The Maruti Rock N Road SUV Experiences took us on an adventurous journey that gave us recollections we’ll always remember

It was a traditional working day, and whereas preparing within the morning, I used to be fascinated with taking a break and going for a trip. Little did I do know that my thought was about to grow to be a actuality. As I used to be leaving for work, I received a name from my senior colleague Arun, and all he mentioned was “Spiti Chalega? Jimny se?”. I mentioned sure with out asking any questions, and he hung up. Per week later, we embarked upon a seven day drive to the Spiti Valley and again with the Maruti Jimny, as part of Maruti Suzuki’s Rock N Road SUV Experiences.

Let The Drive Begin

Our journey began from Chandigarh, and after being briefed concerning the places and our itinerary, we had been prepared to maneuver. In a hasty method, we stuffed our baggage within the Jimny by folding its rear seats, as a result of we thought its boot received’t have the ability to accommodate our huge suitcases, and we’d later discover out that we had been incorrect.

As we began transferring, we left Chandigarh and received on the freeway. This was the one time we received to make use of the 4th and fifth gear of the Maruti Jimny. As the day progressed, the roads began to get narrower and the lengthy straight patches of the freeway changed into sharp curves of the mountains. 

But we pushed on, as we had been simply too excited for this journey. Me and Arun shared the drive, and because it was my first time driving on such roads, Arun did many of the driving on the primary day. But I knew that I shall be driving tomorrow, and I couldn’t wait. After driving for almost 10 hours, we had reached Narkanda, and we determined to name it a day.

We weren’t alone on this drive. The convoy was fabricated from over 15+ vehicles, and there was just one rule: “Do not overtake the lead vehicle”. We would find yourself breaking this rule, however I’ll get to that later. From Narkanda, we needed to head to Tabo, which was once more a protracted drive, nonetheless, there have been no highways on this route, no 4 lane roads, simply slim mountain roads, that may be very tough to drive on.

No More Upshifting

Early within the morning, we stuffed our baggage again within the Jimny, however this time, we considered checking if these 2 huge suitcases can match within the boot with out folding the rear seats, and sure, they did. Jimny’s boot might simply accommodate our baggage and there was nonetheless some house left. The Jimny had proved us incorrect, and with that realisation, we resumed our journey.

Driving on such roads requires abilities, which Arun had and I wanted to develop. But, being a very good senior, he determined to show me tips on how to take corners. Yes, I used to be studying tips on how to take corners, on slim roads of the mountains, whereas we had been climbing hundreds of ft, and the air was getting thinner. Not probably the most ultimate circumstances to be taking classes, however I did be taught.

It was now Arun’s flip to drive, and I seen that we had been continually in second gear. Our handbook Jimny began to really feel like an automated one. The purpose for being in second gear was that we wanted the pace and the momentum to take these corners and push by way of with out feeling underpowered. The Jimny’s engine and journey high quality didn’t disappoint us, we had all the facility we wanted, and the journey consolation was phenomenal.

After a protracted 12 hour drive, we had reached Tabo, and formally entered the Spiti Valley. We simply needed to drive 50 extra kilometres to succeed in Kaza, our foremost vacation spot. And we did that the following day.

Down To -22 Degrees

As we reached Tabo, the temperatures dropped drastically. Bottles of water left contained in the Jimny at evening had frozen the following morning. Even after sporting a number of layers of garments, I used to be nonetheless shivering. Arun then again, wasn’t so bothered with the chilly.

After we left Tabo, we began climbing up, and reached near 13,000 ft. For Jimny, this drive was a chunk of cake, and it loved each little bit of it. We had been lower than a kilometre away from Kaza, once we noticed the city, it simply appeared heavenly. Unfortunately, there was no snow, so the place appeared dry and principally simply brown. 

The lack of snow created one other downside. While you do really feel chilly in such locations and in these temperatures, if there’s snow, it traps some warmth which makes you’re feeling barely higher. However, since there was no snow for miles, you felt that temperature much more. Especially at evening, once we determined to exit and discover. At 1 AM, we headed out to take a look at the attractive mountains and stargaze beneath crystal clear skies. And whereas the sights had been lovely, we hesitated whereas taking pictures.

First of all, we needed to preserve our arms steady, which wasn’t really easy, as we had been shivering. Second of all, even when in some way we managed to maintain our arms steady, we needed to take our thumb out of the glove to click on the image. The first time I did that, I didn’t suppose how unhealthy it will really feel. Even a barely uncovered thumb gave me the sensation that it will simply freeze and fall off. 

