The Hindu Business Line : Driving on rough terrain

He got married eight years ago and with his wife Annu sharing his passion for holidays — particularly driving holidays — it was not too long before friends taunted them with: `What, another holiday again!'

"So we decided to convert our holidays into work, and start writing about them," says Koko Singh, author of four delightful travel books on Ladakh, Sikkim, Uttaranchal and Zanskar.

After working in the corporate sector for 15 years — including a stint in HLL — Singh started working for the Delhi-based NGO Sruti, which supports community development initiatives in remote tribal areas.

Sikkim: If you're staying at the scenically perched Mt Narsing Resort, remember the drive up is challenging and can be unnerving if attempted in the dark!"

So how does he make a living?

"Late marriage and no children; so my liabilities are less. Fortunately, my father left me some rental income and some investment."

Ladakh: "Hit the gym and get back in shape before you decide to drive off to Ladakh - it will help you acclimatise faster."

Coming to his passion which is driving to his destinations, Annu and he found, while taking their numerous holidays in the mountains, that there was "a lack of information about these areas on how to get there, where to say, etc. Hardly any guides are available; the only thing we were using was the Lonely Planet guide, which is outdated and has no photographs."

Beautiful pictures

A big plus point of the four books is the beautiful pictures showcasing the splendour and glory of the Himalayas... the snow-covered peaks, the sparkling rivers, the temples, the gorgeous skies and even the annoying traffic jams.

Singh started his driving holidays with a Maruti 800, graduated to a Zen, and then borrowed a Qualis from his friend for driving to places like Sikkim. As both the husband and wife drive, each can take a well-deserved break. They often drive around with groups of friends and in a few vehicles.

Uttaranchal: "Remember you are at an altitude close to 10,000 ft at Auli. Although you will be tempted to explore this beautiful place, take it easy and don't push yourself too much the first day."

Miraculously the misadventures have been negligent. One was a fracture sustained by the wife of Pranab Datta, who has designed the books.

"She banged her hand against the Gypsy we were driving and since we were back of beyond, we just managed to get minimal treatment at a local hospital. We were out for two weeks after that and when we returned she found that the circulation had stopped, the finger on which she was wearing a ring had turned blue and the doctor said she had reached him just in time to save the wrist."

The books contain invaluable tips on how and where to break journeys; how to get acclimatised to the altitude, when to pack sandwiches for lunch and where to look for a good meal.

So do they always plan their trip, including accommodation?

`Experienced' accounts

"Depends on where you're going; since we were going for the first time to Sikkim, and it was unknown territory, we had to operate through a travel agent. But for writing the books, we try and stay in as many different places and eat out in as many different restaurants as we can, so the recommendations are based on actual experience," says Singh.

Also, each book has a section on trekking, which is written by a professional "because I do only the walks. And there is also a combination of both treks and walks."

It has taken him two years to write four books, with the text being edited by Annu, "who is very critical and uses the red pencil but not very harshly", says Singh.

Next in the pipeline is a book on Himachal Pradesh. But Jammu and Kashmir is the region where he'd very much like to drive around and do a book, "but we can't do that now. Srinagar is okay, as also Sonmarg, but a driving holiday in the interior regions of J&K is not possible now. But I grew up here as a child and doing a book on this region remains a dream," says Singh.

A book on Rajasthan and another on driving from Mumbai to Kanyakumari along the cost covering Goa and Karnataka is also planned.

Singh and Annu normally spend three or four hours behind the wheel, "because we like to stop for taking pictures, enjoying the beauty of nature, finding out details about historical places, etc."

On what excites him most about the travel he says, "The beauty of nature... the prime attraction for us is the beauty of the place, the history, old temples, forts, etc." The information presented in the books is a combination of research and details picked up from the guides and the local people."

Vehicle types

On the kind of vehicles best suited for driving in the mountains, Singh says, "Now the road conditions are so much better and there is such a wide range of vehicles to choose from. We started with a Maruti 800, but for our last four journeys we've been driving in a Honda city, which is theoretically a city car but is very comfortable and has the power to take you through any terrain."

Detailed maps, helpful tips on when to tank up, when to take an early start, where to take a halt, and attractive discount coupons for meals at restaurants, rafting on the Ganga, Indus etc, enhance the value of these books.

Zanskar: "It is a good idea to give your vehicle a `once over' - the rough roads take their toll and you could have bits shaking loose and falling off."

Zanskar: "It is a good idea to give your vehicle a `once over' — the rough roads take their toll and you could have bits shaking loose and falling off."