The Great Driving Challenge | User Application

Vincent Jose & Shweta Gurani

Total Vote(s) : 107 | Total Testimonial(s) : 4

Vincent Jose & Shweta Gurani (Partners for life) are ardent travel buffs. Vincent works as a Software sales Professional whereas Shweta heads a company which is into ERP Implementation. We both are fond of driving (not particularly in cities, though) and traveling by road. We both have traveled to most of North Indian Hill stations on weekend getaway trips. Love & admire nature and its clinical effects on a routine life.

We are the best candidates because...

We are the type who can pack their bags at the shortest notice and hit the road whenever we want to break free of our routine. We have thoroughly enjoyed such trips and they have turned out to be the most fruitful and memorable of journeys. Not that we haven't encountered hostile situations but we have overcome them all with a smile and a solution and have emerged all the more richer in experience. We would go to the extent of saying that this zest for travel binds us into the best of friends.

Our Travel Plan

Since the starting point is Mumbai we intend to drive to Ooty via Goa, Karnataka & Kerala. This way we will be scaling around 1100 Kms across 5 states. En route we plan to venture into the scenic state of Kerala and stop by at locations in Goa & Karnataka. This will help us scale the stipulated 3000 Kms as well as provide us with ample material for the travelogue.

Our Travelogue

We have driven extensively across the North Indian Hill Stations and National Parks ranging from Mussoorie, Almora, Hrishikesh, Shimla, Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary and Jim Corbett National Park to name a few. One of the most exciting trips we recall is the one we took to Sariska which is a Wildlife Sanctuary near Alwar in Rajasthan. Its around 250 Kms from Delhi and reaching the lake palace after sundown through wild winding roads had a unique thrill attached to it. Though we did not spot any tigers it was fun to paddle boat on the lake and trek to a small Hanuman Temple on top of a hill in the middle of the jungle. The best part was that there was no mobile network in the vicinity at that time (not sure if it's any better now) and we didn't have to bother about charging our phones. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Another instance we can never forget is the Diwali of 2006. Shweta had gone to her hometown, Almora (350 Kms from Delhi) for the festival. We desperately wanted to be together that Diwali but circumstances wouldn't allow us to. One day before Diwali, around midnight, I decided that I had to be with her on Diwali day, at least, and set off for Almora. (Celine Dion wouldn't stop singing "I drove all night", all night, on the stereo). Shweta was rather shocked than surprised to see me the next morning and a bit worried too as I had to drive back the same day to join office the very next day. We had the best date ever that afternoon and after a few hours of rest I set off late in the afternoon to reach Delhi around midnight. By far that has remained the most memorable Diwali for both of us. Love makes you do crazy things, doesn't it? In my case, it made me drive 700 Kms in 24 hrs. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Plenty of such impromptu trips ensued and many such experiences followed. We still cherish the memories and have captured a few in form of photographs and memorabilia collected from the places visited. For us the journey never ends..........!!!

Gagan

vincent v = very i = intelligent n = naughty c = caring e = energetic n = nice t = talented

MItali

Hi....it would b nice 2 u as part of this challenge..Best Of Luck.

Anish

Having known Vincent ever since his childhood days, I can vouch for his hunger for adventure. Extreme survival instincts & strategic strength makes them a killer couple.

safia

If i was to describe Vincent i wud say, a lanky fellow, with a crappy sense of humour and an equally bad timing, who's forever to be found strutting around in the entire office. However, as i have been specifically instructed to not write a thesis on him, i'll just have to pen him down in one word "BUGGER". Oops!!!! i meant "DYNAMITE"! Jokes apart, he is one person who has certain qualities i would die to have (n there are only few who have this admirable persona which can leave you in awe). Has a "killer voice" (only being sweet) and has this blissful and unblemished outlook towards life and problems which leaves one wondering "why we so serious?". In this almost two years of association, one more thing i have come to admire about him is his quality of letting things be the way they are or rather letting things slide and moving on. I have never seen him linger on to stuff that are of no consequence to him. Very easy going dude with a devil-may-care attitude. Such people are only custom made and very rarely to be found ( this short line is about the author [me] considering, i can see so much in people, so readers please dont confuse it with Vincent. To be frank he is so-so). :) :) :) :) :) :)