-- From Puri to Chennai then Kuala Lumpur
The road tracklog
towards Vizag
the 21/10/2007
The road from Puri to Vizag is in good condition. I arrived at the A1 Plazza of Vizag II around 17:15 to note that it was not open contrary to information collected by the Reliance's service areas on the way. Despite everything I bivouacked there.
The road tracklog
to Guntur
the 22/10/2007
The road NH5 from Vizag to Guntur was superb in a landscape of rice plantations surrounded by coco plantations. However the crossing of villages remained problematic due to the behaviour of Indian people. Rajahmundry is a city dedicated to the horticulture whose suburbs are covered with fields of flowers and shrubs. Not having found A1 Plazza in Guntur I was satisfied with a carpark of a service area at the falling night.
The road tracklog
to Chennai
the 23/10/2007
The road NH5 was always in good condition. Alas it rained all the day. Along the road many panels recalled to the truck drivers the prevention of AIDS. Under a driving rain I found a bivouac on a small carpark of a weight bridge.
Prevention of AIDS
en route
the 23/10/2007
Prevention of AIDS
en route
the 23/10/2007
The 24/10 I entered Chennai as of 07:00 am to note that the carpark of the Collector building, used in January, was not accessible any more, the gate was padlocked. I found not far a paying parking in the street behind the Indian Bank. At 10:30 I met Prasanna KUMAR from Interfreight to organize the shipment of my truck in Malaysia. I gave him my passport, the carnet of passage en douane and I signed various documents intended for the customs. The cost was decided before. The remainder of the day as well as the following were free in heat, moistness and rain.
The 26/10 at 09:30 I left the carpark accompanied by two people of Interfreight. Three
operations, washing of my truck, controls customs and fixing of the truck on a
40’ flatrack, was carried out in a long day which was completed around 21:50
at a hotel.
Ones station of washing was found in external of Chennai after some mistakes.
At 11:30 I stationed in the enclosure of the customs on standby of the
inspectors who came about 12:30. Of course they asked to see the engine
number; I succeeded in making them admit that it took time to lift the cabin.
Controls lasted approximately fifteen minutes. After a lunch in a canteen, we
awaited the arrival of the flatrack then a lifting truck, workmen to build a
inclined flat to mount the truck, then the arrival of a cover, etc the night
had fallen with a pouring rain. Indian workmen were either bare-foot or in
tongs in mud and refuses. Moreover like always in India tools and technical
means are lacking.
Flatrack
Chennai
the 26/10/2007
Inclined flat
Chennai
the 26/10/2007
inclined flat
Chennai
the 26/10/2007
My truck on the Flatrack
Chennai
le 26/10/2007
The 27/10 morning I went again to Interfreight to pay the price of the transfer of my truck into Malaysia, to recover my passport, the carnet de passage en douane and to obtain the essential BOL, Bill of Lading to leave my truck from the customs. About 07:00 pm I definitively left India while travelling by train from the Egmore Station to the Airport under rain. Of course the station was not connected to the airport. I had always under the rain to cross a road with an irrational traffic without pedestrian crossing. Although modern and recent the airport was already passably degraded. I had bought an air ticket at Parry Travels on Jet Airways for 7493 INR that is to say approximately 133 euros.
I had to visit three hotels in my short list to find a room at the Capitol Hotel in waiting of the arrival of my truck envisaged on Saturdays 03/11 in the evening. I could recover it only on the 05/11.
The following week I visited Kuala Lumpur, embassies and others.
