35 days, 16,000 km: Techie completes London-Bhopal road trip after 2 years of planning; crosses 20 borders, spends Rs 1 crore

BHOPAL: A 42-year-old software engineer, Hukumchand Ratanchand Shah, completed a 16,000-km car journey from London to Bhopal in 35 days after two years of preparation and spending Rs 1 crore.

The trip was undertaken to celebrate the 79th Independence Day with his wife, children and in-laws in Bhopal. His friend, software engineer Abhijit Patil, accompanied him.The journey faced a significant setback when the travellers reached Nepal. A landslide blocked their route, forcing Shah to leave his car in Nepal and preventing him from continuing the final leg to Bhopal by road. He will undertake an additional 2,000-kilometre journey to retrieve it from Nepal to Mumbai."This journey was memorable. We travelled through 19 countries before reaching India. It was a years long dream of mine which has now been fulfilled," says Shah. His wife, Richa Shah, who works in a bank in London, had already reached Bhopal with the children. "My husband has done a wonderful expedition. We are proud on him," says Richa.Regarding his journey, Shah stated that his expedition was appreciated in all the countries.

"Everyone encouraged us a lot. We travelled for about 12 days in China and people there treated us with great respect," he adds.For the expedition, Shah bought a new car last year for around Rs 75 lakh. "Apart from the car, our travel expenses amounted to around Rs 35 lakh," Shah said.Hailing from Solapur in Maharashtra, Shah had undertaken several expeditions from Pune to Ladakh earlier in India.The total cost of this remarkable journey reached Rs 1 crore, making it one of the most expensive private road trips undertaken by an Indian citizen. Shah's journey is part of a growing trend of epic overland road trips between India and London. Several organised expeditions like "Road to London" have been taking place since 2017, typically covering over 16,000 kilometres across 20 countries in 50-65 days.These journeys represent the ultimate road trip adventure, combining cultural exploration, logistical challenges and personal achievement.Completing the journey independently, rather than as part of an organised convoy, makes Shah's achievement particularly noteworthy. The extensive preparation, significant financial investment and successful completion despite the Nepal setback demonstrate his remarkable dedication to this ambitious travel goal.