In an interview with Deepa Baruah, an applicant of the Great Driving Challenge, she tells us about her experiences on the highway, her partner, and why she loves to travel.
Excerpts of the interview…
Do you think you will go to the next level?
Deepa Baruah: I have no idea…frankly speaking I would like to. Everybody would love to win this round. Having said that there are many applicants, so it will be tough competition. The jury members will perhaps have a tough time selecting the top 100. However if it’s only about gathering votes than I won’t qualify. I’m at the 11th page.
Then why do you think you should qualify for the next round?
Deepa Baruah: A far as I know it’s not all about votes. The jury members will also see the profiles of applicants. I think I have done a good job in making my profile attractive…having said that the jury members will have other criteria too. So let’s see…
Have you ever traveled by road?
Deepa Baruah: O yes! My dad was in the Army so travelling is very much a part of my life. But that’s besides the point…both Dhruba and I have done a lot of traveling since the past 4 years. We have been to many places in Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Goa and the North-east. Since we stay in Delhi we have not driven to Goa or the Noth-east, but to other places we have driven down.
The challenge if you go to the last phase will involve a lot of driving. What is the maximum distance you have covered non-stop?
Deepa Baruah: I know it will be a 300 to 350 kms drive each day. But we are used to it. Our last trip to Manali in April…I will just give an example: we started at 6 pm in the evening from Noida and reached around 2.30 in the night at Swarghat where we night-halted. The next day after breakfast we left Swarghat at 10 am and reached Manali at around 3.30-4 pm. The next day we went to Manikaran and the third day to Rohtang Pass. That very day at 5.30 pm we left for Shimla and reached there at around 1 am. The next day we stayed at Shimla till 1 pm and left for Delhi. We reached Delhi at around 9.30-10 pm. So that’s a lot of driving we did in 5 days.
Last year during our first trip to Manali, while returning, we drove not-stop. We started at 10 am and after an hour’s break for rafting and in between lunch, tea and dinner, we reached home at 2.30 am.
So, both of you drive or it’s either you or your partner?
Deepa Baruah: No, we take turns to drive, although Dhruba is very reluctant to let me at the driver’s seat. He loves to drive and I like to click photographs. We both click lot of photos on the way. We take our own sweet time and wherever we get to see something interesting we stop to click photos.
Amongst all your getaways which will you term as the most unforgettable one?
Deepa Baruah: I think it will be our Kufri trip. It was during the high monsoons. Everything was lush green and beautiful. Although there were several scary moments too. There were landslides and trees on the road. We had tried to go to a place called Tattapani but midway the guys clearing the roads informed that there was a major landslide and we had to come back.
Do you have a blog where you jot these trips?
Deepa Baruah: Yes. It’s called Travel Hungry Souls. After every trip we write travelogues in this blog. Photographs we share via Picasa although of late we have discovered Flickr. So all our friends are updated on our trips.
Any place you like the most?
Deepa Baruah: I love the mountains. The trips to Manali is perhaps the best I have experienced. I can still go there for the third time. From the place where the Phando Dam is situated the river Beas flows besides the road….it is very beautiful. Dhruba loves the sea…so much so that after our first trip together in 2001, he decide to settle down in Goa. We have in fact bought an apartment in Goa. So it’s almost a yearly affair to go to Goa for a week to rewind.
Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts…we wish you luck that you may win this challenge and enjoy. Keep us posted with your travelogues and photographs.
The first round of voting of the online reality show ‘The Great Driving Challenge’ came to an end on July 18. With almost 1000 applicants, the jury will now select 100 challengers based on the parameters that include, number of votes received from the public voting and the quality and design of couple profile on the website.
The Great Driving Challenge organized by Hindustan Motors Limited, is a web-based and physical reality event and an online competition between the applicants.
The finalists will be selected by the jury members and will be given the opportunity to drive the Mitsubishi Cedia Sport to cover a minimum distance of 3000 km spread across 10 days.
Among the finalists, one winner will be determined on the basis of their daily web-posts, photo/ videos uploaded and regular internet updates during the course of their 10 days driving challenge (also, called the ‘Drive Phase’). The winner will get a prize money of Rs 10 lakh.
Speaking to this Bharat Homestay News, Delhi-based applicant, Deepa Baruah said, “I have my fingers crossed. I have less votes but I might score on the the profile front. I travel a lot, mostly driving down, a fact that goes in my favour.”
“I just hope that the jury members take these things into consideration too. Whatever my prospects it was a good experience. I hope I get selected,” Deepa added.
Incredible India is a well established brand of the Ministry of Tourism around the globe. This brand line was introduced in the year 2002-03 and since then it has been growing successfully and now has become a synonym to Indian Tourism.
Indian Tourism slowly returning on the path of growth:
- Indian tourism suffered due to the economic meltdown during past few month but the recent estimated figures show positive trends.
