We are the best candidates because..

... given the opportunity, we would pack our bags and be on the road headed somewhere, at the drop of a hat! When Rohit and I found out about this contest, it seemed to be just perfect for us! We both love driving, and have been on four long driving trips so far in just 1 ½ years, apart from our other holidays. Rohit’s love for travelling is also evident from his earlier trips on his bike which he had bought to go on road trips ( check out http:// www.kazi2.blogspot.com ) His love for automobiles got him working for an automobile portal for several years during the early dotcom era. He now works with an FM Radio station, but jumps at the opportunity to test drive a new car. Between us we’ve worked out the best way to make the most of these trips, and lots of it has come about by the experiences we’ve gone through on the first few trips! It’s all about team work! I sit for hours on the internet and “google” all the distances, maps, sightseeing and must visit spots, and then we sit down together and plan it all out. We go very well prepared, right down to an icebox with chilled water and soft drinks! We’re both paranoid about safety, and the first thing we do after getting into the car is strap on our seat belts, be it for city or highway driving. We’ve learnt that truck drivers are the most decent drivers on the highway ( contrary to what some people think ), and are also the best people to check with for directions in case of doubt. We make sure we’ve got our mobile phones charged to be used in case of any emergencies, a fully loaded IPod which connects to the car music system, a camera or two for documenting our travels ( at times even our phone camera is used in emergencies to capture the moment ) our hip pouches which are handy for keeping money, pens, phones, documents, et all, Rohit’s guitar, and we’re all set! While on our trips, we maintain an expense sheet right down to the last rupee – believe me, post the trip it’s interesting to go through it! It also helps while planning the next trip, as you know exactly what to budget for. And the avid blogger of the team, Rohit makes sure that the photographs and the write ups are up on his blog for our friends and family to read so that they feel like they have shared our experiences! Our rules: don’t overtake from the left, use your headlights wisely, and drive safe! While on the road, relishing a meal at the highway “dhabas” is a must. Oh, and we try and avoid driving after sundown. We found out about the contest only on 12th July, and sent out the request for votes to our friends, family and colleagues on 13th July, so we’re thrilled with the support we’ve received since then – thank you all! We hope we get to share with them tales of an epic ten day journey in an awesome Red Mitsubishi Cedia Sports!