Ford Endeavour
The route was a straightforward one and we followed the thumb rule for most travellers - 'leave early, reach early and avoid driving at night'; which is why we left Delhi at the 4am headed west on NH 24 towards Jaipur. We then proceeded towards Ajmer before entering Gujarat at Mount Abu via Sirohi and then turned on to a straight stretch of 450 km that led us directly to Bhuj.
It was over 1200 km one-way and we'd aimed at completing over 600-700 kilometres on the first day itself. The decision to do that long a distance cropped out of two things - the first being, there were all bachelors on board and the other was the Endeavour, which was turning out to be quite the car. We checked the tyre pressure before we left and this is crucial considering that the journey will take its toll on the tyres. But the Endeavour was composed throughout our highway adventure and when we allowed it to stretch its legs, it didn't disappoint.
Ford Endeavour Comes With a 2.2-Litre Diesel Engine
The 2.2-litre engine is composed and there's enough pulling power at your disposal from as low as 1600rpm, which makes overtaking a breeze. The automatic gearbox to reacts well to your throttle inputs and the commanding position you are seated in gives you a clear view of the road, which is good for you. Why? Well, driving across that path will take you through villages where the road is a means to an end which is why everything, right from people to animals ply on them caring a damn about which direction is the right one. So, the responsibility is up to the driver and thanks to the clear view the Endeavour provides, things get easier.
No matter how much you love driving it's always nice to have someone who can help with navigation and the quickest route is always the pick. Yes, you need both maps and a good co-passenger who takes care of the music as well. I was lucky that had two travel companions with me who kept me sane and alert throughout our journey. It also helps when the car provides you with features like navigation, CD player, Bluetooth, 2 USB ports and an Aux-In. With 10 speakers, on board, no matter what is on, it's always going to sound brilliant!
The roads in Rajasthan do not disappoint either. I travelled on the same route earlier this year and it was a welcome surprise to see most of the construction of a new road nearing completion. The new flyovers help you skip the crowded towns and villages and bad roads. But well, in an SUV, do you care about bad roads. Slight undulations on the road were dealt with ease and neither I nor my co-passengers (who were asleep most of the time) were disturbed by anything on the road. In fact, even the cushioning on the Endeavour was not too firm which is why you don't feel tired and that's a big plus. The looks of the Endeavour are a big plus too and this is obvious considering the number of people ogling at it as we went past their cars. There was no dearth of the crowd around the car either when we stopped for lunch or snacks. But we dreaded to step out of the car, why? Because it was 46 degree Celsius out there and we were quite comfortable in the dual-zone climate control, heavenly cabin, but our stomachs growled and we accepted defeat.
Day 2 Started With a Surprise Visit to the Kandla Port
We halted in the town of Palampur for the night at the nice unknown property called Balaram Palace & Resort were popular movies like Sooryavansham have been filmed. Both Rajasthan and Gujarat highways have some decent road-side dhabas to please your taste buds and make your trip worthwhile. With our stomachs filled, it was time for the Endy and us to rest.
As the sun God woke up, so did we and our Day 2 started with a surprise visit to the Kandla port. This was the first time I had a chance to jump aboard a ship and sail around the famous port which is known to export cars that are made in India. Unfortunately, we did not get the required permission to take the Endeavour there. Oh well, there is always next time!
Kandla Port
Trying to get the permission to enter Kandla port left us with no time to visit the Rann of Kutch but that didn't dampen our spirits. To witness the workings of the port was fantastic and we braved the strong gusts of the wind that threatened to blow us away. I am sure the Endeavour wouldn't bat an eyelid here and that's reason enough to bring it back to the desert. We covered more than 2400 km in 4 days and while our respective family members, peers and colleagues told us that it must have been exhausting; it wasn't really. The Endeavour hadn't gasped for breath and neither had we. Though we thank each other for the wonderful company, I think I could have done away with the other two and just be alone with the Endy and I am sure that the big burly SUV wouldn't mind!