Once we got here again to the lodge, and shoved ourselves into the blanket, I checked the temperature, it was -16 levels celsius! I had by no means been to such a temperature earlier than, and it was a hell of an expertise. Later that evening, the temperatures dropped to -22 levels, and no quantity of garments, blankets or heaters will make you’re feeling heat at this level. Luckily, we slept it off, and it was a very good factor that we did, as we wanted a whole lot of vitality for the following day.

A Sight To Sore Eyes

On day 4 of this journey, all we needed to do was discover the Spiti Valley, because of this we had been right here. There had been a whole lot of locations round, and we determined to go to two of them: Hikkim Post Office – the world’s highest publish workplace, and Komic – the very best village on the earth related by a motorable street. But earlier than I reached there, I considered the place I got here from.

From Chandigarh to Narkanda, Narkanda to Tabo, and Tabo to Kaza, I noticed probably the most lovely locations I had seen in my life. Maruti gave us not simply a possibility to drive on such roads, but in addition gave us a whole lot of recollections. Memories of lovely mountains coated in snow, recollections of clear blue rivers that had been flowing alongside our route, and recollections of so many lovely locations that I didn’t suppose existed in India.

But, there have been much more lovely locations awaiting us. From Kaza to Hikkim publish workplace, we needed to drive on a really slim street which for many half was a single lane patch of sand and rocks. Was this a part of the drive harmful? Yes. Was it value it? Absolutely. This publish workplace is operational all year long, and is located at an altitude of over 14,000 ft. Here, we had some meals, and wrote postcards, and despatched them to the particular individuals in our life. 

From right here, we climbed even additional, to Komic – a village located at over 15,000 ft (4,587 metres to be precise). To give context, we had been standing at over half the peak of mount everest. At this altitude, there’s not a whole lot of oxygen within the air, and also you begin to have hassle respiration. But, this wasn’t an issue for us, because the view from this place has left us breathless. 

The village in itself was one among most lovely locations I had ever seen. It had a monastery, the place we might see the monks, there was a restaurant which was referred to as “The Highest Restaurant In The World”, and there was a small constructing the place individuals lived. But, the actual fantastic thing about this place got here after I turned my head round, and noticed snow capped mountains within the distance. 

Yes, there was no snowfall the place we had been, and I might’ve cherished to see snow that was nearer to me. But this was the closest factor to that. For so far as my eyes might attain, I solely noticed snow coated mountains, that made me realise how small I’m. These gigantic items of rock and mud, make you’re feeling insignificant, however are lovely to take a look at, and that’s precisely what I did.

The Journey Back

Our day in Kaza got here to an finish, and it was time to go again to Chandigarh. It would take us two days to make this drive, with a layover in Rampur. So we received up within the morning, saved the bags within the boot, took a very good final take a look at the fantastic thing about Kaza, and drove off.

We reached Rampur in about 10 hours, and through this drive, me and Arun began to debate coming again to this place. We had a very good time within the Spiti Valley and had already began planning to return. For lots of people, occurring such an journey could possibly be a as soon as in a lifetime alternative, and because of Maruti, we received to expertise that. 

Now, we couldn’t wait to get again to Chandigarh. While we did have a whole lot of enjoyable on this journey, we had began to really feel drained, and wanted relaxation earlier than our flight again to Mumbai. We thought if we continued to drive with the convoy, it will take us a whole lot of time to succeed in Chandigarh, and we’d not get sufficient time to relaxation. 

So we determined to speak to the individual in cost, and satisfied him to allow us to go forward. He knew that we will drive and don’t must be monitored, and that is once we broke the one rule of this convoy – “Do not overtake the lead car”. We left Rampur sooner than the opposite individuals, and we had been again in Chandigarh very quickly.

Finally, the journey had come to an finish, and we had been again to our separate locations within the metropolis, away from the mountains. The contemporary air was gone, and the skies weren’t clear anymore. This is after I realised how a lot I miss the Spiti Valley, and the way a lot enjoyable I had driving the Maruti Jimny. 

I’m grateful that I received to go on this journey, and the Maruti Jimny was an incredible automotive to tackle the mountains. It confronted no issues, gave us all the facility we wanted to take these sharp turns, it drove on sand, rocks, and even water, and it did that with out breaking a sweat. All whereas the Jimny was doing all of this, we had been comfy contained in the cabin, irrespective of how unhealthy the terrain was. 

This really was a as soon as in a lifetime expertise, however I believe I’ll do that once more, and once more, and once more, until I not discover the necessity to come again to metropolis life.

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