epic proportions and it felt unreal.
Wide highways gave way to roads meandering
through the mountains as we slowly made our way to
Kashmir. Slowly, because a swarm of military convoys
along with intermittent stretches with road works
going on in full swing halted our progress. However,
the KWID’s fabulous air con along with the comfortable
seats made it bearable.
On a road trip like this it is at such unplanned halts
that we have the most amazing conversations with the
locals. At one of the many such halts, a hatchback driver
pulled up to us, with one question. Had we really made
it to all the four corners of the country as the livery
indicated? We told him that we were only a few hundred
kilometres short. Another glance at the KWID and he
said, “I am sure it will make it easily. Spend some time
in Kashmir while you are at it.” And before we could say
anything, the jam had eased and he was away. Needless
to say, we heeded his advice.
In these traffic jams, it was all about finding tiny gaps
through the stream of vehicles piled up one behind the
other on the narrow roads and the KWID was adept at it.
SPECIAL FEATURE: INDIA DIAMOND TRAIL