By Zaffar Abbas BBC correspondent on the Lahore-Delhi bus

As we left the Pakistani city of Lahore on the first bus service to the Indian capital, it was quite clear that this was not going to be an ordinary ride.

A grand send-off had been organised by the authorities as we set off, escorted by police cars, in heavy rain.

Nadeem Sajjad is taking his daughter Noor for medical treatment

The atmosphere inside the bus is very relaxed and like a carnival.

Excited passengers chatted amongst themselves but stopped at the magical moment when we crossed into Indian territory.

Calls were made to the bus staff to switch to Indian music on the stereo system, to mark our entry into India.

Many Indians had lined the road leading from the border post into India, waving at us.

Despite the time it took to complete immigration and customs formalities, everyone was very friendly and there was no sign of hostility.

As we drive towards Delhi, we are constantly been made to feel very special.

This is the best thing that has happened in my life Bus passenger

At every halt, local officials have arranged food and drinks - all on the house.

There is a huge security presence, with police escort cars in the front and rear of the bus, but no one is very concerned.

Hope

Most of the 28 passengers are journalists but there are quite a few ordinary travellers.

For some of them, this journey is a very critical one.

Pakistani Nadeem Sajjad is travelling with his wife and their ailing two-year-old daughter Noor Fatima.

She has a hole in her heart and doctors in Pakistan had recommended that she be sent to the Indian city of Bangalore for medical treatment.

Police escorted the bus out of Lahore

Nadeem had been making arrangements to travel to India via Dubai but was delighted when the bus service was announced because it presented a quicker and cheaper alternative.

"This is a good first step and we hope it will translate into something bigger and a real rapprochement is possible between the two countries," he told the BBC.

Zubeida Sultana, an Indian national living in Saudi Arabia, was visiting Pakistan to meet her relatives when she too heard the announcement of the bus service.

She made a quick decision to go home and bought a ticket.

"If this [service] continues it will be the best way for my relatives to travel between the two countries," she said.

"Most of them cannot afford to fly."

Another woman, who was an Indian national until 1993, said had the bus service not started it would be impossible for her to travel to India.

"This is the best thing that has happened in my life."

Media frenzy

Besides the emotions and the sense of hope that surrounds this trip, there is also the constant presence of the media.

In Lahore, before we set off, there were more journalists to see off the passengers than family and friends.

As we approached the Wagah border, which is the only land crossing between the two countries, two dozen journalists and camera teams surrounded the bus.

But the real media frenzy was apparent when we crossed into India.

Nearly 50 journalists had gathered on the road to film us entering Indian territory.

At every stop, they board the bus looking for people to interview.