The Great Driving Challenge | User Application

Danish Contractor & Leela Muthana

Total Vote(s) : 232 | Total Testimonial(s) : 14

Have Road… Will Drive!!! It started like that since I got a car and you’re gonna have to pry my fingers off the steering wheel to make it stop! Apart from being a habitual highway addict, I love traveling to places to experience their history and culture. I love being on the road; and even if it’s just a long drive on a lonely night I’m sure there’ll be stories to tell once I’m back! Heck, most of the interesting people I know are travelers! Which is probably why my partner in this challenge is a girl I have known for 10 years and through thousands of kms! We have traveled through hills and valleys and beaches and fog and heat and storm and rain and traffic! It’s been amazing! We’ve both been blessed with the opportunity to travel since we were born – our fathers’ were in the Army and the undying spirit of adventure running through our veins (and drama too :P) has been with us since we could say “road”! I am a 22 year old Software Engineer working at Gurgaon and Leela Muthana is a Business Advisory consultant, working in Bangalore. Our jobs are just a way of balancing our otherwise gypsy-like lives! I am a history enthusiast and look for it in every corner I set foot on. Leela is an animal lover and has an interest in the different customs or cultures we come across in our maddening odysseys. This is gonna be one heck of a road trip… just vote for us and you’ll see it on our blog! :D Leela's Blog:http://leelamuthana.blogspot.com/

We are the best candidates because...

Do we really need to answer this??? ;D The two of us together fuel each other’s fire… we’ve done crazy trips like crash our friends parties across the borders of another state… or drive for hours in the direction of nowhere, through trucks and highway traffic late at night just to shake off that dreary day at the office… or work all day, head for a salsa party, head for some head banging heart pounding music at purple haze, then head for a long 100 km drive in the opposite direction of our homes! Apart from unplanned drive aways, we’ve done some amazing planned holidays as well – we’ve been to 17 states in India and 12 countries around the world.We trek,we explore,we drive....and have recently done a pretty amazing 3370 kms drive all the way from Bangalore to Delhi... The weather,history,highway sighboards,dhabas,truck registration plates....just about anything excites us enough to hit the road .....We really shouldn’t be answering this question…;D kidding..

Our Travel Plan

We’ve been through half… we want to finish what we started! The Golden Quadrilateral. 5,669 kilometers of 4 to 6 lane roads, where driving below 120 kmph is a shame and at least 12GB of music is a mandate. It is a perfect road to try out the Mitsubishi Cedia and we can’t wait to attempt it! From Mumbai to Delhi through NH-8 / 76 / 79; Delhi to Kolkata through NH-2; Kolkata to Chennai through NH-5 and the last leg, back to Mumbai through NH-4 / 7 / 46. These roads tell you something about the cities, towns and villages it passes through. It’s extremely interesting to come up with insights into the varied customs across the country. We will take appropriate detours around the NH’s and visit the places around.... This trip will give a small glimpse of India - we like to call it the "The Taste of India" ... :) Doing this feat within 10 days is the biggest challenge but I’m so sure it’s not impossible…! Can’t wait to get on the road!! :D Vote people!! :D We cant do justice to the route, the plan or the thrill of this trip in this application....its not easy getting excitement on to paper.

