Although Khajjiar itself was beautiful and abundant in natural beauty, it was the drive to this place and back that fascinated me the most. It showcased for me the magnificence of the Himalayas. This was when the motive behind Honda’s ‘Drive to Discover’ made itself clear, showing us our country’s beauty that would leave us amazed and bedazzled.
The third day of the drive took us from Dalhousie to Chandigarh, a day when we were in for a few natural obstacles. About 25 kilometres away from Dalhousie, we came to a standstill for over three hours on account of a couple of landslides that had blocked the road. Driving through the rain with the fear of landslides looming large and a more than 500-foot deep valley just a few inches away from our wheels was one of the scariest experiences I had faced so far! Mercifully, the drive thereafter was not all that eventful until Chandigarh, where we had to replace a punctured tyre. Coincidentally, Bhanu, who was driving the backup Honda City, happened to take some other route within the city of Chandigarh and also had a punctured tyre at the same time. It was late evening by the time we reached our destination to finish the first leg of 560 km in the Honda City. 
The Honda ‘Drive to Discover’ indeed offered us the opportunity to discover some of the most breathtaking roads and magnificent vistas. In the process, it also made us aware of the tough life that people lead in the hilly regions up north. We also witnessed the Honda City doing its duty brilliantly well on every terrain, be it highways, narrow mountainous roads, rocky and wet hill sections and pothole-riddled roads in the remote areas. Comfort was in abundance and never did I have to worry about fatigue. With an overall fuel-efficiency of 14.6 km per litre of petrol, our admiration for the City went quite a few notches higher!
How I wish I could take part in the remaining drive to discover the rest of incredible India!
BLURB
Driving through rain and landslide-struck roads with a more than 500-foot-deep valley inches away from our wheels was a scary experience
CAPTIONS:
1.Jammu, the city of temples, is guarded my men with guns and sights like this one are common outside all military establishments
2. Dalhousie, perched atop high mountains, offers a panoramic view of the valley
3. The drive from Dalhousie to Khajjiar and back was enveloped in fog, except for a few seconds in the afternoon when we got a little sunshine
4. “Dalhousie ke budhha-budhhi kaise hote hain batao sabko,” said the lady
5. Narrow roads and dense forests made the drive delightful and adventurous
6. Khajjiar, also known as the mini Switzerland of India, is endowed with great natural beauty
7. The 81-foot tall Lord Shiva idol near Khajjiar. ‘Donations for construction will be accepted in the form of raw material only,’ says a signboard beneath
8. The sight was worth capturing while going towards Dalhousie.
9.(Right) However, the cliff gave way and the landslide held us up for over three hours on our way back
