London to Mumbai by Road 2016 – Revisited
Day 91 – 26 November 2016
A Hero’s Welcome and the Beginning of the Journey Home
Although Team Kontiki had officially completed its epic London to Mumbai By Road adventure yesterday, today was set to be a very special day indeed.
A reception had been organised in our honour at the Orient Club, Chowpatty, Mumbai, by a follower who had faithfully accompanied our journey from afar. Remarkably, we had never met him before.
His name was Kantibhai Haria, a businessman from Vapi, Gujarat, who had been following our adventure since Day 1. Along with his wife, he had organised a reception from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, followed by lunch, and had invited friends, family, and anyone interested in hearing about our journey.
We had also invited Kunal and Devanshi, our friends from Team USA, who had travelled alongside us through China and Myanmar and happened to be in Mumbai.
Before attending the reception, we had planned to enjoy breakfast with our Leicester friend Anita Patel, who now lived in Mumbai.
However, the day began with a little drama.
We woke up early and were ready to leave by 7:00 am. Then we discovered that the motorhome would not start.
The previous evening, in our excitement after arriving in Mumbai, we had forgotten to switch the fridge from 12-volt power to gas. Overnight, the fridge had drained the leisure battery completely.
Several attempts to jump-start Kontiki using nearby cars failed.
Time was ticking away, and panic was beginning to set in.
Reluctantly, we phoned Anita to cancel breakfast and explain our predicament. In typical Indian hospitality, she immediately offered to send her mechanic to help us.
Fortunately, before that became necessary, we found a truck driver who kindly allowed us to connect to his much larger batteries. Within moments, Kontiki roared back into life.
Once again, a stranger’s kindness had saved the day.
There was no time to waste.
We immediately set off and drove nearly 50 kilometres across Mumbai traffic, arriving at the Orient Club at 9:55 am, just five minutes before the event was due to begin.
Perfect timing.
Guests were already arriving when Kantibhai and his wife walked in. They were visibly delighted to see us.
Soon around 40 guests had gathered, including Devanshi’s parents, friends, fellow travellers, and supporters who had followed our journey online.
Sadly, our Team Kontiki colleague Dayal Patel was unable to attend, but he was very much in everyone’s thoughts.
The reception began with a traditional welcome and garlanding ceremony.
As we sat together in a circle, everyone introduced themselves before asking questions about the adventure. We shared stories from the road, spoke about border crossings, breakdowns, friendships, challenges, and unforgettable experiences from the twelve countries we had travelled through.
The question-and-answer session was lively and engaging, with many people fascinated by the practical realities of driving from London to Mumbai.
Afterwards, everyone enjoyed a delicious buffet lunch together.
As the event drew to a close, we thanked Kantibhai and his wife for their extraordinary generosity and kindness.
The reception felt like the perfect conclusion to our adventure.
It truly was the icing on the cake.
At around 1:30 pm, we said our goodbyes and continued exploring Mumbai.
Our next stop was the iconic Gateway of India.
As soon as Kontiki arrived, it attracted attention just as it had throughout the journey. Crowds gathered around the motorhome, asking questions, taking photographs, and posing for selfies beside the vehicle that had travelled all the way from London.
From there, Ramesh insisted on visiting one of his favourite Mumbai treats—Natural Ice Cream.
Driving past the famous Churchgate Railway Station and along Marine Drive, we eventually found what we were looking for.
He was absolutely right.
The ice cream was delicious and thoroughly enjoyed by all of us.
Later in the evening, another unexpected reunion awaited.
An old school friend and devoted follower of our journey, Chirag Pandya, had been in Bengaluru when he heard we had reached Mumbai. Determined to meet us, he had taken a flight to Mumbai and invited us to his home for tea.
His young daughter was fascinated by our adventure and asked us plenty of questions about travelling through so many countries.
It was wonderful to see the next generation inspired by such journeys.
The day was not over yet.
Our good friend Anand Dandikar had invited us for dinner at his home. Conveniently, his house was located along the route we would be taking towards Gujarat.
As we drove through Mumbai, we found ourselves becoming minor celebrities.
Motorcyclists rode alongside us filming the motorhome and taking photographs while moving. Although slightly nerve-racking, it demonstrated how much interest the journey had generated.
Then came one final surprise.
A Mumbai Police patrol stopped us.
For a moment we wondered what we had done wrong.
Instead, the officers stepped forward carrying flowers and a ceremonial shawl. They congratulated us on completing our London-to-Mumbai journey and wished us well for the future.
It was a touching gesture that none of us will ever forget.
After a wonderful dinner at Anand’s home, we finally set off shortly before midnight.
For the first time in ninety-one days, the roads ahead felt familiar.
We were now truly in home territory.
There were still another four to five hours of driving ahead before reaching Navsari, but one final celebration awaited us.
At 10:00 am tomorrow, a reception had been organised at Bharat Vidyalaya in Karadi village, where Mahesh had proudly served as Chairman for the previous fourteen years.
The adventure was over.
But the celebrations were not.
Tomorrow would bring the final chapter of this unforgettable journey.
Distance travelled: Approximately 150 km around Mumbai before departing for Gujarat
Highlights: Reception at Orient Club and meeting followers who had supported the journey from Day 1
Most memorable moment: Being honoured by complete strangers who had followed the adventure online
Special thanks: Kantibhai and his wife for organising a wonderful reception and lunch
Unexpected challenge: Flat battery caused by leaving the fridge on 12 volts overnight
Unexpected honour: Congratulations from Mumbai Police officers
Places visited: Orient Club, Gateway of India, Marine Drive, Churchgate, Chirag Pandya’s home, and Anand Dandikar’s home
Mood of the day: Celebratory, emotional, grateful, and humbled by the affection shown by so many people
“We began this journey as three friends with a dream. Ninety-one days later, we discovered that thousands of people had travelled the journey with us in spirit. Their encouragement turned an adventure into something far greater than we ever imagined.”
Join us tomorrow for the final chapter, as Team Kontiki returns home to Gujarat and receives its final welcome after an unforgettable London-to-Mumbai road adventure.
