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Allahabad was our first night-stop on that great drive to orient which I wrote some time back. For a better period of our planing, we were finding ways on how to reach Gorakhpur by first night, we would flip over the maps one more time, calculate the distances again, try to get updates on East-West Corridor by NHAI (National Highway Authority of India) but it still was as far as 750 KMs and hence not a place where we could reach when we call quits on Day1. The constraints were same viz. assume that we are not clocking more then 60 KM an hour, no driving when it gets dark, plan for unplanned stoppages, remember we have a 3 year old baby, also remember that we are just 3 people, and do not forget to remind yourself that we are not driving towards Canada (read Delhi-Mumbai) and rather going towards Mexico (Delhi-Patna) and so on. So even though nothing changed in the realm of geography while we were amidst planning, our appetite for accepting a distance of 650 odd KM as a day-drivable thing grew gradually. Its a very peculiar thing where a next-big number, somehow, doesn’t appear as big. So when one fine day, we thought that why not go via Allahabad - Banaras towards Patna, our plan passed the test. Suddenly we had decided that we would be staying at Prayag on Night 1. I believe Prayag (aka Allahabad) had to happen so it happened.

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There was some work to be done at Dehardun, the capital city of Uttranchal and it could be done over a weekend. I had an opportunity to take a chopper ride in the morning so morning was gone in any case. Doon is not too far (5-6 hours from Delhi) away so we decided to make use of afternoon by driving and probably get some more time at Dehradun. We planned to be there before it gets too dark. We took NH1 and went till Karnal, took a right turn at ‘Liberty Chowk’ towards Yamunanagar and after crossing Saharanpur, Chhutmalpur, we were at Doon by 8ish. We had booked ourselves at ‘Hotel Ajanta’ and did nothing much that evening.

Dhanauti Rocky Mountain High
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My intention behind writing road-reviews have been to provide necessary information to fellow travelers (read drivers) who wish to undertake that journey. With that thought, probably Delhi-Patna doesn’t make the cut, since not many would be traveling (read driving) such a long stretch. Patna is not a hot tourist place and neither its close enough to let people choose the tar instead of routine rail or expensive air. So the only real reason I think would be then to use this is to get and feel high, since I did it, just the last week. I drove all the way to Darbhanga (200 Km further to Patna) from Delhi. May be 10 years down the line when I read this again, I would feel young (and stupid), so here it is.

Delhi - Patna can be divided into following stretches.
Distance - 1050 - 1100 KMs , Time - 32 hours with a 12 hour night stop at Allahabad or Banaras. 20-22 hours non-stop with 2 meal breaks and 2 tea breaks.

1. Delhi - Agra - Etawah
2. Etawah - Kanpur
3. Kanpur - Allahabad
4. Allahabad - Banaras
5. Banaras - Patna

View Larger Map
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Thats a long name for a hotel, especially the one which is worthy enough to write a review. And if I tell you that its not correct name then I fear that you wont care to read. But thats what the real world is. The correct name is ‘Holiday Regency’ but if you search for a hotel at Moradabad with that name then the only place where you would find this is on internet. No one in physical vicinity would relate with this name. ‘Om Sons’ is the name to go with if you want to find this hotel locally since they are the owners/promoters and ‘Best Western’ is the chain with which it is affiliated (and the reason for writing this review). Since I promised a quick review, lets move ahead and not worry too much about the name.

Chandelier in the lobby
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