Gurdeepak Kaur, a 73-year-old a retired teacher and solo woman traveler from Chandigarh, asserts her ideology when she says age and fear have no place in her life.
What inspires you to still travel solo at the age of 73?
It is not my intention to travel solo. But I find it so much easier and satisfying. I don’t have to rely on anyone. Although I am quite social and people enjoy being around me, I appreciate my time alone. I enjoy my company a lot. Besides that, my husband isn’t fond of driving or travelling too much, so I decided to follow my passion alone. Why wait for anyone? Just do it! I rode a scooter alone from Jalandhar to Chandigarh, five decades ago, when the roads were bad and there were no mobile phones.
I do it because its what I want. If I have to travel, I travel and don’t get bogged down by what others may think. Travelling allows me to meet new people, see new places and it clears my mind. I am always in motion, never static.
Tell us about your first solo long-distance drive?
I used to drive from Chandigarh to hill stations in the vicinity. But one of the first long-distance trips I took was a solo drive from Chandigarh to Bangalore to meet a friend who had suffered a personal tragedy. I drove to Delhi in my Santro and spent a night there with friends. The following day I drove to Ajmer. After a short break I left at noon for Udaipur. I drove 220 kilometres that day. I then went on to Ahmedabad and later Mumbai where I stayed with my daughter for five days. From there I went to Pune for a night. The next morning I left Pune around 6 am and reached Bangalore at night, having covered a distance of 860 kilometres.
I have travelled alone with my two-month old daughter and half a dozen bulky army trunks, from Chandigarh to Belgaum on a train. My husband was posted in Belgaum and I had to change trains twice. So, yes, I have been travelling solo for a long time.
What kind of roadblocks have you faced during your travels?
There was one time when I fell asleep at the wheel. On one of my road trips from Mumbai, somewhere after Ganganagar, I wanted to stop and catch up on a little sleep. I was looking for some shade to park the car. But before I could do that, I dozed off for a few seconds. When I opened my eyes, the car had rammed into a tree. It was a new car but the impact caused a lot of damage. I had to arrange for the mangled car to be pulled out. Fortunately I escaped without a scratch. That accident has not deterred me. Don’t let worries bog you down, do your best and seek help when in trouble.
What are your next travel plans?
I am planning to drive along the east coast of India and return to Chandigarh along the west coast. Starting from Chandigarh I would like to drive to West Bengal, cruise along the coast and make my way back through Gujarat. I’d like to drive around the world but the paperwork is intimidating.
How do you overcome the age barrier?
Age is just a number and it’s all in your mind. Unless your mind believes in something, you cannot do it. Things usually work out well. I don’t spend too much time contemplating outcomes. We are the creators of the work we have to do. Of course, some things are not within our control. But if you keep thinking you are old and unfit, that is the truth your body will accept. We can’t leave everything to chance. It’s not in my nature. Conquer your fears, conquer your mind and the world will be at your feet.