Category Archives: Travelogue

7+ security features of Ford Figo

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After I published my ‘30+ observations in 30 days’ about Ford Figo two days ago, I noticed a few search terms related to the security features of Ford Figo, and enthusiasts landing up on my observations page. As that post does not cover the security/ safety features in detail, to save them some disappointment, here is an attempt to cover what I know about the subject.

This is a list of safety/ security features in Ford Figo, not in any particular order, from various sources (my observations, user guide, discussions with Ford staff, arguments with service staff etc.)

Note: Currently, Figo is available in 4 variants – LXi (low-end), EXi, ZXi and TITANIUM (high-end). All 4 variants available in Petrol and Diesel versions.

  1. ABS with EBD: ABS is Anti-lock Braking System and EBD is Electronic Brakeforce Distribution. Available only in TITANIUM. If you’re interested in  technical explanations, hit Wiki (Explains ‘How ABS works’ and ‘How EBD works’).
  2. Smart Programmable Keyless Entry: With this feature, you can program to open just the driver’s door, or all doors when you press ‘unlock’ button on the key.
    To do this, press and hold lock and unlock buttons simultaneously for 4 seconds.
    Available in the top three variants (only LXi does not have this feature).
    Don’t consider the term ‘keyless entry’ in it’s true sense, as I initially fell for. Because, you still need to use the remote on the key as usual to open the door(s). It was my assumption that the door(s) are unlocked automatically when you get closer to the car. Apparently, not.
  3. Intelligent Central Locking: The doors get automatically locked when the vehicle reaches 7 kmph speed.
    Make sure you read the confusion  about the door locks after this complete list.
    Available in the top three variants (only LXi does not have this feature).
  4. PATS (Passive Anti-Theft system): Some manufacturers call it iCATS and Ford calls it PATS. The purpose is to immobilize the vehicle when an intruder tries to steal your car with an unauthorized key (any key other than the two you receive from Ford when you buy the car is treated as unauthorized).
    The key that comes with the car has a small chip inside it that talks to the car when you start the ignition. When the intruder tries to replicate the metal part of the key, access to some extent can be gained (door lock, for example), but after that PATS enters the scene.
    Depending on how intelligent the intruder’s technology is, he/ she might be able to break in, start the ignition and even run/ move the car, however, only for a short distance of 10-15 meters. After this short distance, the fuel channels are blocked and the car stalls. It just refuses to run/ move.
    When this happens, you will not be able to run the car again as usual EVEN WITH YOUR AUTHORIZED KEY. Ford has to come into picture and fix this for you. This might include, depending on the situation, towing the vehicle to the service station, clearing those blocked fuel passages, or even changing the key.
    This PATS is activated as soon as you [stop the ignition] remove the key from it’s position in the steering column. You can notice a small red icon blinking in the dashboard that indicates the PATS functionality.
  5. Airbags: Only the TITANIUM variant is equipped with airbags. It’s only front airbags, for both the seats.
  6. Child Safety Locks: Standard on all variants. Available for the two rear doors.
    As expected, when the child lock is ON, you cannot open the door from inside. However, you can open it from outside as usual.
    One design aspect I noticed different about child lock operation in Figo is- you have to turn it ON or OFF using the key. Any metal object can work too, but the observation is that it’s not a lever like I’ve seen in other cars. It’s inside the door metal groove and you need to insert the metal object (best fit is the Figo key) and tun it ON or OFF.
  7. Auto hazard blinkers: When in high speeds, if the brakes are applied to slow down the vehicle drastically (a.k.a “sudden brakes” or “emergency brakes”) the hazard blinkers automatically go off to warn the other vehicles on the road.
  8. Seatbelts - Basic security. Expected. Still, worth a mention: 3 Point Seatbelts for Front & Rear Seats. You get only Lap Strap for Rear Centre Passenger. All this, I guess is standard design in all classes/ models/ manufacturers and is nothing different here. Available in all variants.

Now, about that faulty door locks:

Not even a single person at Ford so far knows how the door locks are supposed to work. Not sales people, not store managers, not service heads, not customer care, not housekeeping staff, not security guards and not even the Figo security designer, if there is one.

Every-damn-body starts their conversation with “7 security features” of Figo, and stop after “doors lock automatically when the vehicle reaches 7kmph speed”. Nobody knows whether the doors should or should not open when the vehicle is in motion, say, at 100 kmph.

If you start your discussion with “Why do the doors open as usual even when the vehicle is in motion?”, they say, “it’s per the design sir! You should be able to open your doors whenever you feel like. In fact, it is one of the security features in Figo!” What is it again? Am I the only one who doesn’t get it?

And, if you start your discussion with “I’m unable to open the doors when in motion, why?”, they say, “of course, sir! Why the hell would you want to open the door when the vehicle is moving?? That’s one of the major security features in Figo! We make sure that you and your kids are always safe!!”

