I
was on NH 45 driving from Trichy to Madras and had just paid the toll
at the first toll booth, I had not driven 100 Metres when I saw an
elderly male putting his thumb up and asking for a lift. I told my self
"imagine someone hitchhiking in India" and when i drove past him I
noticed that he looked rather gentlemanly. I told myself OK let me get
some company and pulled over about 70 metres away from where he stood,
the poor guy ran towards me.
Earlier in the morning I had been stopped by the police at Pudukottai asking to check my boot for money (election time and the police were checking for black money doing the rounds) so I asked him if he had any ID, to which he said "Yes a British passport" this seemed OK to me and I asked him to get in.
A few miles later he told me that he was an author and he had written a few books and that I could check him out in Google. He had apparently walked from China to India through Burma and had written a book on his travels through Burma which ended in three months prison in India.
So we got talking and I learned that he had studied at Yale and had graduated in law form Oxford.
In 1989 at the age of 56 he walked from China to India through Burma and came through in spite of great hazards. This travel resulted in a book which was an instant hit, the book is Amongst Insurgents - Walking through Burma.
At this moment he is hitchhiking in India to get material for his current book "Two Roads" this book will be an account of his travel into India 50 years ago and the same road as he sees it today.
He recounts that his first hike was to Mexico with USD 1.42 in his pocket when he left his father in a Hotel with a note that he was going away to Mexico.
At 76 and with lots of courage, determination and survival skills he is now hitchhiking his way across India and I am glad that our paths crossed and he has made the richer by allowing me to bring him into Madras in my car.
In the few days he spent in Chennai, I learnt so much from him. His spirit, enthusiasm and love for India is so infectious.
While we all dream of being adventurous and wanting to take off with a backpack and a little money to live a part of our life on the road Shelby does it and writes about it. I hope someday our paths will cross once again.
March 2011
The "Vagabond"Shelby Tucker and I
Earlier in the morning I had been stopped by the police at Pudukottai asking to check my boot for money (election time and the police were checking for black money doing the rounds) so I asked him if he had any ID, to which he said "Yes a British passport" this seemed OK to me and I asked him to get in.
A few miles later he told me that he was an author and he had written a few books and that I could check him out in Google. He had apparently walked from China to India through Burma and had written a book on his travels through Burma which ended in three months prison in India.
So we got talking and I learned that he had studied at Yale and had graduated in law form Oxford.
In 1989 at the age of 56 he walked from China to India through Burma and came through in spite of great hazards. This travel resulted in a book which was an instant hit, the book is Amongst Insurgents - Walking through Burma.
At this moment he is hitchhiking in India to get material for his current book "Two Roads" this book will be an account of his travel into India 50 years ago and the same road as he sees it today.
He recounts that his first hike was to Mexico with USD 1.42 in his pocket when he left his father in a Hotel with a note that he was going away to Mexico.
At 76 and with lots of courage, determination and survival skills he is now hitchhiking his way across India and I am glad that our paths crossed and he has made the richer by allowing me to bring him into Madras in my car.
In the few days he spent in Chennai, I learnt so much from him. His spirit, enthusiasm and love for India is so infectious.
While we all dream of being adventurous and wanting to take off with a backpack and a little money to live a part of our life on the road Shelby does it and writes about it. I hope someday our paths will cross once again.
March 2011
The "Vagabond"Shelby Tucker and I
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