In the good old days, you traveled by foot or by bullock cart. These days we can travel a bit faster on the road, although you have to question that assumption at say Ghodbunder north of Bombay where the two arterial highways meet. I only spent an hour sitting on the road in Ghodbunder – not bad at all !!

In those days, you walked or rode on a bullock cart until you reached a river . There you camped looking for a way to cross it – perhaps a friendly boatman would ferry you across. If the crossing didn't seem possible, well, you just waited. Well, it’s not very different these days – it’s still one of the biggest of challenges to cross the Narmada in Gujarat. So I’ve stayed put on the banks of the river to avoid spending 2 hours in an almighty traffic jam.

The good old Golden Bridge across the Narmada is still there. Built in 1881, it is still the link between towns of Ankleshwar on the south bank and Bharuch on the north bank. In the days when it was built, it was probably designed for horse drawn carts ! Now vehicles whizz by. It’s a narrow bridge which can just about accommodate two Nanos side by side – and yet scores of SUVs go merrily by, defying all known laws of physics.

These days there is a new bridge on which the National Highway passes, a few kilometres upriver, but is the place notorious for traffic jams . Narmada can still not be tamed easily – Narmada Bachao Andolan ; please note.

I stood on the banks of the Narmada with a meditative look. Out came my cell phone and I managed just one click before the police waved me away – such is life these days that you cannot photograph any bridge in the world. The road leading to the river bank has a number of shacks, where the noevou riche of Bharuch & Ankleshwar park their cars and have dhoklas or chaat or whatever. Today being today, there were also a few with stars in their eyes and holding hands – St. Valentinus seems to have had an effect even on small towns. As the sun came down , I wished them good luck silently and went back to get some dinner and shut eye.

It’s been another "put the hammer down"  day’s drive. By-passing two of the major cities of India – Pune and Bombay has been a tough ask. What a world away from stopping to let a few geese cross the road !

Today’s highway feature is the idiot who comes on the wrong side of the road on a dual carriageway . The two wheeler who is lazy to go look for a U turn – he is a death trap, for when he sees a gap in the median he will dart across – concepts of speed of approaching vehicle have no meaning to him. What about the truck bearing down on the wrong side with lights fully blazing on the edge of the road– he is just going to his favourite dhaba and so he poses no real harm ! The real killer is the tractor coming in the fast lane with no lights off in the dark – not his fault, for he has no lights at all and the rules of agriculture are that you generally go where you please. There is one common feature amongst all these nut cases – they are all coming at top speed, honestly don’t think they are doing anything wrong and if you hit them, the mob will lynch you because it’s your fault.

I have another day of driving before I reach my first intended port of call. Not sure of connectivity there ……  Shut eye beckons. Zzzzzz. Good night !