Monday 8 September 2014

Day 12 : Chandigarh - Delhi

Day 12 : Events (Aug 26)
  • Got up and relaxed at around 10 am
  • The bike battery was dead; again! But this time I saw a halo (angel's ring) on top of it:P
  • I could finally conclude that the battery has completed its life and needs to be replaced with a new one
  • Looked around and found a scooter mechanic to check the battery
  • After a few tries decided to get a new Exide Acid Battery (the same as what I had). Got this job done, cost 3k in total.
  • Had to visit a relative in Chandigarh, where I ended up sitting and chatting for quite a while until it was 2
  • There I filled the water in the hydration pack and started for Delhi
  • Reached Delhi at 7pm and continued towards Gurgaon for my hotel
Route:
Chandigarh - Delhi

Road condition:
Once I was out of the 'sector maze' in Chandigarh, I made my way to the GT road and then it was more or less a straight road for the next 250 or so kilometers. I maintained a good speed and had to slow down only during the city crossings, as the high-speed flyovers were still under construction. The straight road made me a bit drowsy and to avoid taking off from the runway (pun intended), I had to stop twice for a dose of Redbull. That helped! :)

Climate/Weather:
The ride from Chandigarh to Delhi was hot! No literally:/

Fuel Stops:
Chandigarh :  
(Beware!! It's not uncommon to be cheated at bunks here. I had asked for 500 bucks and they played the same old trick of filling it in two attempts, where the second time they start the meter from 150 and filled till 350 saying it started from 0. Well, I was not willing to push their button at that point, so just gave a warning and moved on. The guy was nervous already knowing that I know what he did. That should be enough to straighten him up for his remaining days at his job.)

Rs 350 / 71.30 pl = 5 Ltrs


When it became clear that, the battery had conked out -_- RIP Ol'pal

Me waiting at the garage, while the mech had gone out to the nearest market to get a new battery.

Finally, he found a piece



After the battery was replaced, my (non-existent) worries were gone and I headed to my relatives' place. Where I spent the next few hours before starting the last leg of my journey; a ride to Delhi.

After around 5+ hours of cruise, I finally got to Delhi by evening 7 pm. I had to set my GPS for navigating through Delhi, as it's not easy to stop on the way in the middle of traffic to ask for directions, that too during the rush hour.

It was my first time in riding a motorcycle in the city of Delhi and it was kinda fun. If I could (dare to) compare it with Bangalore, then I must say the roads are 10 times broader and smoother. Now if I try to summarize my riding experience as part of Delhi traffic in the peak (evening) hours, it will be something like this.

"The city is under attack from outer space. And government has declared an emergency and requested every resident to evacuate the city ASAP to save their lives."

 Well. I must say everyone was following the instructions^ to the last bit, and so did I :)



Making my way to Gurgaon through Delhi. Well, this photograph I took before the maddening traffic of Delhi swallowed me and my steed. So don't fall for the empty stretch in view ;)

Chandigarh to Delhi, I remember it as my redbull route :)

This was the last day of my epic trip and it came to its natural end with my arrival in Delhi. During my stay in Delhi, I had to hand over my bike and luggage for shipping and caught up with some friends and relatives. My flight was after two days, where I again joined the riding crew to Bangalore. We shared our experiences and were cracking jokes on naming a few flyovers in Bangalore with that of the passes so that it will be easy to refer to:)

By the time I entered my flat, it was half past ten and I had to update a few key people (Mom to start with,) in my life about my safe arrival. This was a memorable trip and I certainly look forward to the next one;) Well before you get too excited, let me say that even I don't yet know where it will be. However, one thing is for sure, wherever and whenever it happens, it's gonna be A.W.E.S.O.M.E. !!


Until next time,

Ride Safe & Ride Far,

Sid


View the Main Post for this ride

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