Road trips are a wonderful way to connect with yourself and your destinations. It ticks the boxes of budget, adventure and beauty. G. Nivedith from Bangalore went on a 21-day road trip from Bangalore to Bhutan with his friend in ₹50,000 in 2018. Per person the trip cost each of them just ₹25,000. The avid traveller popularly known as Macro Traveller covered 8000 km in his Honda Amaze, a mini segment sedan in 21 days. It took him one week to reach Bhutan. He stayed there for a week and then drove back home in another week. G. Nivedith’s road trip to Bhutan took him to beautiful places in India including Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal and Sikkim to name a few. This is just the beginning. Read on to find out about his beautiful road trip and get some tips from the horse’s mouth.
Nivedith’s Bhutan To Bangalore Road Trip
G. Nivedith was always very fond of travelling In fact he loved travelling so much that he decided to leave his job 5 years ago to pursue travelling full time. Today, Nivedith is popularly known as the Macro Traveller for his larger than life travel trips. His love for travel took him all across the globe.
He mainly commuted by flights. But in the last couple of years he decided to for a road trip instead. And not just any road trip, but an inter-country road trip. So he planned to go on this road trip with his friend Abhilash who he knew since the last 7 years. Abhilash was his ex-colleague from his previous company. “I named this trip B to B, Bangalore to Bhutan” states Nivedith, as he planned to go on a road trip from his home city to the happiest country in the world.
Also Read: This Man Went On An Epic Road Trip From India To Cambodia With His Mother
Nivedith started his journey from Bangalore in 2018. He drove from Bangalore to Tamil Nadu. He then drove to Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh to Telangana. From there he covered places like Puri in Odisha, Kolkata in West Bengal, Sikkim and then finally reached Bhutan. This was the route taken by Nivedith to reach Bhutan from Bangalore. Just like Nivedith, a 60-year old Sardarji went on a road trip from Delhi to London.
Planning The Road Trip From Bangalore To Bhutan
The avid traveller initially planned to hire a car or collaborate with a brand as a travel blogger. Nivedith was sceptical to take his own car as he has a Hondo Amaze, which is a mini mid-segment sedan. He wasn’t sure if his automatic car would work well on high terrains. But he finally decided to give it a shot. With a good mileage covering almost 8000km in 21 days, Nivedith planned his first-ever inter-country road trip.
Planning a road trip meticulously and in a detailed manner is the key to its success. So Nivedith planned his trip in such a manner so he could cover maximum distance in the lowest cost possible. It surely is surprising that he was able to pull off a 21-day road trip from Bangalore to Bhutan, with his friend in 8000km in just ₹50,000.
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Per person, it cost them just ₹25,000 each. The passionate traveller knew his mileage, the total distance and his vehicle well. So he figured out the stay. He even bought tents so he could stay in it on the days he wouldn’t travel at night. he saved up on food by mainly gorging on pocket-friendly street food. Fuel and tolls cost him around 80% of the overall cost, but he was still able to manage and save up on cost. Road trips in India can help you travel on a tight budget.
The Challenges He Faced Along The Way
Well, all good things come with a few difficulties. The trials and tribulations during journeys, be it travel or life, is what makes it really worthy. Nivedith faced a couple of punchers on the way. Nivedith reveals “I had to replace a ruptured tyre. Google maps or technology often showed me the shortest routes to my destination. But they weren’t the best roads. And I often got deviated from my route.” These situations posed to be small obstacles during his journey. But nothing deterred the passionate determined traveller from enjoying every bit of his journey.
Some Highlights From Nivedith’s Journey
For Nivedith the best part about travelling is meeting new people, assimilating in different traditions and cultures, and most of all exploring a new place. “I met alot of good people on the way. Locals in Bhutan very immensely friendly and helpful” Nivedith happily states. In fact, he was also invited by the locals to their homes to eat homecooked food. And nothing can beat homecooked soulful food.
Tips On Road Trips For Avid Travellers
Like we earlier said, a good road trip is equal to great planning. So here are some of the things that Nivedith wishes to impart to anyone who wants to go on a road trip. He states that when you plan a road trip, it’s important to know the route. Nivedith advises using his own example, ” I used Google maps and I relied on it completely. This gave birth to some issues. So it’s important to know and understand your route map well.” Apart from knowing the route map well, there are other essentials to plan your road trip well.
Secondly, you need to have tool kits ready. This must include backup tire, Stepney, everything filled with air. Additionally, air pumps and also electrical Stepney’s are helpful too. Nivedith also advises travel enthusiasts to be self-sufficient. If you don’t know something do stop and be ready to take help from locals. The avid traveller states that every journey will come with its own difficulties. So it’s about how we keep moving forward. In this time of coronavirus, road trips are one of the top travel trends in India predicted by OYO India and South Asia CEO Rohit Kapoor.
Nivedith’s Message For Every Traveller Out There
For all you wonderful Curly Tales followers, G Nivedith has a little inspirational message for you to keep in mind the next time you go on a road trip. The traveller talks about his motto saying, “When I planned this trip, the only thing that kept me going was ‘Where There is a Will, There’s a Way’. Initially, he did find the road trip to be tough while planning it. But Nivedith continued his journey and successfully completed with a pocketful of memories.
He advises us not look at the hurdles. As it’s definitely worth it! In Nivedith’s words, “Just give it your best shot, and it will be the most memorable trip you have ever done.” Currently, Nivedith is looking forward to many more road trips once the situation gets better. Just like Nivedith, you too can go on a road trip when its safe to travel again but do keep this road trip packing list in mind.
First Published: June 10, 2020 6:17 PM