The Great Driving Challenge | User Application

Deepa Baruah & Dhrubajyoti Baruah

Total Vote(s) : 146 | Total Testimonial(s) : 9

Hi there! We're Deepa and Dhruba. Originally from Assam, Delhi's our adopted home. I'm in the publishing industry and he's with a B2B company. Our journey began 11 years ago as co-workers. A year later we decided to walk the rest of the way as partners-- sharing the drives through narrow bye-lanes and wide highways, negotiating the sharp curves, speed breakers, potholes and what-have-you---sometimes zooming along at 80kmph and sometimes at a sedate 20. Coming from a defence background, travelling runs in the blood. A love for the road and a spirit of adventure transform an otherwise humdrum existence into an exciting journey. Flying is not half as exciting. Car travel allows you to stop at will whenever the mood takes you. Yes, it does slow you down, but if you don't have the time to 'stop and stare' at the beauty around you, you may as well stay at home! Signs like ‘BETTER BE LATE THAN THE LATE’, ‘MEN AT WORK’, ‘BLIND TURN AHEAD’, ‘JAAT RISKY AFTER WHISKY’ have become a part of our lives. Not for us the crowded places teeming with hordes of tourists. We prefer to visit places in the off-season. While 'he' does most of the driving, 'she' plays the role of navigator-cum-map reader-cum-speed breaker-cum-blogger. Luckily, Delhi's location allows us to take off ever so often for a breather. Our motto, since last year especially, seems to have become: Have long weekend? Will travel! Just take the car and ...vrrooomm! Is it any wonder that our blog is called travelhungrysouls.com? It's got to such a point that friends who see us around for more than a month or so often ask us: "Where to next?" Die-hard mountain fans that we are, last year alone we covered Parwanoo, Rishikesh-Devprayag, Kufri-Shimla-Mashobra, Dehradun-Mussoorie-Dhanaulti, Kullu-Manali-Rohtang Pass, Lansdowne, Corbett-Ranikhet! All of this in our little Spark LT! This year, so far we've done Kaziranga and Goa (not by car, though). The most recent trip was to Manali (yes, again) and Manikaran with a friend and our god daughter. Even if we don't make it here come August, you're sure to find us somewhere on the road. Raring to go yet again!

We are the best candidates because...

we love travelling and being on the road--soaking in experiences that different places have on offer. An unknown road ahead, the wind beside you, the song of the road in your ears--what more can one ask for? We try and preserve the memories of our trips in our words and pictures and share them with others. Since both of us take turns at driving, no road is too long for us! We're not here for the money, we're not here for the fame...just for the love of it. Too short a life...so many places to see...so little time....

Our Travel Plan

Our route will be all the way along the coastline – from Mumbai to Cochin and back to Mumbai. I believe the route Mumbai - Pune - Kolhapur - Hubli - Ankola - Kumta - Honnavar - Bhatkal - Kundapur - Udupi - Mangalore - Kasaragod - Cochin is the best. Of course due to the rains there might be slight last-minute changes.

Our Travelogue

Apart from two official trips to the US and Bangkok which were well-planned, our trips are generally of the last-minute variety. The scenario is usually like this: "Long weekend coming up...let's go somewhere." "But where?" Browse net for "weekend getaways", shortlist places (usually hills/mountains), argue, make a few calls, argue some more, make bookings, and off we go! We're not professional photographers but we often stop to transfer some of the beauty around us onto our simple digital camera. Whether it’s the swift-flowing waters of the Ganga at Rishikesh, the blooming flowers at Timber Trail, Parwanoo, the cloud covered valley at Kufri, the droplets of rain clinging to leaves and flowers at Mashobra, the tall pines at Dhanaulti, monkeys sitting atop a fort at Jaipur, a mother rhino with her young one in the early morning mist at Kaziranga, Ruskin Bond posing obligingly in a book shop in Mussoorie, the awesome beauty of Rohtang Pass, or the setting sun at Vagator beach, Goa…the list is long. Very often, other than the planned trip from Delhi to destination A, B and C are thrown in at the drop of a hat, and bookings/enquiries are made en route. One such trip that stands out is the one we made to Kufri in August 2008. Although we’d made bookings for two nights, we ended up spending the second night in Mashobra instead. We did Shimla on the way back home. The longest drive we did in a day was our return journey from Manali in Oct 2008. We did Hidimba temple in the morning (around 7.30), came back to Manali Cottages for breakfast, set off around 9.45 am at a leisurely pace, stopping frequently on the banks of the sensational river Beas flowing along the most picturesque highway we’ve ever seen. We managed to do an hour’s rafting at Katrain and some dry fruit shopping at Aut on the way. The next stop was at an awesome place which had a very Jurassic Parkish feel about it. So by the time we left the Kullu valley, it was close to 1 pm. We drove the rest of the way non-stop, halting only for lunch and dinner and were back in Delhi around 1 am. Not all the places we've stayed in during our trips have been pleasant experiences, but when on the road, unpredictability's the name of the game. And that is exactly the ingredient that makes travelling so spicy, wouldn't you agree?

