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Trio takes 30 days to drive from Kerala to Kashmir to Leh
photos provided
After traveling through India in 30 days, three expat women from the UAE have returned with memories that will last a lifetime. Dubai resident Dr Sumera Syed and her aunt Lathifa Banu embarked on an incredible journey spanning nine states and three federal territories with their friend Rejila Hassan in India.
The three women, two of them grandmothers, completed the journey from Kerala to Kashmir to Leh in a Toyota SUV in 30 days. Dr Sumela, an Ajman dentist, said they were able to witness incredible sights, including the Khardungla Pass, the world’s highest motorized pass, and overcome ingrained fears.
photos provided
“We have a lot of misunderstandings and fears about the journey across India. We are concerned about our safety as women in hijab due to reports of intolerance,” Dr Sumela said.
“We were concerned about whether we would be discriminated against or abused. However, throughout the journey, all we got was love and friendship. During the journey, we met and became friends with many women.”
How was the trip planned?
Dr Sumera, Lathifa and Dr Rejila Hassan started talking about the trip to India earlier this year. Although it has been a dream for years to travel across North India with her family, it wasn’t until Lathifa connected with her former classmate Rejila that the idea began to take shape.
“When my aunt discussed the idea of driving to Kashmir, I dismissed it because neither of us had ever driven in India,” Dr Sumela said.
“The thought of driving in India makes me anxious.”
That didn’t stop them from starting a WhatsApp group in early February to discuss possible routes and journey options. The whole trip takes about 45 days. As a mother of two, Dr. Sumela remains skeptical. However, when a medical emergency forced her to accompany her college-going son to Kerala for physiotherapy, she took the opportunity to improve her driving skills. “It’s a huge boost to our confidence,” she said.
“At least, we’ll be two drivers.”
By early June, Lathifa Banu had made up her mind to make sure the trip went ahead and booked her ticket. She only had 30 days of annual leave, so the three had to modify their itinerary to accommodate that time. “Although she’s my aunt, she’s only 10 years older than me,” Dr. Sumela said.
“We’ve been close all our lives and have a great relationship with Rejila. I realized I’d never have the opportunity to travel again.”
embark on a journey
On June 20, Lathifa and Dr. Sumera took a night flight to Calicut, where Rejila lived. The next day, the three of them set off. A relative designed a sign and banner for them, which they put on the car. “Honestly, I’m worried we’ll draw too much attention with banners,” Dr Sumella said.
“However, this is a big icebreaker. At the checkpoint, the police will talk about the trip and encourage us not to give up. They will let us cut the line and hit the road so that we don’t delay our trip.”
photos provided
“On the first day, our target destination was Udupi,” Latifah said.
“We weren’t sure if we could get there, so we didn’t book accommodation. Our family strictly ordered us not to travel after 7pm. So we thought we would stay anywhere.”
The women were pleasantly surprised when they arrived in Udupi on time. “This is the first time we have the confidence to achieve this,” Dr Sumella said.
“From the next day, we started to be more organized. While one of us was driving, the other would book accommodation at our destinations. We would book two or three rooms at each destination. If We arrive at a place feeling uneasy that we’ll go to our next stay. Luckily, there’s only one or two we have to do.”
One of the most memorable incidents was when they drove through a small village in Gujarat. “My aunt saw a tractor on the farm and wanted to drive it,” Dr. Sumella said with a smile. “I tried to dissuade her, but she was adamant. It turned out that a woman on the farm was growing okra (ladybugs). She was ready to let her drive. Not only that, but she made a meal of fried okra and Dal, feed us and let us hit the road.”
However, due to some tensions, these women have encountered obstacles in Rajasthan. “Just as we were about to arrive, a curfew was announced, limiting Wifi,” Lathifa said.
“So, we decided to divert through Delhi.”
photos provided
Eventually, when the women arrived in Kashmir, they were pleasantly surprised when they were stopped by soldiers and asked to take a selfie. “There are a lot of soldiers from Kerala,” Latifah said. “When they saw our license plates, they stopped to chat with us and asked to take pictures. I think we reminded them of home in some way.”
From there, they headed to Leh, where they took the Khardungla pass before heading to the airport to return to the UAE. “We all need to get back to work,” Dr Sumella said.
“Rejila’s family arrived in Leh to send her back to Kerala.”
These women admit that their most important support comes from their families. “While my husband and uncle were initially skeptical, once we started, they gave us 100 percent support,” Dr. Sumella said.
The women had been keeping in touch via WhatsApp with several other people they met along the way. “Several women we met in the village wished they could travel like this,” Latifah said.
“We can’t take them away, but we hope we can be their role model. Right now, we’re busy planning our next trip together.”
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