Cheruthoni: When friends and locals warned him that travelling from Kerala to Kashmir on a 1999-model scooter would be risky, Anzil remained undeterred. Now, after the 21-year-old, who runs a motorcycle workshop in Idukki, successfully completed the 3,800-km journey on his vintage Bajaj Chetak, those same friends and well-wishers are beaming with pride.

A native of Maniyarankudi and resident of Madolil House near School City, Anzil set off on December 28 from in front of the Idukki dam. Ten days into the journey, he reached Delhi. Along the way, he rested and slept at night by pitching a tent at petrol pumps and in populated areas.

“The cold in Uttar Pradesh was harsher than I expected,” Anzil recalled. In the days that followed, he rented rooms for rest and overnight stays. Five days later, he reached Punjab, where his journey on a 27-year-old scooter sparked curiosity among locals. Anzil said that in Punjab, he did not have to spend a single rupee on food or accommodation, thanks to the generous hospitality of the people he met.

After nearly 28 days on the road, his long-cherished dream of reaching Kashmir was fulfilled. Anzil has now extended his adventure further and is currently travelling towards Nepal.