Overland through India in 42 Days

Its the end of my Great Adventure from the Himalayas to Cape Comorin. I Landed in Dubia a couple of hours ago, staying overnight, then a 7.30 flight back to Newcastle tomorrow, landing at 11.30am.

After seeing the sunset and and sunrise at Cape Comolin I dipped my feet in the three oceans, the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. This marked a significant end point to my trip. I returned to Thiruvilla and spent two nights in the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary. At dawn I went on a two hour boat journey on Lake Verbrandrum, in the Kerala Backwaters, spotting all sorts of birds. I got savaged by mosquitoes, worse than the Scottish midgie !!!!!!

I left my base at Thiruvilla yesterday tea time for Cochin, overnight there, then up at 6am this morning to the airport. I am staying in Dubai overnight, up at 4.30am for my flight back to Newcastle.

I am a bit behind with my Blog and photos, but that will be completed when I get home. I have used up all my brownie points now, so Jane will have a list for me. But I have a serious condition now, its called the "Travel Bug". I have proved that I am safe to be let loose on the planet, with no great mishaps or misadventures, only that bad day on the Rohtang Pass. My travel kit will be reduced by over 50% next time. I have made many new friends on this trip from India, Sweden, Germany, France, Spain and Cornwall.


Highlights, there have been many, the trekking in the Western Himalayas, the Royal Enfield motorbike trip over the Rohtang and up to Zingzingbar, my five days exploring Periyar Tiger Reserve, reaching Cape Comolin (the very southern most point of India, and my meeting with the King of Kerala, the Maharajah of Tranvancore, the Taj Mahal, the Amber Fort of Jaipur. I have met so many interesting people on this trip.

Looking forward to seeing everyone back home with my traveller tales, blog , photos and video clips. There is much to do when I get back, to complete this travel blog, make the documentary "A Passage through India", contact all my travel companions, and to thank Peter and Travellerspoint.com for their support and use of what has been an excellent Travel Blog website.


My thanks to all the emails during my trip from family and friends, they were a real tonic and well received.

My thanks to Gordon May for sowing the seed, especially the Royal Enfield. To Naresh and Subrah for all the planning, help and support in India, and making it a great trip.

My thanks to all the really nice people I met on my great adventure in India from the Western Himalayas through India to Cape Comerin. I enjoyed your company and friendship on my journey in so many unexpected places. People are genuinely friendly and helpful, and want you to be there, they want to know where you are from, and what you think of this amazing continent. I found throughout this journey that people want to help other people, particularly those who have little, but share their richness in so many ways, “How much do I owe you for fixing my Motorbike”...”Nothing, you are my brother and a guest in my country “ (Ajay, motor mechanic, Keylong, Lahaul, Himachel Pradesh, on the Manali-Leh road NH21, 3082m)

Everyday day gave me new experiences, encounters, views, people, places and landscapes, often having a spectacular place or view to myself, if only for a while, especially those places that were so remote and beautiful...I found nirvana, that place of perfect peace and happiness many times in India, that state of enlightenment which you find when you have no suffering or worries, a total feeling of peace and contentment.

Finally my grateful thanks to my wife for giving me the freedom to follow this adventure, and to my sons for their sound advice to their Dad.