I opened my eyes to the cloudy sky on a summer morning. I rushed to get ready, dragged my body out of the bed. Today (2nd May) I am off to Hyderabad for long journey back. Finished morning rituals and landed at airport on time. The sky was cloudy and I could foresee rains in the day and cursed my luck. Anyway, I have long long day to look forward to.
I landed at Hyderabad airport, lots of memories of last 4 years just flashed by. Coming out of airport, called the valet parking to bring my car where it had been parked for a long time My car came after 15 mins or . Cleared off the dues and checked the car. It was dirty- real dirty possibly the most in last four years. Got it in to car and started off for Tirumulgherry for the NOC. Today is the day when I drive my car to Kolkata.
I drove down in a hours time reached 10.30 am and collected the NOC. I am ready to set off. I drove through wellington to petrol pump and filled up the tank. One rule I follow whatever the fuel indicator shows still fill up the tank. Next to get the food supplies another rule of the book. It was my last drive on the St. Johns Church road, got down at Ratnadeep (Local departmental store). My food supplies were a dozen banana, 3 packs of fruit juice and 2 packets of 50-50 biscuit.
The food stock may look strange but then I can't have anything else than these - for a person who is just out of typhoid and still not recovered completely.
It was 11.30 am, I started my journey back to Kolkata leaving behind Secunderabad/Hyderabad. The road was busy, it took me one and half hours to come out of traffic and cross. Driving after a long time too my time to adjust to sunlight and summer. My first break was at 7 before Suryapet. The decent place to have food. But my choices were limited. I had clear veg soup to get some liquid in. Finished and started off towards Vijaywada. My target was to reach Vijaywada by 4 , Rajamundhry 2 hrs from there.
The road was good since the last time I went, 4 lanes have been opened. It was sweet drive, looked at speedometer going at 90 average most of the time. All I was thinking All izzz welll. Finally reached Vijaywada in between gave a lift to policeman from toll before Vijaywada to vijaywada.
Reached Vijaywada by 4.30, now road so far was know to me, this was going to be challenging. Check the google map Vijaywada to Rajahmundry. I didn't want to drive too long and that on a highway at night. My initial play was something like this - Day 1- Hyderbad - Vizay - Night stay Day 2 - Vizag to Kolkata. But it got changes
So crossed Prakasam Barrgage in Vijaywada, made little detour but corrected immediately and started towards Eluru. The road from Vijaywada to Eluru on GQ was ok. Crossing Eluru few kms away saw a car crashed into truck which was taking an U turn. The sun was setting and darkness creeping in, switched on the parking lights, put the pedal down as I rushed towards Tanaku.
By the time I crossed the Tanaku on highway it was already dark. Somehow I knew I cant stop, have to reach Rajahmundry for the night stay.I crossed Godavari but in dark it was a letdown, couldn't see anything. The roads were dark and trucks were getting more in number. At last , around 8 pm reached the road on GQ which went into Rajahmundry, about 8-10 km's . Finally reached Hotel Rathna Palace at 8.30. Back to familiar grounds. In this 4 hrs trip, I had taken a break before Eluru, had some banana's and apple juice, phone calls to home that I am safe.
Dinner was again simple 4 bananas and apple juice. Slept like a log, the back was stiff after 9 hrs journey, 445 kms or so.
My cellphone rang at 5.45pm. The next day plan was to start early and reach Bhubaneswar and night stay. The distance to be covered was 625 km. After good night's sleep, bath I was feeling fresh and raring to go. Clock at 6.20am started off towards Bhubaneswar, filled the tank again full, check the mileage, sweet 19.
This was the most beautiful part of the journey - Rajahmundry, to Vizag to Vizianagram to Berhampore to Bhubaneswar. Till Vizag landscape was ok, but approach to Orissa was beautiful, absolutely breathtaking. Reached Vizag in 3 hrs or so, it took time to cross Vizag as the roads had traffic there. Finished my lunch after Vizinagram- what else other than bananas.
Crossed the AP-Orissa border without being stopped, there was a long queue of trucks at the excise checkpost. I had to take the other wrong way to get ahead of these guys. Clearing that started towards Berhampore, checked my fuel, decided to fill it up. Stopped at IOCL pump on highway and filled it up.
Crossing Chilka was a magnificent sight to eyes. Stepped up the pedal and reached Bhubaneswar by 4.40pm. 630km and 10 hrs with 2-3 breaks , 1 pit stop, pretty decent.I decided to stop here as planned though I could have gone till Cuttack. My head said no point stretching this leg.
I checked into Hotel La Franklin at Rasulgarh square. The Bhubaneswar stretch of GQ was little slow with traffic and underpass work going on. I felt less tired than earlier day inspite of doing more kms.
Day 3- I started early 6 am, 450 plus km to end line. As they say early bird catches the worm, to cover faster I started off. This leg of journey was more zig zag with many places work going on for under pass. Till Jaleswar it was fine with small diversions for underpass. But after crossing Jaleswar to Orissa-WB border, there were to many diversion, road was closed and repairing wok were going on. The border was again a horrible place with trucks all queued up, it took me half an hour to cross the toll booth. From there to Kharagpur again road was being repaired I could see huge crack for which one side lane has been closed.
I crossed Kharagpur around 12pm. I decided to speed up to Home. Kharagpur to Uluberia was fine. I could manage a decent average of 70. Stopped at Sher e Punjab for a small munch and crossed Kolkaght. The fuel showed it needed filling up. I always dont like filling petrol on highways, I am baised about them being adulterated. Calculated the distance and decided 500 bucks of petrol would be fine enough to reach home.
Finally at 2.30pm, 1595 kms I reached home driving down all alone from Hyderabad to Kolkata - journey which I always wanted. And I was not tired like the days before. I had planned to pen down the trip before but my laziness always took over. After 6 months of the journey, I have finally written something. This was test of to me to check my physical and mental strength. My concentration cannot waver in this long and lonely road. Me and my loneliness was company- oops sorry my collection of songs were there. I started with Frank Sinatra to Modern Talking to Queen and on and on.
I paid 1600 bucks for toll tax worked out as 1 rupee per km. Anyway, this trip made my resolve to go for more long drives in future. This was farthest, the longest was 475 km.