If anybody ever wins an argument with Ford regarding this, please please let me know! :)

One more thing!

Most of the cars have sound notification for lock/ unlock operation. So, the same thing shouts out loud if someone breaks in with a duplicate or unauthorized key. It’s very easy to test too: lock the car with remote and try to unlock the door with key. More often than not (read AUTOCOP), the security alarm goes off.

Figo has no such alarm thing. So, am assuming, if someone manages to open the door lock, they can sleep in your car all night (or steal your stuff) and you wouldn’t know. PATS will come into action only when the car is moved. Again, I didn’t get a chance to test this, and therefore this point alone is just my assumption. IF you have any info, please add a comment to let me know.

You can also check out my 30+ observations in 30 days – Ford Figo.

30+ observations in 30 days – Ford Figo

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It’s been a month of Figoism now, and so far, so good. Figo means “cool” in Italian; and it indeed is!

I’m glad I made a good choice by selecting a vehicle that’s a good package for the price and class. Again, this is based on just one month usage and I hope it continues to perform well and please me the same way through thousands of kilometers and years ahead of us.

Here are the 30+ aspects I observed- through the selection, purchase and use of Figo for 30 days now.

Pleasant:

  1. Bluetooth: I bought a Zxi variant and it comes with an integrated entertainment system. To start with, it integrates well (doesn’t look odd/ out of place). It feels good to use and is nicely built (not cheap/ has no confusing controls). I’m glad it has the regular and expected USB, CD and Radio options. But, more than that, I’m loving the bluetooth connectivity. I paired up my iPhone once, as soon as I bought the car and it ‘just works’. It connects automatically when I get in, and allows me to use car audio system for my calls, as well as play music from my iPhone – all using bluetooth. Just loving it! (Flipkart has some bluetooth kits if you’re interested.)
  2. Boot opening options: How many times have I bent down to fiddle with the two levers near the driver’s seat base and opened up fuel cap instead of boot? More than a few times. With my new Figo, I like the fact that it’s electric boot opener, as a button on the dashboard. Also, the key has a button (along with car lock/ unlock buttons) to release the boot lock remotely; very handy when I load the luggage first and then get in to drive.
  3. DTE: It’s Distance to Empty => Figo’s way of telling us how many more kilometers I can travel with the fuel available in the tank. It won’t be accurate to the kilometer but a nice estimate to start with. When on road, especially long drives and road trips, we do our own calculations to plan refuels. It’s good that now I can take my Figo’s opinion too and make better decisions!
  4. Remote in key: Previously, I owned a Santro. The key was just a key, and it had a separate remote control console. Like many others, my remote control device was my key chain. Now, the Figo has the remote control options (car lock/ unlock and boot opener) integrated into the key. This means, I can have a key ring of my choice; like the Jaguar I currently use!
  5. Backseat comfort: Front seats are of course comfortable in most of the cars. So, when in discussion, it’s always the back seat comfort. I like the position, seat and backrest angle, and the height very good. If my parents can travel in the back for an hour or two without complaints, that good enough for me. I tried it too for an hour the other day, sitting in the back seat, and I’m happy!
  6. Self timer for wipers: Apart from intermittent, low, hi and sooper-fast, I have an option to “program” the speed of the wipers. It’s on-the-fly time setting depending on the intensity of rain. I love features like this one- convenience and sophistication together! :)
  7. Programmable unlock: I can program the unlock option on the key to unlock ‘only driver’s door’ and not all. I like it. Not a very necessary feature but when am alone in chaos and too much public, or a market, it takes 4 secs to program the key to either unlock all doors, or just one for me. Good one!
  8. Door locks independent of ignition key position: All the cars I drove so far [in general] lock the doors immediately after I change the key position to ON, the position from where we crank the engine and start the ignition. So, after I get in and get ready, I always end up using the lock release lever on the driver’s door to let others get in. Figo doesn’t do that.
    It waits until the vehicle catches 7 kmph speed to lock all the doors. Like.
    The locks are not actually locks (see point 2 below). Dislike.
  9. Auto hazard blinkers: (Yet to test. Am waiting to cross 5000 kms so the restriction on high speeds is off.) According to the features list, when in high speeds, if the brakes are applied to slow down the vehicle drastically (a.k.a “sudden brakes”) the hazard blinkers automatically go off to warn the other vehicles on the road.
  10. Speed volume: Small but interesting option. When the speed of the car increases, there’s a buzz that increases too. It’s a mix of air resistance, engine noise, tyre sound etc. Among all these, if the audio was set for comfortable music listening experience, that won’t be enough. So, the volume of the entertainment system is increased a little to still maintain audible levels of music. :)
  11. Lane change indicators: Along with the regular turn indicators, there’s this feature I like in Figo. You tap the same lever gently and the indicators flash for three times. Perfect for cruises on highways!
  12. AC: That was the first thing we noticed within a few minutes of taking the car off the dealer. It cools the cabin pretty quickly and blows air kinda powerful too. We felt that it’s a little ‘too much’ for a small car but we can always tone down when not needed by adjusting the temperature or closing the vents. But again, given the heat we experienced in Hyderabad this summer, the AC performance like this feels a necessity. Let’s wait and see how it compares in the next summer. :)
  13. No vibrations: This is with reference to the steering wheel and the gear shift knob. I’m not sure if this is going to change as it covers miles but so far, I’m very glad about this.
  14. Boot space: One of the best in class! And it has a boot lamp too! :)

