London to Mumbai by Road 2016 – Revisited
Day 82 – 17 November 2016
The Southern Tip of India and a New Team Member
After a relaxing night in Kovalam, we enjoyed breakfast before setting off for Trivandrum International Airport.
Today’s journey was short but important.
My brother Anil was flying in from London to join Team Kontiki for the final stages of our epic adventure.
The airport was only about 20 kilometres away, and within half an hour we had arrived.
Fortunately, there was no waiting around.
Anil had already cleared immigration and baggage collection and was standing outside waiting for us with a smile on his face.
It was wonderful to see him.
Like the rest of us, Anil is an experienced traveller who has spent many years touring Europe in motorhomes and has even completed an overland journey from London to Africa. He understood exactly what life on the road was about and was eager to become part of the adventure.
With Anil’s arrival, Team Kontiki now numbered four members.
The closer we got to Mumbai, the larger the team seemed to become!
After a warm welcome and a quick catch-up, we set off towards our next destination—Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of mainland India.
The drive itself was enjoyable, passing through the lush green landscapes of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Along the way, we stopped to sample some local treats sold by roadside vendors.
Fresh palmyra fruit and chilled coconut water proved to be wonderfully refreshing in the warm tropical weather.
Simple pleasures like these often become some of the most memorable parts of a road trip.
By around 1:00 pm, we arrived at Kanyakumari.
This unique location holds a special place in Indian geography because it is where three great bodies of water meet—the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, and the Bay of Bengal.
For centuries, travellers, pilgrims, and explorers have been drawn to this dramatic meeting point of seas.
After parking Kontiki, we hired an auto-rickshaw to take us closer to the waterfront before boarding a boat to visit the famous Vivekananda Rock Memorial, situated on a small rocky island offshore.
The memorial marks the spot where Swami Vivekananda is said to have meditated in 1892 before embarking on his mission to spread Indian philosophy and spirituality to the wider world.
The boat ride itself was enjoyable, with beautiful views back towards the mainland and the coastline.
Standing on the island, surrounded by water on all sides, was a special experience.
It is also one of the very few places in the world where visitors can witness both sunrise and sunset over the sea from the same location.
The views were magnificent, and the atmosphere carried a sense of history and spirituality.
For Team Kontiki, however, there was another reason why Kanyakumari held significance.
When we had left Leicester nearly three months earlier, friends and well-wishers had presented us with coconuts as a symbol of good fortune and safe travels.
According to tradition, these coconuts should eventually be offered to a river or the sea.
Today seemed like the perfect opportunity.
Standing at the meeting point of three oceans, Ramesh performed the honours, respectfully consigning the coconuts to the sea and completing a tradition that had begun thousands of miles away in England.
It felt like a symbolic moment.
The journey that had started in Leicester was now entering its final phase.
By around 4:00 pm, it was time to move on once again.
After taking photographs and enjoying the spectacular scenery, we returned to Kontiki and set our sights northwards.
Our next major destination would be Bengaluru (Bangalore), approximately 670 kilometres away.
It was too far to reach in one go, so we knew another overnight stop would be needed somewhere along the route.
As we pulled away from Kanyakumari, the sun slowly began its descent over the ocean behind us.
We had reached the very tip of India.
Now there was only one direction left to travel.
Northwards, towards Mumbai.
Distance travelled: Approximately 120 km plus onward travel towards Bengaluru
Route: Kovalam – Trivandrum Airport – Kanyakumari – Bengaluru route
Weather: Warm, sunny, and tropical
Highlights: Welcoming Anil to Team Kontiki and visiting India’s southernmost point
Most memorable moment: Standing at Kanyakumari where three oceans meet and completing the coconut offering from Leicester
Places visited: Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Kanyakumari waterfront
Food & drink: Fresh palmyra fruit and coconut water from roadside vendors
New Team Member: Anil Karadia joins the expedition from London
Mood of the day: Celebratory, reflective, and excited for the final stretch of the journey
“Nearly three months after leaving Leicester, we stood at the southernmost tip of India, watching three oceans meet. The destination was getting closer, but the adventure was far from over.”
Join us tomorrow as Team Kontiki heads north towards Bengaluru, with four travellers now sharing the final chapter of our remarkable London-to-Mumbai road adventure.
