The
main theme of the drive itself has been nostalgia and in keeping with it many
classic cars had registered for the event, not just for the pageantry, but the
adventure itself. All five classic cars (1963 VW Beetle, 1968 VW Beetle, 1963
Fiat Select 1100, 1957 Fiat Elegant and a 1972 VW Westfalia) that registered
for the event, competed the drive successfully.
Hassan
Hussein, a vintage car collector who bought and restored his 1972 VW Westfalia
four years back, said that from the moment he heard about the drive he knew he
wanted to test his van in the mountains. "To be honest, the van has
actually never driven anywhere more than 100km at a stretch," he grinned.
"Which always used to claw at me. I think the purpose of this iconic
vehicle has always been to serve its owners with long comfortable journeys, and
finally I can say that having come up to the Himalayas, it has served its
purpose."
Hussein's
co-driver Rhea Suresh Rao admitted that while they hadn't anticipated some
small problems of the terrain and the journey, overall she never doubted the
car's capability to negotiate arduous climbs. "The cold and the general
lack of temperature control was a bit rough on us, but that is a great lesson
for next time."
"And
hey, it's all worth it, when we look back at what we've done," Hussein
quipped. "Someday I'll tell my kids what a cool thing we did in the
mountains, and we will have all these beautiful pictures shot by the
organisers, to prove it," he added.
Darshan,
a vintage car collector from Kolkata who took part in the drive with two
friends, said he'd been sceptical when he saw the 'classies' at the starting
line. "But "now I swear, it's given me confidence. Maybe next year
I'll get my MG (Magnette, 1955) for this," he smiled.