Unpleasant:

  1. Surcharge on Credit Card: I hate businesses who charge 2% extra on any transaction when we pay with credit card; and Ford is no exception. I bought my car at Fortune Ford, Towlichowki, but the surcharge is applicable with Mody Ford too, and either showrooms all over the city. They say it’s a standard all over India, with any automobile dealer; but that doesn’t change the fact that I hate these businesses. If a Kirana Store is asking for 2% extra because your bill is less than a few hundred rupees – I can understand that. Ford, for a couple of lakhs – unforgivable.
  2. Faulty door locks!!!: Not even a single person at Ford so far knows how the door locks are supposed to work. Not sales people, not store managers, not service heads, not customer care, not housekeeping staff, not security guards and not even the Figo security designer, if there is one.
    Every-damn-body starts their conversation with “7 security features” of Figo, and stop after “doors lock automatically when the vehicle reaches 7kmph speed”. Nobody knows whether the doors should or should not open when the vehicle is in motion, say, at 100kmph.
    If you start your discussion with “Why do the doors open as usual even when the vehicle is in motion?”, they say, “it’s per the design sir! You should be able to open your doors whenever you feel like. In fact, it is one of the security features in Figo!” What is it again? Am I the only one who doesn’t get it?
    And, if you start your discussion with “I’m unable to open the doors when in motion, why?”, they say, “of course, sir! Why the hell would you want to open the door when the vehicle is moving?? That’s one of the major security features in Figo! We make sure that you and your kids are always safe!!”
    Now, don’t ask me what the other 6 security features are! :)
  3. Headlamps & Horn: The vehicle is new, the reflectors are still shining and the headlamp glass is clear. So, for now, the bulbs that come with Figo are good. After a while when all the three conditions above are not exactly true, am sure I’ll have to change the bulb configuration. Actually, for better light on highways, I can change them now too! But the catch is- it will void the warranty! That’s the reason this point is covered under ‘unpleasant’ (for warranty, not light performance). Same with Horn. They sold me a car, with a horn of an Activa! :-/
  4. ‘Sound signal/ alarm’ for lock/ unlock: I like the central locking feature. I like the remote integration with key. I appreciate a separate option on the remote [key] for boot release too. But dammit, there is no sound notification for lock/ unlock operations! The blinkers do give a ‘visual signal’ but I really appreciate ‘sound signal’, however subtle it might be. So far, am standing right beside the car to confirm if the lock operation is successful. Which means, am not making good use of remote, am I? Again, the problem is: Ford doesn’t have that alarm sound equipment and if I get it done from other than Ford, 3 year warranty will be void! :(
  5. Warranty matters: If you do the following, you’ll void the warranty: anything.
    Seriously! I can’t add fog lamps (from other than Ford), can’t change horn (my Figo has a horn of an Activa. Figo has no other options and I’m not allowed to get it done outside), can’t add a ‘sound notification’ for lock/ unlock operations (Figo has nothing to offer in this area and I’m not allowed to get it done outside), can’t change bulbs to that of higher power, can’t add amplifier for better sound (this, I don’t need and don’t prefer but just saying!). One of my friends’ raised an important question: “I see you are using a USB micro charger to charge your iPhone. Have you checked with Ford if that voids the warranty?” :)
  6. Information on Ford site: It’s surprising that Ford can invest time/ money/ effort to make changes to the car but not update the features page on the website. They still showcase the features list of first generation Figo on the website. For example, they mention Ford Figo Diesel ZXi (the variant I purchased) to have no tilt-steering, and as having driver’s seat height adjustment. Mine has no seat height adjustment but I’ve got the tilt adjustable steering. Good that my preference matches with the product and not as listed on the site but isn’t that misleading?? It’s now updated.

