Journey to Tirupathi - Part 5 - 31/10/06

As always i get the front seat in the car beside the driver. The car was an indica diesel and in good condition. On asking the driver told us that it belonged to him and that he was waiting for us at the airport since an hour.

He also said that his family deity is Lord Venkateswara of Tirupati. So we thought that he knew how to get there and relaxed. My parents and sister in the back seats just dozed of. I next to the driver had no option but to keep awake , lest our charioteer might dose off too.

Just out of bangalore it began to rain heavily. This made me more alert. I have always liked a drizzle while travelling but not heavy rain. The highway from Bangalore to Tirupati is absolutely marvellous and one can drive at a damn good speed if one so wishes. Our Driver on tha other hand had different ideas. Wonder whether he was inexperienced or just plain lazy but he never crossed 70Kmph at any time.
If the road were full of traffic I would not have been annoyed, but it was just plain empty and smooth as Hema Malini's cheeks ! !.

Anyways at 9:00 we stopped at Chittoor in A.P. for dinner. Had Andhra style meals at a Way side Restaraunt the name of which i have forgotten. Food was good and we were served on a banana leaves and banana's to eat in the end.

Tirupati was now 80 K.M an we expected to be there by 11 p.m. atleast. (originally we had thought of having dinner there at 10:15 p.m. ).
Our driver had other plans though.