After yesterday's wild goose chase we decided to head back to Chennai by the same route we came. Started at 6.00 AM from Jagdalpur. Roads were clear and the drive till Jeypore was good. I will reiterate once again, monsoon time Chattisgarh is one of the best sights you will see in your life.
Jeypore Ghat road was even worse than what it was two days ago. To be honest there was only Ghat, no road. Road work is going on the entire stretch so it was full of gravel and mud roads. Overnight rains had left the whole road slushy. Taking a hairpin bend in a slushy road was tricky.
Once we got down the ghat road, we took the Jeypore - Araku road. With overcast sky, the road was even more beautiful than two days ago. So many shades of green, so much beauty that it hurt the eyes. Stopped for a quick photoshoot after Lamtaput and drove on.
The skies opened up soon afterwards and it poured non stop for nearly an hour. The lake near Paduwa was now a raging river. Driving was a little difficult, but there were no other vehicles on the road, so it was ok. Roads were good except the bridges were work was going on. After yesterday's experience, I was doubly careful while driving through the bridge diversions.
Rains let up as we entered Araku. From a deserted road, we suddenly found ourselves in the midst of a crowd of 500 people after a turn in the road. It was the friday tribal market, I think. Fresh produce was being sold in bulk. We inched our way through the market.
It was 10.30 AM by the time we reached Araku. All the hotels were closed. So our plan of a late breakfast was shelved and we drove on to Vizag. Breakfast was just snacks and biscuits we had packed. A word here about my son. He coped admirably with the change in plans and haywired eating schedule. Most of the days breakfast was just cup noodles or biscuits as we always start early in the day. He didn't complain at all.
Reached Vizag at 02.00 PM and checked into the hotel. Had a hearty lunch. I was so famished that I finished an entire plate of Veg Dum Biriyani (Andhra level serving size). In the evening took son to the Kursura Submarine museum in the beach. INS Kursura, a 1969 vintage submarine was decomissioned in 2001 and converted into a museum in 2002. It is in Ramakrishna beach in Vizag and you get a guided tour for Rs. 40.00. Doesn't take much time, hardly 10 minutes.
I waited till I got out of Chattisgarh to post this. The day I entered Chattisgarh, I was stopped at a check post.
The Police inspector saw the papers and said "Your licence is expired. Cheep licence we need".
I didn't understand what he was saying. He showed a licence of another person standing next to me .
"Aah, Chip licence. But officer, Tamil Nadu doesn't issue smart card driving licence yet"
"Arre, this is all India practice. Your licence won't be accepted. See this fellow (lorry driver standing next to me), he is from Karnataka. He too has cheep licence"
"But Sir, our government hasn't issued it yet"
"No no. You pay fine"
I wasn't going to argue for USDR with Chattisgarh Police. So paid the Rs. 600.00 fine and proceeded. Last year I was checked in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat. None of them had any problem with the licence. I need to check on what is the status with Smart card Driving Licence in Tamil Nadu. The tender was cancelled some years ago and haven't heard much about it after that.
Tomorrow's plan is a long drive to Nellore. Total distance travelled so far : 2400 kms.
 |
| Panoramic view of Jagdalpur - Jeypore road |
Jeypore Ghat road was even worse than what it was two days ago. To be honest there was only Ghat, no road. Road work is going on the entire stretch so it was full of gravel and mud roads. Overnight rains had left the whole road slushy. Taking a hairpin bend in a slushy road was tricky.
Once we got down the ghat road, we took the Jeypore - Araku road. With overcast sky, the road was even more beautiful than two days ago. So many shades of green, so much beauty that it hurt the eyes. Stopped for a quick photoshoot after Lamtaput and drove on.
 |
| Scene near Lamtaput |
 |
| Good place for a photo shoot |
The skies opened up soon afterwards and it poured non stop for nearly an hour. The lake near Paduwa was now a raging river. Driving was a little difficult, but there were no other vehicles on the road, so it was ok. Roads were good except the bridges were work was going on. After yesterday's experience, I was doubly careful while driving through the bridge diversions.
 |
| Lake that turned into a raging river, near Paduwa |
Rains let up as we entered Araku. From a deserted road, we suddenly found ourselves in the midst of a crowd of 500 people after a turn in the road. It was the friday tribal market, I think. Fresh produce was being sold in bulk. We inched our way through the market.
It was 10.30 AM by the time we reached Araku. All the hotels were closed. So our plan of a late breakfast was shelved and we drove on to Vizag. Breakfast was just snacks and biscuits we had packed. A word here about my son. He coped admirably with the change in plans and haywired eating schedule. Most of the days breakfast was just cup noodles or biscuits as we always start early in the day. He didn't complain at all.
Reached Vizag at 02.00 PM and checked into the hotel. Had a hearty lunch. I was so famished that I finished an entire plate of Veg Dum Biriyani (Andhra level serving size). In the evening took son to the Kursura Submarine museum in the beach. INS Kursura, a 1969 vintage submarine was decomissioned in 2001 and converted into a museum in 2002. It is in Ramakrishna beach in Vizag and you get a guided tour for Rs. 40.00. Doesn't take much time, hardly 10 minutes.
 |
| Beautiful Vizag sky |
The Police inspector saw the papers and said "Your licence is expired. Cheep licence we need".
I didn't understand what he was saying. He showed a licence of another person standing next to me .
"Aah, Chip licence. But officer, Tamil Nadu doesn't issue smart card driving licence yet"
"Arre, this is all India practice. Your licence won't be accepted. See this fellow (lorry driver standing next to me), he is from Karnataka. He too has cheep licence"
"But Sir, our government hasn't issued it yet"
"No no. You pay fine"
I wasn't going to argue for USDR with Chattisgarh Police. So paid the Rs. 600.00 fine and proceeded. Last year I was checked in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat. None of them had any problem with the licence. I need to check on what is the status with Smart card Driving Licence in Tamil Nadu. The tender was cancelled some years ago and haven't heard much about it after that.
Tomorrow's plan is a long drive to Nellore. Total distance travelled so far : 2400 kms.
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