No big deal:

  1. Inverse controls: Turn indicators and headlight flasher are on the left, and wipers/ washers on the right of the steering column. Bonnet opening lever is on the left- near the navigator’s left leg. Ford- you were kind enough to sell right-hand drive cars in India. Could you please follow the market standards and set these controls right?
  2. Dipper: Actually, there is no dipper for Figo. There is something called as headlight flasher. Dipper means, you ‘dip’ the lights [on highways, especially] to short beam for a moment, from long beam. One objective is to enable the driver of the opposite vehicle for a better view, vision of the road ahead and of your vehicle too (right?). Figo’s headlamp flasher keeps the long beam intact and turns on the short beam too! !@#$%
    This might still be helpful for other objectives of a dipper, as asking side and indicating an overtake, but not the first objective mentioned above.
    You can still dip the lights in true sense, but it’s by changing from long beam to short beam, and back again, manually.
  3. Headlamps/ parking lamps control: Doesn’t come with the other steering controls. It has a separate ‘knob’ on the dashboard, that looks like a ceiling fan regulator. It’s neither excellent, not the worst, but just saying that it’s different!
  4. Price hike: The variants in Figo are LXi, EXi, ZXi and TITANIUM; LXi being the low-end and TITANIUM being the thopest! I paid 6.5 lakhs for Figo Diesel ZXi in June 2012. About an year ago, Figo Diesel TITANIUM costed just 6.4 lakhs. It’s more of a market thing than Ford thing, but this did come up a few times in conversations over this month. :)
  5. Floor mat locks: Actually, this is a very pleasant feature. You know, something like you’ve been wondering why nobody has thought of something so far. It’s a practical problem that floor mat at the driver’s seat gradually moves forward when driving, getting in/ out and gets under the ABCs. Accelerator, Break and Clutch, that is. So, once in a while, I drag it back and get in. I was happy to know that Figo has a floor mat lock; small lever at the seat base that will ‘hold’ the mats and won’t let it slip/ move. Bad that this lock is not available in the variant I bought. :(
  6. Red gauges: The instrument cluster is all with red indicators. The readings, meters, everything. The integrated entertainment system is with red backlight too. I would prefer a white backlight or a blue one. That’s just a choice may be, but I prefer cool colors than danger colors. But again, given the fact that the first generation Figo was released with pink dashboard, I appreciate the reduction of red/ pink there. A little more to go in the objective of making it ‘cool’, but headed in the right direction.
  7. Regular lamps and not LEDs: 2012 and Figo still has regular lamps. I mean, actual small size bulbs for cabin light and boot lamp. (There might be some design/ technical considerations for headlamp and taillamp clusters, but at least for cabin and boot lamps, LEDs are ideal). LEDs are much better in terms of maintenance, light power, cost and load on the battery. Also, I would prefer an option to switch off boot lamp. Weird, may be, but that’s my preference.
  8. Dead pedal: I wish Figo had a dead pedal. It really helps to ‘park’ your left foot aside when not using clutch. Sometimes, in anticipation of needing the clutch soon, we tend to just keep the foot ready on clutch lever and cause a little discomfort. If there’s a dead pedal, we can escape that discomfort, and also use clutch for better driving!
  9. Rear window open position: If you completely roll down the glass to the extent you’re allowed to, you’ve successfully opened 50% of it. I understand that the design [of the door shape] has got to do with the extent of glass rolling down. Interestingly, Ford calls it a security feature. (You have the child locks for the back doors, so as there are no power windows to lock, what if a kid rolls down the window and jumps/ falls off? So, they open only about half.  :P Yes, Ford told me that.)
  10. No remote for audio system: For some it’s necessity, and I personally don’t care. I’ll be in the driver’s seat [more often than not] so it’s acceptable for me. However, just to mention, like other popular car entertainment systems, this integrated piece has no remote.
Bonus points (the + after 30):
  1. Sedan feeling: Though my first car was Santro, I drove a lot of Accent Viva in the last year or so. With that I kinda got used to the sedan seating and comfort. And Figo offers exactly that. Front seating is a little low as I like it and rear seat is a little like a sofa [as in hatchback] for parents. So, it’s a perfect blend of what I want. Add good engine power, steering and suspension to the seating comfort and it’s nothing less than a sedan! :)
  2. Power windows lock: Absent.
  3. Trip meters: Just one. Why not 2?? I prefer one for fuel/ mileage tracking, and the other for actual trips.
  4. Reverse maneuver alarm: Absent. Ford has nothing to offer in this area; and if you discuss it with any dealer in the market for off-the-shelf ‘music bits’, you warranty will be void.
  5. Extended Warranty document: Have you ever seen a fake document? This one I received from Ford is the master of all cheap, fake documents – or that’s what it looks like. Ford offers 2 yrs warranty by default. I paid for an year extended warranty. As this third year coverage (120,000 kms) is not opted by everyone, they send you some paperwork to confirm the same. No, I can’t show you that document now- am too ashamed of it! And, shhh… it doesn’t even have a Ford logo on it! I just hope my warranty is extended for real.
  6. Water in Diesel indicator: Am still surprised how water gets into Diesel. And, according to Ford, this indicator is available for Diesel variants only; meaning, no chance of water mixup with petrol? Anyway, this indicator lights up when there is water in fuel and you immediately rush to Ford to get the filters cleaned up.

