Driving is precarious at the best of times, and the Indian people have an interesting interpretation of the rules of the road. There are no rules. Or so it seems. Take a look at this popular video, and note the small white car that comes in from the top, against the traffic, about a third of the way through.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjrEQaG5jPM&w=420&h=315]

The city has a lot to offer, including the Naulakha Temple, and the largest oxbow lake in Asia can be found at the Kanwar Lake Bird Sanctuary. Understandably, the river plays a big part in the life of people here, and the threat of flooding has increased over recent years. It has to be said that heavy industry is everywhere here, and this is the modern mark of this city and region.

The nearby Naulakha Temple.

The river is the lifeblood of the region.

I ‘book’ into the Meera Motel to the west of the city. It is simple, but the people are very welcoming, and I don’t feel too safe parking up and sleeping in the camper tonight. The rooms are very quaint and sparsely decorated. I will get a good night’s sleep and plot my next route. Tomorrow, I head into Bangladesh.

Gurudwara Tarn Taran Sahib

Can you imagine how long it took to decorate this?

About half way there I pass over the river and around the Harike Bird Sanctuary to my left. Despite the fact that local industries dump huge amounts of polluted water and chemicals into the river, this area has been given a high quality rating. Over 200 species of bird visit these waters during the winter season, such as the Yellow-crowned Woodpecker and the Indian Skimmer. I have to say, the waters do not look that clean, and the river is the cause of some major flooding every year.

I cross the river three times by the time I get to Ludhiana as I criss-cross around the Punjab district. Entering the city I notice that this is mostly industrial, but many of it’s central area has a rich history and many victorian buildings, including the well-known clock tower. I ‘book’ a room in the Maharaja Regency hotel near the centre for £62. This is not bad for the city, but I could have booked something for less, but hey, I’m on holiday!