‘I did it!’
The excitement of ‘riding solo’ from Kashmir to Kanyakumari
The excitement filled Facebook post of Sameer reads, “Finally after around 4875 kms of drive in 8 days (excluding rest days), KASHMIR to KANYAKUMARI (K2K) SOLO trip completed.”
Sameer Ahmad, who hails from North Kashmir’s Sopore, claims to be the first Kashmiri to have achieved the feat of riding solo from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. “I have searched on Google and confirmed from several people that if there is someone in Kashmir who has done a solo ride from Kashmir to Kanyakumari before me, but no one has came forward with such a claim yet,” says Sameer.
Talking to Kashmir Images about his remarkable solo ride journey to Kanyakumari, Sameer says, “My family was not ready to allow me for such a long-distance trip alone so I had to request a guy in Srinagar to accompany me to Delhi, and when he agreed, I told my family that I will be travelling to Delhi with another biker to which they agreed.”
“But after reaching Udhampur, the guy who was accompanying me told me that he was very tired and cannot travel further, I convinced him somehow to accompany me to Jammu, wherefrom he would go back to Srinagar,” he adds.
Sameer further says, “The next day when I reached Delhi , I contacted some of my friends, who live in Delhi and elsewhere, asking them if they are interested in joining me for the trip but they told me to wait for two days, and after waiting for them, I asked them again if they are going to accompany me, but they refused by saying they are still busy.”
“I contacted other friends also asking them to accompany me for the trip as my family was not ready to allow me for traveling alone beyond Delhi, but they also didn’t agree and then finally I decided to leave from Delhi alone,” he adds.
Sameer says that during his Journey from Delhi to Kanyakumari he travelled for six days continuously and it was only in Mumbai that he decided to take a one day break at one of his friend’s home. “I also had to endure heavy monsoon rains for about three days from Rajasthan to Hooghly.”
“In case I would have been accompanied by some other people, I had thought of travelling to Bhutan and Nepal also, but I couldn’t make up my mind for going alone on such a long journey as it would have not been safe,” says Sameer.
Sameer says that while travelling from one state to another, he relied on the local people for directions. “Wherever I had some confusion regarding the route of a particular place, I would make a stop and ask the locals for direction,” he says adding that whatever insecurities he was carrying inside never got manifested as everyone he met throughout his trip was polite and helpful.
“I received a lot appreciation from people who I met during my journey, while hailing my effort of travelling from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, they offered me tea and also clicked photographs with me.”
Sameer says that solo riding is fun provided you are trained and well-equipped. “Being alone on the trip helped me a lot in possessing control over my behavior and attitude, the trip spurred humbleness in me. It offered me a psychological treatment.”
Sharing more of his experience with regard to his thousand mile solo ride trip, Sameer says, “We always carry this attitude of not interacting with the people from our side and this happens because we are being judgmental about them. During my trip I earned this valuable experience that people are always ready to talk and help, provided that we are willing to stop being judgmental.”
Sameer says that he choose to go for this solo riding trip out of his own satisfaction. “Earlier, I had planned to carry a poster that I would inscribe with a peace message, but then I gave up the idea thinking that it might have political repercussions.”
“What conclusion I could draw from my trip was that people all across India were so nice to me, it was a great experience for me to acquaint myself with the people of other states,” he adds.
In his message to the budding bikers, Sameer says that biking is not about riding recklessly and performing stunts but it demands patience and discipline and that is what makes someone a professional biker.
Akeel Rashid is News Editor of the Kashmir Images
He can be reached at [email protected]
