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NewsAutoRoad TripsExploring Seven Wonders of India in Maruti Suzuki Ertiga- DAY 6,7 & 8

Exploring Seven Wonders of India in Maruti Suzuki Ertiga- DAY 6,7 & 8

Join Simran Rastogi and Dhruv Paliwal, as they embark on a breath-taking drive in a special Maruti Suzuki Ertiga to explore the Seven Wonders of India.

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Maruti Suzuki Ertiga
The Seven Wonder Drive is all about connecting the different wonders of India and presenting it to you in a never seen-before way.
Dhruv Paliwal
Dhruv Paliwal
UPDATED: Aug 29, 2016 11:35 IST

Day 6

On Day 6, our editor Yogendra Pratap, decided to join us on the drive which allowed me to experience another side of the Ertiga, which otherwise would not have come to my attention. Arrival of boss signaled the end of Simran and my time behind the wheel, and our destination for the day being Kurnool, we set off to cover the 650kms between Vizag and our destination. (ALSO READ: Exploring Seven Wonders of India in Maruti Suzuki Ertiga- DAY 1)

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We were five people in the car and initially all of us squeezed into the first two rows of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga with the third row folded down and accommodating all our luggage. I was the unlucky one and got the middle seat in the second row, and within an hour of travelling in this fashion my back started to ache.

This was due to the hard cushioning of the folded-up arm rest, compared to the other two seats of the second row which I had been used to till now. We decided it was time to test the flexi-seating of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, and so we folded up one of the seats in the third row. A little tinkering of the luggage and the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga easily accommodated the bags that had been spread across the folded-down third row, and even made space for a passenger at the back.(ALSO READ: Exploring Seven Wonders of India in Maruti Suzuki Ertiga- DAY 2)

I reluctantly got into the last row dreading the minuscule leg space that is generally offered in the third row of cars, but five minutes into the drive with the new seating plan, I was pleasantly surprised. I had enough space for my legs and didn't feel really feel as if I was in the third row of a car. Even with luggage all around me the third row didn't feel cramped. A separate bottle holder was an icing on the cake and I did not have to bother Simran in the second row, every time I felt thirsty. I even managed to catch up on some work and editing documents on my laptop didn't feel like a bother in the close quarters. Ride quality in the third row is good, especially if you are travelling on smooth roads, although the driver has to watch out for bumps which can be a little jarring. Overall the drive to Kurnool didn't feel any different than what I was used to in the second row.

Day 7

The next day Simran too wanted to try out the third row and immediately made himself at home, calling it the best place to sleep in the car because he was able to rest his head on the luggage. Day 7's drive was relaxed compared to the distances we had been covering till now on the drive as we only had to drive 250 kms to Hampi, the fourth wonder on our list. Leaving the hotel at 7 in the morning we reached Hampi by noon and spent the day immersed in our photography engagements, and trying out the different cuisines the city had to offer. We called it an early night as we had to reach Aurangabad the next day, via Pune, which is a drive of more than 800 kms. (ALSO READ: Exploring Seven Wonders of India in Maruti Suzuki Ertiga- DAY 3)

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The next day Simran too wanted to try out the third row and immediately made himself at home, calling it the best place to sleep in the car because he was able to rest his head on the luggage. Day 7's drive was relaxed compared to the distances we had been covering till now on the drive as we only had to drive 250 kms to Hampi, the fourth wonder on our list.

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Leaving the hotel at 7 in the morning we reached Hampi by noon and spent the day immersed in our photography engagements, and trying out the different cuisines the city had to offer. We called it an early night as we had to reach Aurangabad the next day, via Pune, which is a drive of more than 800 kms.

Day 8

Day 8 began early compared to our usual time and the entire crew was in the car and ready to leave sharp at 5.30 AM. We headed towards Pune via Sholapur where our editor Yogendra Pratap was to part ways with us and carry on with business. The early start allowed us to cover quite a bit of distance in the morning hours, when the highways are generally empty. The roads till Sholapur were a mix of four lanes and dual carriage ways. After that, it was four lanes all the way to Aurangabad, our stop for the night and dropping off boss at Pune we made our way to Ellora, 20 kms ahead of Aurangabad and our stop for the night.(ALSO READ: Exploring Seven Wonders of India in Maruti Suzuki Ertiga- DAY 4 & 5)

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The past three days, I spent a lot of time in the third row of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and didn't face any of the general problems faced in the third row of cars. Space was sufficient, I had a place to store my beverage and the A/C from the second row chilled up the space so much that I had to repeatedly ask Simran to turn it off. On rough patches, a little attention needs to be paid by the driver and speed should be under check so that you don't bounce around in the third row. Other than that, I can say I have no complaints.

Keep reading forDay 9. (ALSO READ: Exploring Seven Wonders of India in Maruti Suzuki Ertiga- DAY 1)

(ALSO READ: Exploring Seven Wonders of India in Maruti Suzuki Ertiga- DAY 2)

(ALSO READ: Exploring Seven Wonders of India in Maruti Suzuki Ertiga- DAY 3)

(ALSO READ: Exploring Seven Wonders of India in Maruti Suzuki Ertiga- DAY 4 & 5)

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