Surat lads bitten by the wanderlust

SURAT, April 21: Memorable and fullfilling.'' This is how the two city youths described their three-month motorcycle journey across the enti...

SURAT, April 21: Memorable and fullfilling.8221; This is how the two city youths described their three-month motorcycle journey across the entire country and neighbouring Nepal and Bhutan.

Fenil Thakkar and Chirag Gandhi, both aged below thirty, who left Surat on December 27, travelled through all states and Union territories in India and the important cities in Nepal and Bhutan.

They now plan to apply for an entry into the record books for their feat.Organised by the Rotaract Club of Surat, the bike expedition was held to promote nationalism, peace and brotherhood in the golden jubilee year of India8217;s independence.

Recollecting some of their experiences during the tour, Thakkar said that when they were in Dimapur, Nagaland, the two were shocked when someone questioned them, 8220;How did you land up here with the Indian flag?8221;

Besides meeting many important people during their journey, the duo said they felt privileged to have played Holi with Sonia Gandhi and her family.

According to them, the north-eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura provided them with perhaps some of their most exciting and varied experiences. Apart from exposing them to regional nature and wildlife, the north-eastern states was where they witnessed insurgency first hand.

8220;The police there are highly corrupt, and work hand-in-glove with the extremists,8221; said Thakkar, referring to an incident in which a jeep of a Rotaract secretary was forcibly taken away by the terrorists. Though the victim identified all the culprits, the police took no action, he alleged.

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The two also got to visit almost all the important religious monuments, historical structures and hill stations from Jammu and Kashmir to Kanya Kumari. In Bhutan, they said, they felt proud to have taken part in a talk show on Bhutan Radio. Television is banned in the Himalayan kingdom.Summing up the experience, Thakkar and Gandhi said, 8220;Though we had read about India in the books, seeing it was something else altogether.8221;