BackWhat To Do On The Highway, according to Rocky And Mayur
Rocky and Mayur, co-hosts of Highway On My Plate, on what travel means for them
Premium(Rocky Singh)
Co-anchors of the popular television show Highway on My Plate, Rocky Singh and Mayur Sharma talk to Mint Indulge about their travel experiences. Edited excerpts:
What does travelling mean to you?
At different times, travelling means different things. Some journeys are journeys of exploration where we will look at specific destinations and travel there for a specific purpose: for example, Rishikesh for the river rafting, Rajasthan for the off-roading, Uttarakhand for the trekking, etc. At other times, travelling is a getaway...a step aside from daily life (no matter how enjoyable it may be), and a chance to look at something new, to breathe in a different aroma, to let our eyes meander across new vistas, our ears hear a different accent, our palate experience different tastes. And sometimes, we travel just to travel…we hop into a train, plane or automobile and set off in no particular direction with no particular agenda… Just the will to wander and explore what the next corner is hiding from our view.
Travel is a journey, an experience, a delight, a challenge, an opportunity “to wonder as you wander!"
How did it start?
We have been friends since 1976, and since the late 1980s, we have been travelling on the roads of India in Rocky’s car often on a whim. Many times we would be sitting somewhere and a place, an image or a memory from childhood would prompt Rocky to say “Let’s go!" and we would just jump into his car and set off with no real plan in mind.
Our love for travel was nourished by a desire to see more, do more, live more and, of course, eat more.
What preparations do you do before travelling?
We make sure we don’t forget our toothbrush. Preparations for travel depend on the purpose of the journey. If it’s for the show, then travel is backed by detailed research on the destination and places only for points of interest and eateries that offer an authentic experience of the regions’ cuisines.
If it’s travelling for the fun of it, then it’s more of arriving at a place and exploring it through conversations, questions and experiencing it real time. Speaking to people who live in a place is the best way of discovering hidden gems that guidebooks will not talk about. Most people in most places are delighted to share their knowledge of the area and will often invite you along to experience it with them.
Jaisalmer is just one such place that has become even more special because instead of just the local camel safari, we have been able to visit the village of a camel herder to really see how they live in harmony with what is a fairly harsh environment. Sitting in a hut eating freshly prepared food redolent with fresh, locally sourced ingredients and water drawn from a well as you chat with your host about life and living is an unforgettable experience!
We both read a lot, so books are always packed. Rocky’s crazy about taking pictures of food, birds, etc., so cameras are thrown in. A bottle of single malt is always tucked away somewhere in case of a celebration.
How do you pick and choose a destination?
We throw darts at a map of India. That’s our version of a “point of interest"!
Really though, for the show the destinations are picked to fit into a route planned for the purpose and, more importantly, for what they will offer as unique experiences to share with our viewers. We focus on experiences that will really give a flavour of the region or city, and the true beauty of India is that each region has so much to offer in terms of unique micro-cultures, be it in dress, interactions, experiences or flavours. There are amazing spices, styles of preparation, and even the correct way to partake of delicacies particular to a region. Recently, when shooting for an episode in the Sunderbans mangrove forest area of West Bengal, we tucked into a very basic meal of rice, chicken, vegetables and dal while sitting in the shade of a tree in the very fields where the rice is grown in season.
What made it special was the smoky flavor of the food cooked on firewood in an outdoor oven made entirely out of dried mud/clay from the riverbank. Experiences like that really drive home the point of how important it is to get away from cities once in a while to enjoy the silence, clean air and a slower pace of life.
Personal travel more often than not is about going to places that offer experiences we are partial to. Trips to wildlife reserves like Ranthambore and destinations in the mountains are as favourite as are trips to places like Kerala and Lucknow that are home to “powerhouse cuisines". Mayur enjoys trekking at high altitudes and has challenged himself with treks and climbs to Mt Kilimanjaro and parts of South-East Asia. He is really excited about his upcoming 18-day trek in Bhutan this April.
