London to Mumbai by Road 2016 – Revisited
Day 83 – 18 November 2016
Meeting Fellow Adventurers on the Road
One of the greatest joys of overland travel is the people you meet along the way.
Today turned out to be a day dedicated almost entirely to friendships, hospitality, and fellow travellers who shared the same passion for adventure.
After leaving Kanyakumari yesterday, our original plan had been to continue directly towards Bengaluru. However, as often happens on long road trips, plans changed.
We decided to make a slight diversion to Tiruppur, a major textile manufacturing city in Tamil Nadu, to visit a friend of Ramesh from Leicester.
As we entered the city in the morning, we experienced a little unexpected excitement.
A policeman on a motorcycle stopped us and immediately became curious about our large British motorhome. Questions followed about where we had come from, where we were going, and why we were travelling through the area.
Soon he called a senior officer, who arrived in a police vehicle and requested to see our passports and documents.
For the next hour or so, Team Kontiki became something of a roadside attraction once again.
Fortunately, the officers were polite and simply curious about our unusual journey.
Once satisfied, they wished us well and even guided us towards our destination.
Not every police stop ends quite so helpfully!
Our destination was the factory of Simon, a Leicester friend who owns a clothing manufacturing business in Tiruppur.
Simon was delighted to see us and warmly welcomed Team Kontiki.
We spent a couple of hours touring his factory, chatting about life in Leicester, business in India, and of course our journey from London to Mumbai.
After refreshments and plenty of conversation, it was time to move on.
Our next stop was Coimbatore, where we had arranged to meet another fascinating traveller.
Sangeetha Shreedhar was planning an ambitious overland drive from India to London together with two of her female friends.
Naturally, we were keen to meet her and share some of our experiences.
By late afternoon we arrived at Sangeetha’s home.
The welcome we received was extraordinary.
She had prepared a magnificent feast for us, and after weeks of life on the road, the home-cooked food was greatly appreciated.
As we sat around the table, conversation quickly turned to travel.
We discussed routes, border crossings, visas, road conditions, vehicle preparation, and the many challenges and rewards of long-distance overland travel.
Listening to Sangeetha’s plans reminded us very much of our own excitement before leaving London almost three months earlier.
We also attempted to arrange a meeting with Meenakshi Sai, another experienced traveller whose adventures we admired. Unfortunately, she was unable to join us due to other commitments.
Before we left, Sangeetha once again demonstrated the generosity that we had encountered so often throughout our journey.
Not only had she fed us, but she also packed additional food for us to take on the road.
That thoughtful gesture would prove very welcome later.
As evening approached, it was finally time to resume our journey towards Bengaluru.
There, another meeting awaited us.
We were due to meet yet another overland enthusiast—a traveller who, together with his wife and two children, had successfully driven from Bengaluru all the way to Paris in a Fiat car.
It seemed that every day we were meeting more people who shared the same spirit of adventure.
The distance to Bengaluru was still approximately 365 kilometres, making it unrealistic to complete the journey that evening.
We pressed on for several hours, driving through the warm South Indian night.
By around 10:00 pm, fatigue began to set in and we decided it was time to find accommodation.
The town of Dharmapuri provided the perfect solution.
We located a comfortable hotel, checked in, and unloaded our bags.
Fortunately, there was a restaurant within walking distance.
After a long day filled with conversations, factory visits, hospitality, and driving, we treated ourselves to a few drinks and a delicious evening meal before retiring for the night.
As we reflected on the day, one thing stood out above all else.
Our London-to-Mumbai journey was no longer just about the roads we travelled.
It was equally about the remarkable people we met along the way.
Distance travelled: Approximately 300 km plus diversions
Route: Kanyakumari – Tiruppur – Coimbatore – Dharmapuri
Weather: Warm and sunny throughout the day
Highlights: Meeting fellow travellers and friends in Tiruppur and Coimbatore
Most memorable moment: Sharing travel experiences with Sangeetha Shreedhar and discussing her planned drive from India to London
Interesting encounter: Being stopped and escorted by local police curious about our journey
Special thanks: Simon and Sangeetha for their generous hospitality
Accommodation: Hotel in Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu
Dinner: Drinks and a delicious meal at a nearby restaurant
Mood of the day: Inspired, welcomed, and reminded of the wonderful community of overland travellers
“The roads connect places, but it is the people we meet along the way who truly make the journey memorable.”
Join us tomorrow as Team Kontiki finally reaches Bengaluru, meets more fellow adventurers, and continues the final countdown towards Mumbai.
