The road to India

Having discovered our compatibility in South Africa in 2013, Joline was excited to plan the next adventure together – preferably to India, my country of birth. I had equally enjoyed our African adventures, but was more anxious to get cracking on my doctoral thesis than intent on going for another vacation anytime soon. So, we decided to plan on travelling abroad only in the winter of 2016, when I expect my thesis to be firmly on track. Also, I was not so keen on returning to the country I had left for good. But by June 2015, it became clear that I was going to spend the better part of 2016, and the first quarter of 2017 in the US for my doctoral work, and a vacation before the end of 2017 was unlikely.

My dislike for procrastination forced me to ask Joline if she would like to go for the Indian holiday already in the winter of 2015. The only condition was that we would travel to the places I have not been to before, and that we would travel by road. She was up for it!

However, knowing some of India, I was uncomfortable with the idea of driving with only the two of us. So I set about asking some of my friends if they would like to go with us. Thomas Kipka, a fellow PhD candidate, initially agreed, but then backed out. Fabian had said that the trip sounded interesting, but he needed time. But then, he too, declined. Just when the prospects seemed dim, and Joline had almost given up hope, Tim said he may be interested! He needed time to firm up his mind, which, of course was fine. But after a month, there was no answer, and I started giving him weekly deadlines to let us know one way or another; his doubts lingered. So, after another month of deliberations, I had a rather long phone conversation with him about why the trip was good for him. While all that coaxing and cajoling was going on, Fabian changed his mind and decided that the road trip was a rare opportunity to travel to a radically different bouquet of cultures. Once we firmed up our dates, our flight tickets were immediately booked.

“…the journey is getting real!”, Tim wrote to me three months before our departure. The excitement was palpable.

The journey has now begun, and we are already into the 4th day of it. Starting today, I hope to regularly write updates about our discoveries of India, and hopefully ourselves, as we go about our journey.   

Following is our itinerary for, what we are calling the “Discovery of India Road Trip”

10 December                          Arrive in Bombay

11-13 December                      Get rid of jetlag, explore Bombay

14 December                           Leave for Aurangabad (337 km)

15-16 December                      Explore Ajanta and Ellora caves, Bibi ka Maqbara

17 December                           Drive to Satpura National Park (527 km)

18-19 December                      Explore Satpura National Park

20 December                           Drive to Khajuraho (567 km)

21-22 December                      Explore Khajuraho

23 December                           Drive to Banares (415 km)

24-26 December                      Explore Banares (the holiest of cities for Hindus) & Allahabad (Sangam)

27 December                           Drive to Agra (606 km)

28 December                           Explore Agra (Taj Mahal & Red Fort)

28 December                           Drive to New Delhi (218 km)

29 December – 1 January       Explore New Delhi

2 January                                 Drive to Udaipur (672 km)

3 January                                 Explore Udaipur

4 January                                 Drive to Bombay (753 km)

5 January                                 Recuperate

6 January                                 Fly to Schipol