It’s been a year since complete lockdown was first imposed on our country. Since then, a lot has changed. Many have been forced to stay home for months on end and that alone makes one want to step outside, breathe some fresh air and go out on an adventure. Because ‘doing nothing’ is tiring – we all know that now.
After being fed up with the pandemic, 3 friends, all above 60-years of age, ventured out in what can only be called an adventure of a lifetime. In January, Robin Nakai (68), Amrita Nakai (65) and Usha Hooda (65) went on a month-long road-trip, covering 4,500 km from Chandigarh to the Andamans!
Speaking to CN Traveller, Robin said:
“COVID was boring the hell out of us. My wife, Amrita, and I…wanted to do something crazy. So we called our friend Usha. The next thing we knew the trip was on.”
What came next was an extensive yet exciting road trip from Chandigarh then driving all the way through Udaipur, Mumbai, Panjim, Hampi, Bengaluru and Chennai. They then went on to catch a flight to the Andamans.
According to sources, the three have been friends since college and claim to have done some “crazy” things together. They are like-minded too – a quality which they highlighted was very important for the kind of company one should seek while setting out on a road trip.
Where driving from one place to another usually takes a couple of hours, the three friends took a few days. Why? Because they stopped at every nook and corner on their way to explore each place to its very core.
From visiting Maharashtra’s various beaches to exploring the various temples of Hampi, the three tried to leave no stones unturned. They weren’t fussy about food or accommodation either. They ate whatever they found on their way, which is also the best way to try the various different kinds of cuisines our country has to offer!
After their flight to Andaman, drove down from Port Blair in the south to Diglipur in the north. That ride was particularly difficult due to bad road conditions. However, after they reached their destination at Ross and Smith, twin islands in the Andamans separated by a sandbar, they thought it to be worth it.
“It’s heaven. The island was earlier a party destination during the Raj Era. Today, only 30 people live here. It’s got silky white-sand beaches, azure waters and coral reefs,” said Amrita.
On their way back from the Andamans, they made a trip to Pondicherry and loved walking around the French quarters. On their entire trip, they also stopped to visit a few friends. One entire month of walking through beaches, hiking through jungles, and eating different kinds of food…what a life!
“We were three senior citizens travelling the length of the country, and we don’t have a single bad experience to tell. It’s something we would definitely recommend to other senior citizens if health permits,” said Robin.
This is friendship goals, travel goals, road-trip goals, and life goals all at once!