P.S.: This is not a full length Figo review. So, there are a few good aspects that are not discussed above, like:

  • engine response
  • steering performance
  • suspension
  • tilt-steering
  • brilliant ride comfort
  • windows size that makes the interiors look spacious
  • etc.

Of course, a not-so-good aspect too like:

  • ground clearance (I knew this before I bought my Figo, so it’s no surprise to me. I adapted my driving accordingly.)

These are as expected from the car and therefore need no special mention. If you’re looking for a complete review, it’s available on Team BHP.

A drive through the Eastern Ghats

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About 2000 kms over a weekend- now, that’s a long drive!

The first weekend of April was well spent in the Eastern Ghats. It was a lovely drive through the forest patches and the never ending Ghat roads. There were of course a few river streams, waterfalls and beaches in the mix. This is also my first visit to Araku valley and Vizag. :)

The schedule seemed a little too tight; and the itinerary looked a little too uncertain when we began, but it was a fun trip overall.

Sequence of the places we visited:

5th April, 2012

  • Hyderabad – we started here on Thursday, 3.30 pm.
  • Eluru – night halt.
6th April, 2012
  • Rajamundry – had breakfast, checked out the Kovvuru Rajamundry Bridge and set off to the Alluri Sitaramaraju forest.
  • Rompa Rampa Waterfall – We have very less water flow because of the summer heat I guess, but a place we checked out anyway.
  • Maredumilli – Had a very early lunch around 11am as we might not get anything to eat further in the jungle. This is where we tasted the Bamboo chicken.
  • Mothugudem – The Shabari river that acts as a border for Andhra Pradesh.
  • CLAP Waterfall, Polleru – I wonder why they call it CLAP. Water flow was better than Rompa here. We even got into water and had a chilly shower.
  • Chintapally – This is one of the bigger towns in the Agency. We stopped here for evening snacks and inquired about the coolest place nearby.
  • Lambasingi – Apparently, the coolest place in AP where the temperature falls to as low as 2 or 3 deg. C. Google this name and you can also see a TV9 report telecast a month or so ago, available on Youtube.
  • Paderu – Dinner and night halt.
7th April, 2012
  • Araku Valley – After breakfast, straight into the valley. Wow, what a drive! We just drove through the valley – didn’t stop much to cover any traditional tourist places, except for a few photography opportunities.
  • Anantagiri – Another hill station view point and drive through.
  • Borra caves – We got inside the cave, spent an hour exploring, clicked a few photographs.
  • Raju gari Dhaba, Vizag – We inquired about this place and had lunch at this ‘Sea Inn’, a place known for it’s awesome Non-veg menu. It was good. By the way, Raju won an award in a competition between a few South Indian cities’ seafood competition; hence ‘Raju gari Dhaba’.
  • Bheemili beach – Our first beach in the trip.
  • Erra matti dibbalu – For some reason, the route was closed. So, while we technically witnessed a few red ant hills, aka ‘erra matti dibbalu’ at the entrance, we didn’t get to cover the actual scene.
  • RK Beach – The most happening place in Vizag.
  • Lakshmi Paradise hotel – night stay.
8th April, 2012
  • Sri Sairam parlour – Breakfast at the ‘world famous in Vizag’ food joint.
  • Yarada beach – Nice view from the top just before getting down to the beach. Also, felt like the most dangerous one of all the beaches (shallow).
  • Eluru – pit stop
9th April, 2012
  • Hyderabad – 2.30 am. Good night!
View the complete set of pictures here. 
And, below is the GPS trail of our route.
It occurred to me that I can track my movements on the map only couple of hours into the trip; so this route trail doesn’t start from the beginning. The first couple of “places” were added manually. I actually downloaded this app while resting in back seat, figured out how to use it and here is the result. Am hoping the next trip will be documented a lot better!

Click on it to interact and zoom the map to get more details.

Hampta Pass Trek – Reality Check

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Crossing a water stream

More than a month after the trek, it occurred to me that I didn’t blog about the experience. Bharani is working on the travelogue; so let me list a quick, top 10 noteworthy points (in random order) from the trek – The Reality Check.

  1. Ease of the trek: Many sources we checked with indicated that this is a very easy trek. This list includes a few websites [of the companies] that organize treks, few people who have been on treks before, etc. Either we were too excited to listen to, or may be we were never told so, but the truth is: it’s not an easy trek. Well, easiest of all the treks in The Himalayas, but not an easy one in general.

