Within the first few years of the 21st century, Dil Chahta Hai became a rage and defined friendship goals for all of Gen X, Gen Y and Gen Z. Going on a road trip to Goa with your best friends was the ultimate goal. Years later, when the same filmmakers gave us Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, with its stunning visuals of Spain, the belief just go strengthened. Shows like The Trip and Tripling reinforced the idea that road trips are meant to be embarked upon, with your squad. While people often considered going on road trips with their friends or spouse, the first thing you think of when you hear ‘road trip’ is a holiday with friends. But what if you heard of a family going on a road trip for over a week?
Before you think that it’s a lie, we have to give you a reality check. Sure, in the midst of millennial culture, it may seem like a road trip with parents is not something anyone would ever want to add to their bucket list. But for the Murali family, road trips top their list of travel priorities and they are each other’s, favorite travel buddies!
One for the road
For Mr. KN Murali, traveling with his wife and his two children, a daughter who is 28 and a son who is 27, is as good as it gets. Having lived in the USA for quite some time, the family traveled across the country via road. So when they came back to India, their preferred form of travel was road trips. In times when solo travel and backpacking are trends and traveling with your family isn’t exactly considered to be a ‘cool’ thing to do, this family loves being on the road, together. Which is what they did, when they went on a road trip from Thane to the Rann of Kutch, last December!
Mr. Murali says, “On a road trip, you get the opportunity to be in close quarters with your travel companions, which in this case, is my family. We get to spend all that time with each other, without any distractions, and that bonds us together like nothing else! Traveling with my son and daughter, who are both in their 20s, is a fun experience because we all have the desire to explore and so the holidays are extremely memorable and rewarding!”
Road trip Ft. BMW
The family took a BMW GT for their holiday, which again comes as a surprise. Most Indians roads are perceived to be in poor condition and thus, not suitable for luxury car use. However, the Murali family faced no problems at all. “We drove over 2500 kilometers, of which barely 40-50 km was a bad stretch, the rest of it was impeccable! Driving a BMW also meant that we did not have to compromise on our comfort in any way! While at the onset, it may seem risky, if you actually lookup on the internet and talk to people, you’ll find that driving a luxury car on Indian roads can also be extremely fruitful.”
The family visited places like Ahmedabad, Vadodara, the Statue of Unity, and Dholavira on their way to Kutch. They also experienced the incredible Rann Utsav at the Rann of Kutch. They shared driving duties, explored together, ate Gujarati food, immersed themselves in the desert, and made memories on the road.
The next time you cringe at the thought of a holiday with your family, think again. Make it a road trip and it might just be one of the best decisions of your life. And just a friendly tip, traveling in a luxury car means no fighting for extra leg space!
Because when it comes to your family, you only want the best!