Rocky loves scuba diving and will be diving in South-East Asia this year.
What are your best and worst memories of travelling?
The best bit about travel is the memories of things seen, people met, food eaten, and even the challenges faced and overcome. Given that we have spent many years enjoying travelling, including 150-200 days every year, the memories are too numerous to even start putting down. But here goes...
Going to the Sunderbans has been a childhood dream and it came true on our “Coast to Coast" series on air now. Anywhere where I can collect memories in my cameras is awesome. I have over 40,000 images of Indian food, festivals, armed forces and, above all, over 400 species of birds all photographed while we were shooting.
A memory that stands out is visiting an ashram in Kullu where the guru and his disciples from all over the world were great fans of the show and each had made something for us to taste. The warmth of the place and great food we had there made this a great memory. Travelling is a state of being, an outlook. There are many tough memories, but they all made the trip what it was, and so there are no bad memories. Anyhow, life’s too short for bad memories, so keep only the happy ones and let the bad ones go. We do.
Another fantastic memory on the show (and that is a HARD one to pick from a cup that runneth over!) has been the drive from Manali to Leh and the time spent in Ladakh. Everything about this fabulous region is unique and it will literally take your breath away (it’s 11,500ft above sea level and the air is rarefied). It’s a land where time slows down. If you want to know what we mean, then just take a look at images of the Pangong Lake. The red-and-gold low-lying hills bring the brilliant hues of blue and green in the water into sharp focus and will bring you a sense of calm in an instant. Go on, try it!
We stayed at a campsite by the lake and enjoyed conversations with a series of interesting (and interested) fellow travellers from India and the world over. We did not look at a watch even once those few days, ate when we were hungry, slept when we were tired, and spent hours sitting silently staring at nothing. Aaaaah, life!
Can’t really think of a worst moment. Incessant travel and time away from the comforts of home can be hard on the body, but the mind and soul are soothed by the life less ordinary and the stomach just loves the adventure of trying something new EVERY DAY.
What tips would you like to give to a frequent traveller?
Keep it frequent. When we travel, we pack a big bag of curiosity (and varied snacks) and the comfort of knowing that the plan (or lack thereof) will evolve as we amble along. A sense of timelessness, the ability to really get lost in experiences along the way, and the realization that all things that happen all the way are a part of the journey if you can laugh it all off. What is there in your bag, O traveller?
Practically, carry your own glass and plate if you’re eating on the road. Wash it yourself. Clean water is essential, a flashlight, a lighter, Swiss Army knife, stash of reserve cash, insect repellant, sun block, dark glasses, cameras, binoculars, small medical kit with medicine for cuts and scrapes, headaches, bad stomach, sore throat, and a notepad to make notes. The rest is negotiable. Last word: never underestimate the power of fresh underwear.
It’s a general perception that food becomes a big concern for a frequent traveller if he is a vegetarian. Is it a genuine problem?
Only if the cheese has been moved. I once sat at the summit of a mountain peak that I had struggled unto after 10 hours of hard trekking and ice-climbing and munched on an apple, a piece of bread and some rock-hard stale cheese. One of the nicest “meals" I have never had the good fortune to enjoy!
I travel to enjoy the diversity of our country and our planet and its people. If it means being away from the food I am used to, then it’s all good because it will encourage me to try different things and enjoy what there is to enjoy.
Vegetables I would never ever try at home become sources of delight just because they have been prepared differently, taste different, thanks to the spices (and the “hava-paani" of the region), or because of the people I am sharing the meal with. Besides, almost everywhere I travel, the basics such as rice, dal, bread, cheese, fresh vegetables and fruits are always covered. My most challenging food experiences have been in Nagaland (in response to my query on whether they enjoyed vegetables at all, a restaurant owner laughingly told me “sure we do because they add colour to our meat dishes") and Africa where I spent three days surviving on a bag of apples and a loaf of rye bread.
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
