Travels on a truck

Louise France and Nick Fulford have been driving a massive truck/bus with 18 international passengers from Kathmandu all over India. At Kochi, during a brief stopover, they spoke about their experiences 

Pics: Nick Fulford and Louise France; the Daisy truck

By Shevlin Sebastian 

A few days ago, Louise France was behind the wheel of the truck/bus called Daisy on Highway No 66 as they were nearing Kochi. Inside were 18 travellers from countries as diverse as Australia, UK, America, Switzerland, Portugal, and France. A minivan sped past. The driver’s mouth fell open when he saw that it was Louise at the wheel. He stuck his head and began waving at her. 

There was a car in front which was slowing down. Louis gestured to the driver to slow down but he didn’t seem to understand. At the last moment, the driver turned his head, and saw that he was about to hit the car So, he braked hard, the van skidded but thankfully came to a stop without hitting the other vehicle. And as Louise went past he kept waving at her. 

At a hotel, near the Law College hostel in Kochi, Louise breaks out into a wide smile. “It was a close shave,” she says. Nodding slightly is her fellow driver Nick Fulford.  

While Nick also doubles up as a mechanic, Louise is the team leader. But what catches the eye is the truck. The height seems to reach the first floor of a house. “There is space for 24 passengers,” she says. “Behind the seats are two tables where people can sit around and read newspapers or play cards. There is a refrigerator as well as a library. Passengers can move around a bit. But we have no toilet facilities.” 

Under the truck, there is a water storage tank which can carry 200 litres. Many times, they go off the beaten track, and set up tents and stay there. At night, they have a campfire. “We usually do this in deserted areas,” says Nick. 

Their journey began on December 8 from Kathmandu. They spent two weeks travelling around Nepal. Then in India, they went to Varanasi, Khajuraho, Agra, Jaipur and Delhi. Thereafter, they went to Mumbai, Goa, Hampi in Karnataka and entered Kerala at Wayanad. While there the group did a tour of a tea plantation. Thereafter, they stayed at a homestay in a village for two nights.  

Louise says that for travellers, every state offers something different. “That is the beauty of India, its diversity, the way the climate changes from place to place, the different types of food and clothes,” she says. 

Meanwhile, Nick has no time to appreciate the diversity as he has to be in full focus when he is behind the wheel. “Unlike in Europe, there is a lot of traffic and vehicles that we are not used to, like tuk-tuks (autorickshaws), carts, pedestrians, cows and dogs,” says Nick. “A lot of things are happening on the road all the time. You cannot afford to lose concentration.”  

Both Louise and Nick are working for the UK-based travel company called ‘Dragoman’. When asked the meaning, Nick says, “It is an Arabic word for guide. They guided people on the ancient Silk Route (which connected India and China with Europe) especially through the deserts.” 

The company began in 1981 and has managed to stay relevant by evolving according to the times. While the earlier trips were long, for instance, from London to Kathmandu, and people stayed in tents and enjoyed a campfire, today, the duration is much shorter, and the travellers prefer to stay in air-conditioned hotels and lodges. 

As for some of the lessons they learned from the trip, so far, Louise says, “We in the west we take many things for granted,” she says. “We have a life quite easy and are blessed. We see people working hard and not making as much money but they are happy with whatever they have got. They seem to be loving life. I understood that you don’t need too many things to make you happy. Happiness is within.” 

She says that the West has gone wrong by becoming too materialistic. “But I also fear that Indians, with rising incomes, may be going the same way,” says Louise. 

As for Nick, he has learned to be patient. “On the road, that is the only way you can drive,” he says. “Many people want to help when you have a problem, but sometimes, they lack the skills. So I have learned to be calm.” 

But what they both enjoy is the energy on the streets. It is very palpable to see. In Europe, this energy is rarely seen, as work takes place inside buildings or factories and rarely on the streets. “Overall, it has been a unique experience, so far,” says Louise, as they head towards Alleppey, Varkala and then on to Kanyakumari. 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)