Our Travelogue

ALBUMS: Filckr had a 100 MB limit so here are a few web albums: Mad Trip : ) -->http://picasaweb.google.com/leelamuthana/MadTrip442Km Bangalore to New delhi : --> http://picasaweb.google.com/danish.contractor.007/IndiaTripPicsI# A small collection of photographs for the Great Driving Challenge:http://picasaweb.google.com/danish.contractor.007/TheGreatDrivingChallenge# PLACES: New Delhi,Bangalore,Moscow,Accra,London,Paris,Shimla,Coorg,Wayanad,Pondicherry,Berlin,St Petursburg,Warsaw, Dresden,Stockholm,Leh,Srinagar,Jammu,Udhampur,Panaji,Bombay,Ajanta,Ellora,Calcutta,Kathmandu,Lucknow,Hampi,Ahmedabad,Aurangabad, Daman,Copenhagen,Alwar,Jaipur,Gurgaon,Chandigarh,Helsinki,Prague,Vienna,Dubai,Managlore,Mahabalipuram,Pune,Dandi,Manali,Deharadun, Mussorie,Nainital,Manipal,Munnar,Ooty,Aligarh,Alwar,Jhansi,Pathankot,Dharamsala,Patiala,Agra,Secundrabad,Mysore,Chikmaglur,Chamapaner, Yol,Kullu,Minsk, Tula,Kavalur, ....we could go on.... but you know what here's a teeny tiny window into our ever increasing nomadic lifestyle TRIPS :Danish and Leela have taken together (in 3rd person) : Bangalore- Hampi-Chikamaglur-Bangalore (2nd July 2009-6th July 2009) - This was a self driven road trip. Hampi was a destination that was on their lists for quite a while and they had to get Danish specially flown in from Delhi for this ;D! But he made it and they drove off one early thursday morning! They had done a trip from Bangalore to New Delhi (6th Feb 2009- 20th Feb 2009) - Again, this was a self driven road trip. Since Danish had taken a transfer to Gurgaon they drove his car back to Delhi from Bangalore over a period of 14 days - sightseeing along the way. Their stops were Goa, Bombay, Ajanta, Ellora, Aurangabad, Daman, Bharuch, Surat, Dandi, Chamapaner, Ahmedabad, Ajmer, Udaipur, Jaipur...! They updated a live blog and a map throughout the course of our 3370 Kms journey! Before that journey, they went from Bangalore to Coorg (1st Jan 2009 - 3rd Jan 2009) - Another self driven road trip. Last year they went from Bangalore to Wayanad (December 2008) - This road trip was awesome! Wayanad is beautiful! Their next trip was from Bangalore to Pondicherry (November 2008) - They took a bus and hired bikes there. Leela loved Auroville although Danish had a different opinion!!! Their craziest trip by far - The Mad Trip (March 2008) - One their most memorable trips from Bangalore was the "Mad Trip". After an early morning trek at Savandruga, they spent the entire day just following signboards - and clocked a whopping 422 Kms aimlessly wandering on the highways :) Their most unplanned and spontaneous trips was from Bangalore to Goa ( Jan 2008) - They spoke to a friend who told them that he was going to Goa to meet some friends. They had a 3 step plan after that. Step 1 - Leave office and pack. Step 2 - Hop onto earliest bus and leave for goa. Step 3 - Surprise friend and crash his party!! Following are some trips that Danish has been on alone : I have travelled extensively across India and abroad. My self-driven road trips began, only a few years ago - (You get a license at 18 ;)). New Delhi-Ambala-Chandigarh (October 2008) - Self Driven Road Trip. New Delhi-Alwar (October 2008) - Self Driven Road Trip. New Delhi- London-Paris (June 2008) - Air :). Bangalore-Kavalur-Gauirbadnur ( June 2007) – Bus. Bangalore-Calcutta ( June 2007) – Air. New Delhi-Manali (April 2007) – Bus. New Delhi-Bangalore-Manipal-Udipi-Hassan-Bangalore-Munnar-Bangalore-New Delhi (Jan 2007) - Air/Bus/Car/Train. New Delhi-Shimla-Dharamasala-Solan (March 2006)- Bus. New Delhi-Haridwar-Rishikesh-Dehradun-Mussourie-Uttarkashi (June 2002) Road trip. New Delhi-Nanital-Ranikhet (June 2001) - Army Adventure camp ( Train/Bus). New Delhi-Jaipur (Dec 2000) Road Trip. New Delhi-Shimla ( July 1999) Train. Moscow-Tula-Star City ( July 1997) Road Trip. Moscow-St Petersburg-Helsinki-Stockholm-Copenhagen-Berlin-Prague-Vienna-Warsaw-Minsk-Moscow ( Sept 1995) - Road Trip. Following are some trips that Leela has been on alone : There is a vast difference in 'traveling' to a place and 'living' in that place... and Danish and I have been lucky enough to have done both (by chance AND by choice)!! :). In 2000 - Agra, Jaipur. In 2001 - Srinagar, Patnitop. In 2002 - Leh, Ladakh, Jammu. In 2004 – Vellore. In 2006 – Ooty. In 2007 - Goa, Pune, Mumbai, Hyderabad. In 2008 - All trips with Danish - mentioned above! :D. In 2009 - Ghana (Africa) and Mahabalipuram.

26th June 2009

Avinash Paleri

26th June 2009

Testimonials

monika

Danish and leela! u rock! best of luck! M sure u guys wd win this!

Ashish

dis trip will b as awesome as d last one .. ur guys really hit d road ..njy !!!

Karuna

you owe me a treat danish d menace! :)

Anshul

Go Danny! Make us proud again :)

Manpreet Singh

Travel freak!!!!! Danny doesnt deserve a driving license though

Manpreet Singh

All the best man... you deserve it!

Ritika

The two of the craziest people i know, they deserve to go on a trip which is nothing but second nature to them :) Hope you guys make it.

Kalikinkar

Hi...I saw your profile and liked it very much. You can join the Cedia great driving challenge community in orkut to gain more votes and testimonials. http://www.orkut.co.in/Main#Community.aspx?cmm=91293176

Abhinav Gupta

Hey, these guys definitely deserve to be among the chosen few here. Heck, I was there for two of the trips listed here.. nd it awesome fun..! Nd the best part... Driving....!

maitrayee

heyyyy....al d best guys....danish truly s a travel addict n m so happy hes tkg part in such an intrstg contest....rock it...!!!.. :)

VIKAS

WELL I DONT KNOW WHY I AM GIVING VOTE TO U. AS I HAVE ENTERED THIS SITE TO VOTE SOME OF MY OTHER FRIEND BUT WHEN I LOOK FOR OTHER PARTICIPENTS I FOUND LEELA. SHE IS VERY CUTE AND GOOD LOOKING & SUDDNLY I DECIDED TO VOTE FOR HER. WISH U ALL THE BEST & HOPE THAT U MUST WIN THIS CONTEST.

Roshini

Leela...ur one of the best drivers i have known!! if anyone can make it through these 3000 kms alive - it's YOU :D good luck! and as usual - u will ROCK it :D

sardar ..........janamjit

hi leela go for it ,,,, best of luck .....

Sam

Awesome dude and dudette !! You two totally need to do this together.

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