My Solo Car Trips - Leh- uffff -Srinagar

A Small Note Me & My MG - Solo Trip Partner  I have always felt that with modern cars — unlike the older days when you’d often see someone on the roadside with the bonnet open, topping up the radiator, 🚘 💤 or running the engine every couple of days just to keep the battery alive — there’s really no reason why we shouldn’t attempt longer drives. That thought was always there, but it was during the Covid period that it truly took shape. For almost a year, we all were stuck within four walls — either seeing the same family faces or staring at walls, with the occasional video call as our  outing. It became so frustrating  that I just wanted to break out and run away. That’s how my first solo trip began. It was a simple five-day ride,  The frustration of so much at peak that I did not know where I am going.  Just drove towards my home town Kurnool, from there to Hampi and so on - details in a separate cover.  The freedom of Solo Drive was amazing and was u...

When Plans Meet the Road's Own Mind ( 28th August, 2025 - Day 1 ) This was my sixth solo trip — but unlike the earlier ones, this one fell apart halfway. And maybe that’s exactly why it deserves to be written as a blog. After years of dreaming, my solo road trip to Ladakh finally began on a rainy morning in Hyderabad. Packed with noodles, a kettle, oxygen cylinders, and excitement, I waved goodbye to family and hit the road… Setting Out The plan was clear in my head — Hyderabad to Betul in one long stretch. I left before dawn, the city still half-asleep. A light drizzle brushed the windshield as I joined NH-44; the road ahead looked endless and full of promise. There’s something reassuring about the hum of tyres when you’re alone — it tells you you’re moving, even when thoughts stand still. Morning Mines By Kamareddy, the horizon turned silver and idli-coffee from a roadside stall felt like a warm handshake from the day. “Leh?” the stall-keeper repeated, eyebrows raised. I nodded, ...

 29th Aug, 2025 - When the Road Becomes Familiar Again - Morning After the Rain The night before had stretched long — heavy rain, a late dinner at Haldiram’s, and that quiet relief of finding a safe halt. By morning, Nagpur looked freshly washed. I started early, tea in hand, planning to reach Sagar by evening through Betul and the Satpura belt. The highway out of the city felt open and welcoming, that easy feeling you get on the second day of a trip when both you and the car have found your rhythm. The forest north of Nagpur was green and damp from the rain. I stopped once for chai at a small stall where a few truckers warmed their hands near a stove. “Sagar tak jayenge, saab?” one of them asked. “Dekhte hain,” I said. The conversation ended there, as most road chats do — short, friendly, and forgotten as the engines started again. Jam Sawali Mandir A few kilometres before Betul, a board for  Jam Sawali Hanuman Mandir  appeared, with an old archway on the left. Something...

 Sometimes the road decides your route better than you do..(30th August) My plan, at least on paper, was to head straight toward Agra via  Jhansi . But solo drives have a way of rewriting plans without asking for approval. I wasn’t sure why, but the thought of going through and a stary at Agra did not gel well - may be the several versions of Agra and its rulers and what not. A little ahead, I saw a sign pointing toward  Mathura . The idea came suddenly —  why not take this route instead?  It wasn’t part of the plan, but that’s the best thing about travelling alone: no one to argue, no one to convince. Just a turn of the wheel, and the journey changes shape. The highway rolled on through small villages and sugarcane fields. By around  5 p.m. , I checked into a small hotel near the main temple. A light drizzle had started when I reached the  Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple  around  7 p.m.  The complex was vast and alive — chants of  ...

