Few people have their dreams actually come true—for Thomas Chacko, it’s happened twice. The first time was four years ago, when the Kochi-based motoring enthusiast and writer zipped across India in his Nano; the second was late last year, when the 67 year-old undertook an incredible expedition across three continents by road. Excerpts from an interview:

Tell us more about your road trips.
I love road trips and used to drive from Kolkata to Kerala and all over southern India. In 2012, I took a pan-India trip covering 26,500 km in 80 days. This included the top of Khardung La in Ladakh, which at 18,380 ft is the highest motorable road in the world. Before this trip, I had already driven in 11 countries. With this trip, I added another 22.

Was your age a hindrance at all?
For me, age is just a number. I do what’s necessary to combat the usual age-related problems and it’s enough to keep me going. Once I make up my mind, I have to do it. Also, while I’m driving extensively, I am on auto pilot.

How long did your world trip take and where did you go?
It took around three months. I set out from Cochin on 4 August last year and was back on 8 November. I drove across Europe, then from the east to the west coast of the US and finally through Southeast Asia.

What about prior research?
I always research the place and the visa requirements and I use Google Maps for directions.

How did you manage your expenses for food and accommodation?
I was on a budget, so in some places, I stayed with my cousins. In the Loire Valley in France, I was treated to a fabulous dinner by the owner of a Michelin-star restaurant and stayed in a splendid suite. In all the other places, I stayed in Airbnb accommodation because I wanted to meet the local people. Besides, it’s much cheaper that way. I would have a quick lunch while driving, and for dinner I would explore a restaurant.

What kind of challenges did you face on the trip?
The biggest problem before the trip was raising funds for sponsorship. The second was the expenses incurred on shipping my car. One can only drive out of India through Myanmar or China, and both countries charge plenty for the permits. Another big challenge was the number of visas required. There were some minor issues like the Syrian refugee problem, though the clearance was issued after I passed through.

Once my car was towed by the police in Croatia as the slot I had parked in was meant for government cars. It cost me the equivalent of ₹ 54,000 to get it out of the impound lot! On the last day of the drive, I filled petrol and paid € 30 by card. After leaving, the message alert said I had been debited for € 100! After contacting the operators, I learnt the meter was programmed to automatically debit € 100 and that the rest of the money would be reversed. And at the shipping company in Rotterdam, I was told I would have to drain the 15 litre of petrol in the fuel tank before shipping; that cost me € 70 and three hours.

Looking back, how would you describe your experience?
It was the adventure of a lifetime. There were things I did that I’ve never done before, like crossing the Pacific Ocean and travelling on autobahns. I found Dubrovnik and Carcassonne truly fascinating. Both are walled cites and have been featured in movies like Robin Hood and the TV show Game of Thrones. And driving on the Dalmatian Coast Road while going to Dubrovnik was a fantastic experience.

Photographs courtesy: Thomas Chacko
Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
November 2016