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