Siddharth

Deepa and Dhruba are two travel-hungry souls... the busiest roving birds I know... any weekend or holiday ... u call them to plan out something... and chances are they are somewhere in the Corbett or near the Nathula Pass... You can often spot them in Goa, Manali and every possible tourist spot in Uttaranchal or Himachal... One afternoon.. I had Dhruba calling me up from Tawang in Arunachal to give me a weather update... Deepa has probably ridden every elephant at Kaziranga National Park... uff its an endless list guys... let these restless souls escape...

Sandip Chhettri

Dhruba and deepa as a couple and team complete each other in every way. The one thing they like in weekends is to pack their bags and start travelling and begin exploring new places in their small little Spark. Dhruba which i feel inspired by some religious guru from haridwar with his beards on...has truly been bitten by the travel bug and loves talking and writing about his travels. Here they get an opportunity to showcase their talent and passion for driving, photography and writing skills, I am sure they'll work wonders on this challenge. "KORBO LORBO JEETBO RE"

Saurabh Gupta

The best part about working with Dhruba is that we get to hear about exciting and exotic places which he goes with Deepa. The pics he clicks are really cool. I wish him and Deepa luck that they may win and also encourage them to visit even more places.

Rituparna Kakati

It's actually very frustrating that every time I call Dhruba, he and Deepa are off to some cool place in either Himachal or Uttaranchal and here I'm fighting the Delhi heat. But the heights was when he and Deepa went to Kufri in the monsoons last year with landslides all around Himachal. The best part about Dhruba is that he has a cool head...while I called him during that trip to say that it was a mistake to go in such a time, all he said coolly was that he had seen a live landslide where had to remove branches of the tree that had fallen across the road and zoom past as loose soil and stones were rolling down the mountain. Crazy! But when later you see the pics I wish I was there too...must have been very exciting.

Subin Natarajan

Hi Everyone. Dhurba happens to be my classmate since my early school days. Was known to be a very naughty boy in our lot. Days have gone by. He has become a very mature traveller who is very interested in Tourism. These traits go well with my kind. Our wave lengths meet to a very large extent. Myself again a keen enthusiastic person who is never tired of driving - be it my earlier 800 or the current WagonR or anything available with a steering on four wheels. I do envy Dhurba and Deepa on their milestones which I could not persue due to my kind of life as on date. But nevertheless I will catch up with them soon... It's not too far now... ... Wish Dhurba and Deepa may more milestones to raise the bar for me. Good Luck.

Uzma Rehman

We usually tease Dhruba that he must be a truck driver's helper in his last life. Because he didn't get to drive in his past life, he is making up for the lost time now. Really, both Dhruba and Deepa are always on the road - today going to Manali, another day to Jaipur. Once when he had bought the Honda City, he even went to Jaipur just to have dinner...unbelievable! But the photographs they click are really awesome! I know they are participating in this challenge because they know they will be able to travel again, more than anything else. I wish them lots of luck!

Farha

Both Dhruba and Deepa are literary travelers. They are always on the move. They are out to explore different places, be it beaches, deserts or the hills. Dhruba is a foodie and his love for food complements with his passion to travel. Deepa loves to shoot, well with camera of course! They are the perfect travel guides for anyone. If you are planning a holiday, get in touch with them - they can advice the best. They always share their travel experiences through their blog and the way they use the words to paint the whole journey / tour is commendable. That's why I called them literary travelers. As a couple they are perfectly in sync with each other. I wish them all the luck for this great Indian driving challenge. May they come out with flying colors.!

Arabinda Das

Great !!!! wish you a grand successful drive

ANUJ CHETIA

Have known Dhruba since our school days. He is the (only maybe!!) rolling stone i know who gathered moss & a beard. Our trip fresh out of school to Tuensang in Nagaland with two other friends, was a remarkable one week. That was probably in the early nineties. Remember the tumble of rocks in one of the most dangerous landslide spots just a second after our Gypsy crossed. The best part about Dhruba is that he is an entertainment package... the famous prankster in school!!! Although after we started working and subsequently got married we were geographically distanced, we always stayed in touch and I envy his trips to various places in and around Delhi and the North-east. Now that they are embarking on a new challenge, my best wishes are with both Dhruba and Deepa. Good that you guys are able to do what you like...enjoy the OUTDOORS! Get...set...go...make us proud!

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