“Dirt is my makeup and traveling my passion. Motorcycle isn’t a means of transport but an ideology, a nomadic way of life. My journey was full of adventure and I learned a lot in eight days of Kashmir to Kanyakumari solo bike ride. I found love and respect everywhere.”
Sameer Ahmad Dar, a resident of Sopore in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district recently came back from his expedition of Kashmir to Kanyakumari (K2K). He claims to be the first Kashmiri to go for a solo bike ride from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.
Ten years back, he owned a Hero Splendor and travelled almost all the districts of Jammu and Kashmir, other states of India but his dream was to go for a ride up to Bhutan and Nepal. He got his Royal Enfield Classic 350. With no friends or bikers around, Bhutan and Nepal expedition became a distant dream. But Sameer didn’t give up. He focused on Kashmir to Kanyakumari bike ride.
His journey to achieve this feat was full of problems yet adventurous. It all started on 7th July, 2018. Sameer after assurance from many friends to accompany him on this voyage said that none among them actually turned on the fixed date. He convinced a friend and took him along up to Delhi, in order to assure his family that he isn’t alone on this expedition but that friend too left him at Samba.
“Through facebook, personal contacts I tried to convince people to accompany me on this voyage. Few friends showed their interest but at the last moment, none among them actually turned up. At the last moment, I took along a friend to convince my family that I am not alone. I started my journey on 7th July and within 8 days I was in Kanyakumari,” he said.
A post graduate in Islamic Studies, Sameer is managing a coaching institute at Sopore for earning. Sameer believes that to be on the road is to experience freedom. He says being on the road gives you the opportunity to experience new places; new cultures and getting exposed to new cultures changes your perspective towards the world.
“Kashmir to Kanyakumari trip on the road is an undeniably mammoth trip to take, but imagine how much you can learn first-hand. Meeting people of different areas, different cultures enrich your view about the world. K2K is a dream for every biker,” he said.
On his solo trip to Kanyakumari, he passed through Srinagar, Ludhaina, Delhi, Jaipur city, Ajmer, Mount Abu, Ahmedabad, Vadoodra, Surat, Mumbai, Hubli, Mumbai, Bangalore and many other places.
With a Royal Enfield (Classic 350), no GPS and no bike tool kit this passionate biker travelled some 5080 kilometers in 8 days. He plans for long distance expeditions in near future. He now eyes on Golden Quadrilateral, All India Tour, Nepal, Bhutan and Thailand.
Sameer is married, with two kids and parents but his family never comes in his way of fulfilling his passion. He said that in all these years he travelled to many places on bike but the support of family is must.
“Travelling made me modest. As a biker, you need highest degree of patience. Control your anger, control your emotions and you will succeed. At times, you just want to sit down, pack bags and move back but then patience makes you to triumph,” he added.
With solo trip up to Kanyakumari, he said that while in group you don’t enjoy much and are bound by certain rules and regulations. Solo trip is the best. You are captain of your own destination.
Narrating an interesting story about different cultures, Sameer said that people of South India are very much cooperative and helpful. Travel and you will find what humanity actually means.
“We always brag about our hospitality but in Trivandrum during a late evening ride, I asked for directions from another biker. Unfortunately, I took a wrong direction and travelled some 40 minutes. Far away I watched a single light chasing me, scaring me. He zoomed past and stopped me at a no man’s land. It frightened me. The biker told me that you took a wrong direction. Please take this route and I found him the same person who asked me to take a certain route. This gesture retained my faith in humanity.”
Sameer has a message for young passionate bikers! Drive but don’t fly. Your life is valuable; don’t lose it in rash driving and stunts. Travel a lot, introduce Kashmir to other cultures and make Kashmir proud.
