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| That was clicked on the way to Goa |
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It was only some years back that I discovered the pleasure of road journeys and in these years I’ve done quite a few. Here are my five reasons to go on one if you’ve never done it. And if you have.. well then you know what I’m talking about.. Read on.
1. It’s such an adventure..
There’s
something so relaxed yet adventurous and spontaneous about picking up your car
and driving off without the hassle of ticket bookings and reservations and
catching the flight or train. A few times we’ve even hired a bus or a Tempo Traveller
packing in aunts and uncles and grandparents and kids .. oh it’s been a riot.
something so relaxed yet adventurous and spontaneous about picking up your car
and driving off without the hassle of ticket bookings and reservations and
catching the flight or train. A few times we’ve even hired a bus or a Tempo Traveller
packing in aunts and uncles and grandparents and kids .. oh it’s been a riot.
2. You don’t need to be too meticulous a packer
There always is that last minute stuff that
is simply dumped into plastic bags and loaded on. And then there are the kids..
I mean it would be a tad odd to carry a hula hoop and a football while boarding
a flight. But in the car.. everything goes. On our last trip to Goa this is how
the kids made an entry…
is simply dumped into plastic bags and loaded on. And then there are the kids..
I mean it would be a tad odd to carry a hula hoop and a football while boarding
a flight. But in the car.. everything goes. On our last trip to Goa this is how
the kids made an entry…
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| That’s my son with the ‘essentials’ and my daughter’s hula hoop |
3. You get
amazing glimpses of the countryside
amazing glimpses of the countryside
I must have gone on the Pune Mumbai
expressway countless times and am yet to tire of the scenery. Try Pune – Goa.. the hills, the
windmills, the coconut trees… beautiful. Back home in UP.. you get to see fields
stretching on both sides. The highways there, are dotted with villages. Watching people
going to work in the fields or feeding cattle or women and children sitting
outside their huts is so enchanting. Then, there’s always the road. There is
something completely mesmerising about the unending road stretching ahead of you.
expressway countless times and am yet to tire of the scenery. Try Pune – Goa.. the hills, the
windmills, the coconut trees… beautiful. Back home in UP.. you get to see fields
stretching on both sides. The highways there, are dotted with villages. Watching people
going to work in the fields or feeding cattle or women and children sitting
outside their huts is so enchanting. Then, there’s always the road. There is
something completely mesmerising about the unending road stretching ahead of you.
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| Check out this man repairing his roof.. |
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| .. or my absolute favourite .. the brick kilns in UP. |
4. There’s the food
If you
travel enough times you get to discover the most mindblowing food joints along
the roadside. There’s this place called Maigalganj (Not Michaelganj!) between Lucknow and Sitapur on the way to Nainital that offers amazing gulabjamuns. When I first
heard of it I was certain it was overrated. I mean no matter how great a gulabjamun
is, it still is just that – a gulabjamun, right? Wrong.. these are truly bliss.. melt in
your mouth soft without being overly sweet. Then there are the sabudana vadas on Mumbai-Pune Highway and the dhabas
between Delhi and Haryana (I was travelling to Kurukshetra) have wonderful paranthas with butter melting on them and lassi glasses as tall as the
cows themselves. (Okay I got carried away.. but you do get the idea, right?)
travel enough times you get to discover the most mindblowing food joints along
the roadside. There’s this place called Maigalganj (Not Michaelganj!) between Lucknow and Sitapur on the way to Nainital that offers amazing gulabjamuns. When I first
heard of it I was certain it was overrated. I mean no matter how great a gulabjamun
is, it still is just that – a gulabjamun, right? Wrong.. these are truly bliss.. melt in
your mouth soft without being overly sweet. Then there are the sabudana vadas on Mumbai-Pune Highway and the dhabas
between Delhi and Haryana (I was travelling to Kurukshetra) have wonderful paranthas with butter melting on them and lassi glasses as tall as the
cows themselves. (Okay I got carried away.. but you do get the idea, right?)