    There were more than few instances when we were thankful that the initially planned 12+ group didn’t make it. For the three of us who could make it, our ego was our strength (Shiva- Well said!). If you have to do it, what other options do you have, other than doing it?? Unless you have that passion for adventure, there are fair chances that you will get pissed off and be mad at everything and everyone around!

    If somebody is keeping score: You need prior experience to enjoy this trek. It’s not a cake walk. It’s rock walk!

  2. Trek essentials (What to carry?): I was a fool and I took more stuff than necessary; I thought that’s one way to boost my self-confidence and feel that nothing can go wrong. However, the principle here is – the lighter the better. We were told that the backpack should be around 7 kgs (or less). Mine was more than 10 kgs and it was on my shoulders for 5 days through plains, rocks, boulders, steep ascents, slippery descents, water streams etc. :(

    Clothes- 2 full sleeve T-shirts, 2 tracks (at least 1 synthetic), 1 winter jacket (cold) and 1 wind-cheater (rain), and few pairs of inner-wear  is enough. Not mandatory, but if this will be your first time in low temperatures, grab a pair of thermal inners, like I did.
    Accessories – Trekking shoes (Woodland worked awesome for me), 2 pairs of socks, sun glasses with 100% UV protection, a sun cap, a woollen cap (or a skull cap/ bandana), 2 bottles for water and an LED torch (preferably with a head band to keep your hands free).
    Toiletries – Tooth paste, tooth brush, sun screen, wet wipes/ tissue papers, toilet paper, ear buds, mouth wash, etc. Get as small packets as possible to reduce weight. If they can last for 1 week, you have more than enough.
    Medical kit – Your regular medicines should be fine (Crocin, brufen, gauge/ bandage cloth, band-aids, Dettol/ Savlon, cotton, etc). I just needed 2-3 combiflam tablets all throughout. Teams that organize the trips typically carry the AMS specific medication.
    Finally, a supportive rucksack/ backpack (60 ltrs.) to hold all this stuff, and a poncho (rain cover) for it.

  3. Temperature: This was my first time below 9 °C (or whatever was minimum in Hyderabad in the last 10 or so years). I guess the least we had on the trek was at night, at the campsite after Day 4 trek. It was 4°C. Just to be safe and more comfortable, I wore the thermal inners just that night, but my buddies were all normal. So, depending on how much cold temperatures you’ve survived before, this could be a big deal, or nothing to you.

    Days were usually hot. So, just a T-shirt and tracks will work fine. However, sun glasses and cap are mandatory. Sun screen also is recommended (we used it too).

  4. Sleeping bag: This was my first time experience with many things. Camping was the major one, and sleeping bag was the next biggest. After Day 1, I was very uncomfortable that night in the bag and was tossing and turning (at least, trying to toss and turn) until morning. Damn, you can’t even fold your legs properly! Anyways, the adrenaline kept us going the next day even with less sleep. Also, the trekking company we hired, Trek The Himalayas provided us the tents and sleeping bags.

    By day 4,  I mastered the art of sleeping in the bag and was a pro! Full sound sleep. :)

  5. Nature calls:This was one of the most uncomfortable aspects on our mind. Been out in the open hundreds of times and it’s inevitable when you travel a lot, or take long road trips. But we always carry water and that’s good. However, we were told we need to use toilet paper on the trek and water would not be available. I’ve used toilet paper a few times in the past and I was not happy about it. :(

    The truth is- our trek was along the water stream all through. Now it makes sense, and it didn’t occur before the trek to us, but we do need water to drink, to cook and to wash the dishes/ plates etc. Carrying that much water is practically insane. So, all our camping sites will of course be near a stream. I can’t express how comfortable it made me feel when we realized we had water! :D

    Our trekking company pitched ‘toilet tents’ at every camp site. So, in plain terms, a small tent for privacy, inside which, a deep hole is dug. Every time anyone uses the ‘toilet’, you ‘flush’ it (or cover it up) with the loose mud available from digging the hole and it’s ready for the next one.

    We preferred out in the open. It might mean, sometime or the other, exposing your ass to a big patch of ice :D , but the comfort of having water and not having to use the toilet paper takes higher precedence. Of the two bottles I recommended, 1 is for drinking water and 2 is for this. We also always promptly filled the bottles after use and carried it in the back pack.

  6. Water: As we are appreciating  the availability of water, let’s talk a little more. True that water is available and it made us very happy; but the fact is, it’s terribly cold. The worst I felt all through the trek was when I had to wash the plates! Be it breakfast or dinner, food consumption was quick as it’s served hot. But the moment we touch water to wash the plates/ glasses, we lost our hands. We have to look at the utensils and clean them as feeling will be gone in 2 secs. Afternoons were little better. Sometimes, it was even packed lunch; so a quick bite, throw packing in garbage and quick hand dip in water was not bad.