 From Mathura’s divine bliss to Chandigarh’s breaking news. In a single night, my dream solo drive to Leh fell apart. (31st August) I started early on  31st August  from Mathura, aiming for  Chandigarh . The  Yamuna Expressway  was smooth but uneventful, and traffic through Delhi and Noida dragged till noon. After that, the skies turned dramatic — cloudburst after cloudburst, rain almost nonstop till evening. I reached Chandigarh around 6 p.m., the car splashed and the wipers exhausted. The plan till then was perfectly timed: drive through  Manali – Jispa – Lahaul – Leh , reach  Leh by 5 September , and welcome my family there the next morning. They were to fly from  Hyderabad on 6 September , joining the group tour through Leh till the 10th. Everything was mapped out — hotels, fuel stops, altitude breaks — every mile imagined. Chandigarh itself felt refreshing after Delhi’s chaos — wide roads, clean sectors, no traffic snarls. I checked into...

The Hyderabad Break -  When the road paused, but the journey didn’t. (1st–5th September) Back in  Hyderabad , life shifted from highways to office work — from rugged roads to the rhythm of home. Missing  Manali, Jispa, and Lahaul  still leaves a small ache. Those roads — the dream route to Leh — I may never attempt again. But looking back, returning to Hyderabad was the best decision I could have made. Instead of wandering aimlessly around  Chandigarh  or  Shimla  (which too were struggling with floods), or flying to  Leh straight from there without enthusiasm, I chose to come home — to spend time with family and join our community in the  Ganesh Navratri  celebrations. That spiritual pause brought peace, grounding, and a sense of renewed energy. It restored the  momentum  that the blocked roads had drained away. “Sometimes, what feels like a retreat is actually a realignment.” The Leh Family Package - (6th–10th September)...

  The journey paused, but never ended Not exactly solo, but not to be skipped. These few days were about family, friends, and experiencing Leh in a completely different way. From  1st to 5th September , I was back in  Hyderabad  — slipping into regular office work and enjoying  Ganesh Navratri  celebrations. The detour felt refreshing, a reminder that the trip hadn’t ended, only changed its form. On  6th September , I boarded a flight to  Leh  along with my wife  Vani  and two close friends. The dream was alive again — only this time, not through the highways, but through the skies. Leh was everything and more — monasteries, breathtaking valleys, and the magic of being at nearly  18,000 feet . The thin air was a constant reminder that health must be respected here. Even a 10-foot walk could leave me breathless, and I had to pause often. At one stage, I even thought of getting a proper health check once back in Chandigarh. Still...

 Back to Chandigarh 🚗— The Journey Rekindled (10th–11th Sept) -  When unfinished dreams asked for one last turn   Before I narrate my return to Chandigarh, I must say this: the time spent in  Leh  was nothing short of extraordinary — truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The only caution: one must always be mindful of the altitude. At nearly  18,000 feet above sea level , health needs close attention. Even a short walk of ten feet could leave me breathless. I had to pause often, taking rests in between — though thankfully, there wasn’t too much walking involved. Still, the feeling was unsettling. At one point, I even thought of staying an extra day in  Chandigarh  on return just to get a proper health check. But once I landed at  Delhi , the difference was instant. And by the time I reached  Chandigarh , it felt like I had never faced any breathlessness at all. The body had bounced back to normal — resilient as ever And there it was — ...

  Sometimes the road tests your patience, sometimes it gifts you comfort. I started late from  Pathankot , around 10 a.m., after a relaxed breakfast. The plan was simple — a short, three-hour drive to  Jammu . But as always, the road had its own script. The rains had left their marks everywhere. Potholes, half-finished diversions, and long stretches of construction turned what looked easy on the map into a slow crawl. Dust clouds followed trucks, and every few kilometres the road narrowed to a single lane. Jammu Tavi River Lemontree Hotel, Jammu By mid-afternoon, I finally rolled into  Jammu  and checked into a fairly premium hotel. That’s my small rule for solo travel — after rough drives, I don’t mind a night of good food, a clean bed, and a bit of comfort. It balances the fatigue of dhaba lunches and rain-beaten miles. And Jammu gave me exactly that. No drama, no breakdowns, no rush — just a quiet evening, soft lights, and a hearty meal. I slept early, rechar...