Honda Drive to Discover 6: Jodhpur to Jaisalmer

“Travel and change of place impart new vigour to the mind.” – Seneca. With just that in mind, I try to squeeze in a bit of travel at the start of the year, to kick-start afresh with newfound enthusiasm. So when the Ed told us about the sixth edition of Honda’s Drive to Discover, I volunteered, despite knowing it would mean flying directly from our annual awards jury round that was held in Chennai. Despite the fatigue from the two days of riding and driving around the Madras Motor Race Track, the prospect of traveling for a drive in Rajasthan was enticing enough for me.

Chennai is perennially hot, irrespective of whether it is snowing in Himachal Pradesh or people are shivering in Delhi’s famous winters. That said, flying out from the hot and humid Chennai to the much cooler climes of Jodhpur set the mood for a great drive on Rajasthan’s fantastic roads. And the fleet of Hondas waiting for us was indeed the icing on the cake for me. The drive to Jaisalmer started the day after we got to Jodhpur, where I first got our hands on the CR-V.

Getting out of Jodhpur took a while given the repair works on the roads in the city, but the CR-V was a breeze even on the battered roads. Once out on the highway, the roads not only became smoother but scenic too, offering a breath of fresh air to a hardcore Mumbai-ite like me. A fair number of windmills dotted the NH114 that we were driving on, and the journey was so picturesque that we found ourselves stopping for pictures more often than needed. Now the CR-V hasn’t been updated in a while, but admittedly, the SUV stills looks pretty futuristic with its typical Honda design. It may not be in the same league as some of its rivals in terms of going off-road, but with the kind of comfort and space it offers, the CR-V makes for a great set of wheels if planning on a weekend trip or long drive, especially on the kind of roads we were on in Rajasthan. 

Despite the frequent stops, we managed to scurry across the highway to get to Jaisalmer before the sun called it a day. With the next day free for us to explore the surroundings, fellow journalists and I decided to head towards Tanot and Longewala, both places that bear an intense historic background. For the day, I chose to get behind the wheel of the Honda City petrol MT. The road leading to Tanot was once again a mix of roads under construction, with a sprinkle of bumpy highways and ample blind corners. Not that I haven’t driven the current generation City, but the roads offered me immense opportunity to delve deep into its stupendous success in its segment. The Honda City, in case you didn’t know has been the best seller in its segment across generations, and not without reason. The suspension setup on the current generation City is on the stiffer side, but it offers a nice mix of comfort and sportiness. It encouraged some enthusiastic driving on the roads leading to Tanot, though once again I found myself wanting fatter, grippier tyres.  

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The first tourist spot we visited at Tanot was the Mateshwari Tanot Rai Mandir. Legend says that during the Indo-Pak War of 1965 the Pakistani Army dropped several bombs to destroy the temple but none of them hit the target. In fact, some of the missiles that failed to explode are preserved as specimens inside the temple. Since the war the management of the temple has been handed over to the Border Security Force of India, something not very common for a religious place.

The drive from Tanot to Longewala gave us a chance to see the Jaisalmer that we are used to seeing in images and Bollywood movies with large sand dunes on either side of a piece strip of black tarmac. The first thing I noticed about Longewala was how quietness and calm it had. Ironically though, history has a lot to speak of the place and the battles fought there. At the Longewala War Museum, the Indian Army has the Pakistani T59 tanks and the 106mm M40 Recoilless rifle on display. Reading about how the Alpa company of 23 Punjab defended the country from a major attack by Pakistan in 1971 infused me with more patriotism, and brought newfound respect for the Indian Army. Till date, I’ve only heard stories of the war and read about it, but visiting the location of the war was a different feeling altogether.

Once done with soaking in the history and the breathtaking vistas of the sand dunes, it was time to head back to Jaisalmer and on to Jodhpur, and for the trip we decided to take the route via Barmer. For most part of the drive roads were smooth and made for a comfortable drive except for the last 50km or so. Aside from the roads that we were driving on, it’s Honda’s Connect App that deserves a mention here. The app not only allowed us to track the location of fellow journalists in the other cars but also gave us data about our braking, the number of times the car was redlined and more information about the way we were driving the cars. In fact, the app also gives a user information about the nearest service centre and has a manual SOS feature that can be used in case of an emergency. Of course, I am glad we didn’t need to test the last feature, as the drive was pleasant, peaceful and event free, perfect for me to start the year on a good note. 

After spending nearly five days travelling in the middle of barren lands and deserts, I could only think of the tiny place we occupy in the world. A feeling that I lived while standing in the vastness of the desert with no signs of human settlement for miles, a feeling that gives you a reality check and at the same time mesmerise you. Way to start the year I say! At the end of it all, this year’s Honda Drive to Discover ended up being just one of the many things that make us auto journalists love our job so much.