    We did ask our trek leaders why we were asked to wash plates when we even had assistance. We did have a couple of them to take care of all the cooking, tent materials, horses and stuff. They told us calmly on the last day: “This is one of the things which you will remember for a long time about this trek.” Yeah, I will!

    Morning face wash was real quick too! Brushing wasn’t an issue but if you want to spill water on your face, you better be ready with a towel in the other hand. When we delayed the towel-wipe for more than 3-4 seconds, we needed more than couple of minutes to reclaim our face skin sense. Not very pleasant I say! Also, one of the questions we had before we started the trek was about taking shower. After we touched the water the first time, hell with shower, we didn’t even want to eat; because that again means washing hands/ plates/ glasses! :D

  7.  Alcohol and smoking: Strictly not advisable. We had a few in our group who had a good time every night, but that’s a very risky business at high altitudes! Am glad that none in our group had any AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) or similar complications on our trek, but we did hear from our leaders, very fatal stories of incidents that took place on their previous treks.

    According to their flashback, some were carried back to the previous day’s altitude, and one person died apparently of AMS. As you know, freakin’ AMS has no medical way of knowing beforehand if anyone can possibly suffer from the condition. And there is nothing that can be done after it happens, other than getting back to previous day’s altitude and waiting there for things to get normal. And, alcohol/ smoking reduces the oxygen processing capacity of the body and can lead to AMS. Very very risky business where emergency means, people carrying you on their shoulders for a day or two to get to the nearest clinic/ medical center!

  8. Keep walking: Saying no to alcohol and thinking of Johnny Walker doesn’t seem right? Well, that’s what is most of the trek; keep walkin’! Terrain was different for sure; plains, small rocks, boulders (toughest), water streams (coldest), loose mud at the descent time (scary!), etc. However, best way to get going is just to keep walking.

    We kinda learnt a few tips along the way. Drinking water is of course the first. Keep sipping water every now and then. Target was to have 3-5 liters of water everyday. It was cold and I barely touched water during the night, so was taking bigger sips during the day to keep up with the requirement.

    Maintaining steady pace was another trick. Find a buddy or two with your pace and just keep walking. Trek leaders would take care of the rest of the herd, and it was mostly us ahead; Bharani, Shiva and I together. We found that slow pace, but steady pace was better than the fast run-and-take-rest pace. Syncing breathing with foot steps was pretty helpful too; left right left right with in out in out/ out in out in.

  9. Photography: As Chase Jarvis says, “The Best Camera is the One That’s With You“. For me, the primary camera for the trek was my iPhone 4. It worked great and am pretty happy with pictures. However, as there wasn’t any recharging provision (or phone signal, for that matter), the battery was dead at the end of Day 3. Then came out an SLR, my secondary camera.

    SLR might any day be a better camera than the one in-built in a phone, if you know how to put it to good use. However, with a decent piece like an iPhone, I won’t miss SLR much. Images are clean, sharp and colors are good. If I had an option to recharge the iPhone battery, I would have not carried an SLR. I learnt just a day before we started that there are solar chargers for iPhone. Not the 7 day warranty ones on eBay but real authentic branded ones on Amazon. Have to shop for one for future use. That could have saved SLR’s weight on my back!

    But again, there were moments when we had a beautiful sight in front of us and a quick photograph is not going to communicate the feel to others who were not present there. Those are the moments and places that should be experienced and not looked at as part of a slide show. Sometimes, we just had to put the camera off and savor the beauty and serenity of nature. We were trekkers more and photographers less sometimes!

  10. Acclimatization: All my life so far, I was told to cover my ears and keep the feet warm if it’s terribly cold weather. On this trek, for the purpose of getting accustomed to the higher altitudes, I learned otherwise about covering ears. Our trek leader insisted that we cover our head (with skull cap/ sun cap/ bandana) but keep the ears open, as that helps us in getting acclimatize. Nothing specific about feet (shoes/ just socks/ open sandals/ flip flops, all were accepted).

    Also, no afternoon naps. We stopped around 3pm or so on Day 2 because terrain was tough that day; a mix of steep ascents, boulders, crossing a water stream of freezing temperature, etc. We were obviously tired and the idea of getting into the tent and lying down was simply irresistible. However, that was against the acclimatization. So, he kept us occupied with snacks, tea, card games and stuff but did not allow to doze off even for a minute.

    I had a mild headache two days in a row because of altitude change. Trek leader said that’s perfectly normal and advised to walk it off, but I preferred a normal headache pill to be active and move around. A nap works fine for mild headache but as that was in the not-to-do list, I had to swallow some mild medication.

  • (Bonus) Clouds:There’s this strange feeling about clouds; sometimes we were right inside the cloud and some other times, even above the clouds! And, this not in an airplane but on normal ground at high altitudes. It feels so good and so different. We did touch, pass through and experience clouds more than few times.

