Author(s): Vanessa Able

Travel Narrative

What does it take for one woman to drive 10,000km around India - a land where bullock carts vie for space with SUVs on eight-lane super-highways, where GPS systems fail to give directions, and where a blessing from the gods is considered better road insurance than safer driving? As Vanessa Able learnt, all it takes is a little bit of gumption, a whole lot of patience, and the world's cheapest car - the Tata Nano. From the gleaming towers of Mumbai to the badlands of Hampi, the croissants of Pondicherry and all the way down and back round again, Vanessa's little yellow Nano takes her on a voyage of discovery. En route, she learns the unwritten rules of horn and full-beam etiquette, of vehicle pecking order, and what to do when the SH11T hits the fan. She also finds love, in the form of red-headed American, and occasional reluctant co-driver, Thor. Richly entertaining, Never Mind the Bullocks is an adventure unlike any other. Filled with wisdom gleaned from the dusty highways - where 'speed thrills but kills' - it is an ode to the road, and to the unparalleled, often chaotic experience that is driving in India.