A journey of 18,000km across 23 countries with four cars. That is how the next two months will look for Kaushik and Debanjali Roy, as they take on a road trip of epic proportions from Kolkata to London. Seasoned road trippers, this will be the third cross-country trip for this duo from Chandernagore, and this time they will be joined by a group of like-minded travellers.
Titled ‘The Roadyssey’, the trip was introduced at an event at Hyatt Regency on August 3. This trip will be a tribute to the legendary bus route that ran from Kolkata to London over the course of 132 days from 1957 to the 1970s. Speaking to My Kolkata, Dr Debanjan Chakrabarti, Director, British Council, East and Northeast India, said, “A Facebook group continues to document the legendary bus trip between Kolkata and London. This is a fantastic idea, building upon its legacy, and I’m sure it will strengthen the relationship between Bengal and Britain.”
The Roys are hoping that their voyage will bring renewed interest in more such trips that traverse the boundaries between Hooghly and Thames.
The contingent, comprising 15 avid travellers, will leave from the City of Joy on August 24, and conclude their journey on October 25, with the cost amounting to Rs 13 lakh per person. This journey will see them passing through Nepal, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Czechia, Poland, Slovakia, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria and France before arriving in the UK.
The bus route from Calcutta to London was one of the longest such routes in the world Getty Images
Their grit has drawn praise from Madan Mitra, the president of Automobile Association of Eastern India. “This expedition is highly ambitious, and I am confident in their abilities. I wish they had undertaken it 40 years ago, so that I could have joined in too,” he said.
Some of the 15 travellers who will be going on the road trip with (second from left, first row) Madan Mitra, president of Automobile Association of Eastern India, at an event introducing The Roadyssey to the media
Kaushik and Debanjali are seasoned drivers, having driven to Iran in 2018, and Siberia in 2021 — both times with their two daughters. So, how do they live life on four wheels? My Kolkata caught up with them for a short chat about their road-trip adventures. Edited excerpts follow.
My Kolkata: How did the road trip bug bite you?
Debanjali Roy (DR): Both of us have always loved driving. Initially, our road trips were restricted only to India. We first envisaged an international trip in 2017. He (Kaushik) told me that one of his friends was coming down from Prague with his girlfriend… on a scooter! I kept thinking, ‘If they can do it, why not us?’ That’s what gave us the first push. Our older daughter was just four at the time, so we spent a solid year just planning the journey!
And what was that first trip like?
DR: We left from Chandernagore in 2018, and spent over seven months on the road, reaching Iran in 2019. From Azerbaijan, I returned to Kolkata with our daughter, while he went on to Iran, and shipped the car back from there. We travelled through 36 countries!
Kaushik Roy (KR): During the last stretch, I met someone in Iran, who told me to get in touch with his son, who lived in Tehran. I had planned to stay there in a hotel for a week. However, on the first day, his son came to my hotel, literally picked up my bag and said, ‘You cannot stay in a hotel while I am here’, and took me to his home. For a week, he didn’t let me spend a penny there!
Kaushik spent a week in Tehran living with the son of someone he befriended during his travels Shutterstock
What were your biggest takeaways from that trip?
DR: We had put all our earnings into that first trip and at several points, we ran out of money. Joto khorcha oi trip e korechi, amader teen-chaarte bari hoye jeto! (We could have bought three or four flats with the amount of money we spent on that trip!) However, Madan da (Madan Mitra, former transport minister and chairman of West Bengal Transport Corporation) was always there to help us out. Besides that, we also saw kindness from complete strangers. In a tiny corner of Poland, we needed to pay for the guest house, but our cards weren’t working. The only place that was accepting them was a shopping mall. The owner understood our situation and offered to let us pay by purchasing detergents equivalent to the amount.
KR: Our travels have taught us that there is no need to fear strangers or perceive other nationalities negatively. People everywhere are ready to help, and have nothing but love in their hearts. In Russia, the owner of the apartment we were supposed to stay at was going to take two hours to arrive, while we had reached the apartment. She couldn’t understand a word of English, and I couldn’t speak Russian. Someone on the road noticed that we were from India and struck up a conversation. They said, ‘You can’t be standing in the freezing cold for two hours with a young child!’ She took us to her home, made special Russian pancakes called blini for us, and even helped us communicate with the landlady in Russian.
Kaushik and Debanjali’s road trips are dotted with instances of kindness from strangers like the people in Russia who welcomed them into their home and made blinis (pancakes) for them and their daughter Shutterstock
DR: Trips like this also help break preconceptions people abroad have about Indians. When people like us engage with locals in new countries, we can show them that Indians are also peaceful and loving. Thus, when more travel enthusiasts from India undertake such trips, it can not only foster international tourism, but also encourage people from abroad to visit India.
KR: Tourism is the perfect way to boost international relations!
Debanjali with a representative from Turkey during the event at Hyatt Regency in Kolkata
What are your thoughts before you embark on your third such trip?
DR: At this point, I’m addicted to meeting new people from different walks of life. We’re also in touch with the people we met back in 2018, and are looking forward to reconnecting with some of them this time.
KR: We have also realised the virtue of patience. Long drives teach you the importance of keeping both your mind and body at peace. A 700km journey can seem very daunting on paper, but once you set out, it gradually comes within reach. Nothing helps you understand life like a long drive.
DR: It’s not just about travelling, but making the car a family space. When Kaushik drives, I charge all the electrical devices while providing care to our daughters. Some may call it adventure, and others may call it madness. But with every passing day on the road, our courage and confidence has gone up, as has the desire to explore. We know that we will persevere through any situation. Shob hoye jabe. (Everything will fall in place.)