    Ignorantly of course, we hoped the sky would be clear at night so that we can take a ‘long exposure’ shot of beautiful sky with stars. Where else, if not in The Himalayas, would we find such a pollution free climate? But then, on Day 2, when our wish was granted, our ignorance was gone. Without the clouds in the sky, the heat on the ground escaped so fast, that we were shivering inside the tent. Temperature was not very low but little breeze made it worse. Forget about the ‘long exposure’ composition, at 7.30 pm, we had a serious discussion in the tent about what to tell everyone as a reason to skip dinner! We thought, no stepping out whatsoever!

    Damn, we had to step out for dinner that night anyway, struggling hard to hold the plate steady with shivering hands. Chewing was easy though – our jaws were chattering anyway! :D And on top of that, we washed the plates too!

Your Guide to Goa – Panaji

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Panaji is the capital of Goa, which is also called as Panjim, very prominent place for it is the main city that connects several places. Here is a the main bus terminal, which is the state run transportation and is very affordable! There is an old church in the middle of the Panjim city with several commercial places, tour organizing offices, restaurants and shops found on either sides of the roads as we get into the interior.

For a first time visitor it will be rather confusing to navigate through the town, since most of the roads are one way. And believe me, almost all the roads are clean and tidy! Smoking in public places is prohibited in Goa and so is ghutka. So there is enough breathing spaces left!

A Visit to Dona Paula is recommended as it holds some prominence. There is a story about a woman named Dona [daughter of a Viceroy] who was in love with a local fisherman and wanted to marry him, and threw herself from over the cliff since her dad denied it. So you can feel the sweet pain of love when you visit this place. It has also been quite popular among many indian movies as the location is beautiful with the view into the sea that stretches as far as your eyes can see.  You can spot big steamers and ships in the sea and it’s a bustling place with many local vendors selling everything between eatables and clothes. The water sports are popular at this place. One can try the motor bike ride into the waters.

Always remember, when in group we can bargain on cost. The road to Dona Paula is easy: from the Panjim circle, take left to the main road which goes past the Miramar beach. It’s just about 10 min drive and we can spot many boats on the river Mandovi connecting to Miramar, which take people for a trip into the sea with music and dance performed aboard, where we can have drinks and enjoy the sights and sounds.

As we all know or might have heard that liquor is inexpensive, rather affordable. We can spot many wholesale shops in Panjim and anywhere in Goa. One evening, we were on our way to North Goa where there are two bridges that connect from Panjim to North Goa over the river Mandovi. We stopped at one of the Wines Stores and we guys just wanted to pick a Vodka, but after knowing the price of Smirnoff full bottle, which was for Rs. 350/-, we were astonished and each one started picking something; a Rum, a Scotch and something or the other of our choice. Mahesh and I, the wine lovers, picked a white wine bottle :)   We couldn’t wait any longer to open it and started sipping the wine while driving, and we finished the whole bottle on our drive towards Bagga beach, which is about 19 k.m., approx.. We were little cautious of police and at traffic signals but, as long as you are driving safe and normally, no one stops you.

The North and South of Goa are on the Same coastline of the Arabian sea, but are separated by Panjim, Mandovi river and Dabolim airport or the far end of Vasco DA Gama.

Your complete guide to Goa!

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Your Guide to Goa!

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There was a good response for the Goa Travelogue I published last month. Few added comments right here, few others shared their excitement in chat and a couple of them called on mobile for intricate details. And, there is of course Ravi Varma, co-author on this blog who shared his own experiences. Well, he now wants to take it one step forward and compile a guide for anyone who wants to visit Goa. Of course, veteran party animals may have their own stories to tell, however, at least this might help someone like me who needs some insight for the first visit. I already received few requests to provide information to plan a Goa trip. Well, this is for you!

So, the series of posts that follow with ‘Your Guide to Goa – xxxx’ as title are all written by Ravi Varma, and edited by me. He actually wrote one big post (8 pages approx. in Microsoft Word!) but you know, I am trying to keep it simple and publish in digests.You can bookmark this post. I am planning to update this one with all the subsequent post links as and when published. It could be useful to you or for any others planning for a vacation in Goa.

The intent of the series? Read the intro: When we talk about Goa, most of the people are in a wrong assumption, they only think of Booze and Beaches! Of course the booze is always there in loads, and the beaches aren’t a miss. However, there are several other places, which are quite popular and worth visiting! One has to spare some love for history and culture too. For when travelling, what I get from that journey is also important!

A tip: Instead of providing dry information like a boring travel book, Ravi includes his experiences as and when possible to give you his perception of the place/ event. This benefits the readers to place yourself there and live the moment. As said, this is only his perception. Everyone might have different ways to look at the same fun events and places in Goa. If you are one of them and like to add more details, you’re welcome!

Update:

Your Guide to Goa – Panaji

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