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| The famous gulabjamuns |
5. It’s a perfect opportunity to bond with family
Do you ever remember spending four or
five or more uninterrupted hours with your family at home? With no TV and no
computer games… oh it’s fun. And if The Husband is at the wheels he doesn’t
even get to open his laptop. Hah! The only catch is that phone. Do a ZNMD and
dunk it out of the car if you can and life will be perfect. Umm …well maybe
not.. okay keep the phone but still it’s just one spoiler you have to tackle.
five or more uninterrupted hours with your family at home? With no TV and no
computer games… oh it’s fun. And if The Husband is at the wheels he doesn’t
even get to open his laptop. Hah! The only catch is that phone. Do a ZNMD and
dunk it out of the car if you can and life will be perfect. Umm …well maybe
not.. okay keep the phone but still it’s just one spoiler you have to tackle.
The journey is often as much fun as the destination itself when you’re on the road. Here’s Ernest Hemingway agreeing with me..
It is
good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters in the
end..
good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters in the
end..
So there!
It’s Day 5 at the Write Tribe Festival of Words. The prompt for today is ‘Travel’. For some great takes from Write Tribers go here..
Your post reminds me how much I long for a road trip to anywhere…Oh how I wish!! A girl can dream I guess. ♥
Amazing photos! And yes road trips are super fun! By the way I am more like your son I too pack my 'essential' as colorful as his 😀 😀
Richa
Now, I feel like taking a road trip.
My last one was in March from Qatar to Saudi Arabia. The landscape and the random people and the stories you see and hear truly enrich the experience.
perfect!! bang on there..and yea its the journey that matters in the end!!
and now i suddenly have a craving for those mouth watering gulab jamoons….
totally agree with you!!
Road journeys, Train journeys are truly magical!!
and those gulab jamoons looks so delicious! Yummm!
Such a lovely post. I adore road journeys too and agree with every single reason you have put up here 🙂
And I must try those gulab jamuns some time. I can imagine eating them hot in those kulhads 🙂
Vishal: you must give it a shot. They're super fun.
Vidya:.. Lol.. Thanks. I'm already worrying about today's post.
Shailaja.. Isn't it such fun? I used to worry for the kids but mercifully they do not suffer from road sickness so it's been great.
Roshan.. Do try it .. And gulabjamuns are just one of the treats along the way.
Payal, tarang, Nischala.. Glad you agree.
Never tried road trip but dying to do one. Amazing pictures:)
🙂 The freedom from packing is a great advantage – and the liberty to stop just about anywhere is wonderful.
See? You came up with a winner of a post, Tulika! 😀
For the last ten years, we have driven everywhere! From Bangalore to Goa, to Pondicherry, to Kerala, to Tamilnadu, through North Karnataka. And, for exactly the reasons you mentioned- no hassle of ticket booking, missing the train/flight, ease of carrying cartloads and bags 🙂 What a journey of words you've created. Sigh…
hehe… i enjoyed this post a lot. I admit Ive hardly had an opportunity to drive around like that… but I can see the enthusiasm seeping through the post and its infectious… not to mention those gulab jamun pics !!!
My take for the prompt: http://www.godyears.net/2013/12/away-from-trodden-path.html
I enjoy the roads..nice write,
Nice clicks!
Nice post and some interesting pictures! Glimpse of views is the best part of road journeys:)
Oh yes! Was nodding right through, Road trips are fun indeed.
Robyn.. That happens everytime.. Somehow stuff always get left behind.
Jairam.. Here's to many more happy journeys.
Shilpa..oh yes airlines and their weight rules.. Aargh..
Loved the pic 😀
Agree with all your reasons, especially about packing. Sometimes the weight (and of course the numbers) of the small carry bags is way too much than the travel bag! And yes food is a plus factor too! 🙂
I personally haven't done too many road journeys, but have discovered that I do enjoy them quite a bit nowadays. In fact 2013 has been the year of quite a few road journeys in South India for me and I have enjoyed them. Lovely post, well correlated to the prompt.
Had to smile at the dumping everything into plastic bags right before the journey begins! I've had to do that too!
Absolutely Padmanabha.. Each one of them.
Such a lovely post. I certainly agree with all the five advantages. If what this post conveys is any indication then you have really enjoyed your road journeys.
Bhagyashree.. Pass some on.. You owe it to me, I inspired you, right? 😉
Natasha: thanks.
Cigar: yes.. It's totally worth it.
all points are valid,I travel by road to have food at Dhabas.
totally agree with u! loved it.
Absolutely lovely take on tbe prompt. And I agree on all points especially on the second. Wont write much have to go and make some gulab jamuns 😛