- Estimated figures indicate that the first five months of the year 2009 have shown a decline in the numbers of foreign tourists arrivals compared to respective months of 2008, but June, 09 has presented a positive indication.
- The number of Foreign Tourist Arrivals in June, 2009 was 3.41 lakh as compared to 3.40 Lakh in June 2008 and 3.10 Lakh in June 2007. The growth rate in FTAs in June, 2009 over June 2008 works out to 0.2%, which might look nominal at this stage but at least gives positive indication for the coming future.
- Foreign Exchange Earnings in INR in June, 2009 were Rs. 3801 Crores as compared to Rs. 3409 Crores in June, 2008 and Rs. 2849 Crores in June, 2007. This shows 11.5% increase in June, 2009 over June, 2008.
- FTAs during the period January – June, 09 were 24.67 lakh with a growth rate of - 9.3% as compared to the FTAs of 27.19 lakh and growth rate of 11.1 % during January-June, 2008
Ministry of Tourism’s efforts to promote India :
- Ministry of Tourism has been proactive in releasing the campaigns globally through its 360° marketing strategy by covering print, electronic, online and outdoor media for International promotion and publicity.
- Ministry declared Visit India year 2009 and launched visit India programme to attract travelers with incentives. For this purpose Ministry of Tourism also developed a link site http://visitindia2009.incredibleindia.org; along with private partners.
- The Incredible India campaign creatives were even praised by the North Dakota senator Byron Dorgan, in a debate on the closure motion to pass the US Travel Promotion Act, 2009, where in he appreciated the efforts made by various countries particularly India, to promote tourism.
- TV Commercial aired by the Ministry in the International Markets as part of its generic TV campaigns has also earned laurels. It has won awards in the following international fairs/ festivals during this year.
Taking advantage of the return of peace, the Sri Lankan Government on Friday launched the “Meet Sri Lanka campaign” here, unveiling its corporate tourism packages with attractive pricing to business visitors from India.
Launching the campaign, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau chairman Prema Cooray, who is leading a business delegation, said that the campaign was aimed to create awareness and interest on profile, proximity, and products of Sri Lanka in diversity of locations, among Indian corporates and travel agents.
The offers called Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions (MICE) packages, valid from till September 30, offer three options of meeting at popular seaside destinations such as Negombo and Bentota.
Operative out of Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Goa and Trichy, the two packages (two nights and three days, and three nights and four days) are for a group of 10 persons and are priced between Rs. 8,399 and Rs. 9,699 per person.
Every package includes return economy airfare on SriLankan Airlines, accommodation, bed and breakfast on twin-sharing basis, airport transfers and half-a-day’s conference facilities to conduct a meeting. A discounting booklet is also being provided to tourists taking these packages.
Mr. Cooray said the June air passenger traffic from India to Sri Lanka showed a positive sign on visitors from India, and Sri Lanka was expecting about one lakh tourist visitors from India this year.
Udaipur city in Rajasthan, known as the “Venice of the East,” was voted the world’s best city for travellers in 2009 in an online poll by Travel + Leisure magazine, trumping last year’s winner Bangkok.
The island of Bali in Indonesia topped the Galapagos to be named best island in the annual poll, in which casual and laid-back destinations prevailed.
Magazine readers also voted Bushmans Kloof Cedar Mountains, in South Africa, as the world’s top hotel while Singapore Airlines grabbed the best airline award again.
Nancy Novogrod, editor-in-chief of Travel + Leisure said this year’s poll reflected changing travel interests in a challenging economy, with Udaipur, famous for its canals and palaces, a current tourist favourite for well-heeled Westerners.
“Value, intimacy, service, and discovery are top priorities. As for that so-last-August-sounding word, luxury, it’s all about enclaves that shelter stealth wealth,” she said in a statement.
Novogrod said dramatically sited outposts ranging from Jade Mountain in St. Lucia to San Ysidro Ranch in California featured highly this year.
Value ratings for a number of top-ranked cities — Udaipur, Cape Town, Bangkok, Buenos Aires, Chiang Mai, and Luang Prabang — were sky-high while other far-flung cities also made a strong showing.
However, favourites such as New York City, Florence, Rome, and San Francisco remained in the top 10 overall.
The results were complied from votes by magazine subscribers in an Internet poll which went live between January and March. Travel + Leisure will honour winners on July 21 in New York.
Following are some highlights:
Best city - Udaipur, India
Best hotel - Bushmans Kloof Cedar Mountains, South Africa
Best island - Bali, Indonesia
Best cruise line (large ships) - Crystal Cruises
Best cruise line (small ships) - The Yachts of Seabourn
Best international airline - Singapore Airlines
Best domestic airline - Virgin America
Best tour operator - Austin-Lehman Adventures
Best car-rental agency - Sext
Best destination spa - Mii amo, A Destination Spa at Enchantment, Sedona
