British national drives SUV from London to Thane to meet his mother

Thane: British national of Indian origin, Viraj Mungale, has completed an extraordinary journey, driving his SUV from London to Thane to meet his mother.

The remarkable trip spanned 16 countries over 59 days, he said.

According to Mungale, he covered a distance of 18,300 km which took him through the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Tibet, Nepal, and finally India.

Along the way, he was accompanied by Nepalese friend Roshan Shresta up to Kathmandu, Nepal.

The inspiration for this adventure stemmed from his fascination with the historic Silk Route, coupled with stories of others who had undertaken similar journeys.

"I drove approximately 400-600 km per day, occasionally pushing up to 1,000 km, always prioritising safety by avoiding night driving," Mungale told select reporters over the weekend after he reached Thane on June 17.

Mungale said he took a two-month leave from his job and meticulously arranged permissions and legal clearances from each country he traversed.

Altitude sickness at 5,200 metres and extreme weather conditions including snow and cold were some of the challenges he faced in his journey.

Mungale said he would return to the UK by flight and ship his SUV.