Don’t we all just love road trips! The freedom to take a turn we want, to stop where we want, to chase the sunset that we want. See the world pass us by on our own terms with a window that is larger than in any other mode of travel. Sometimes see the landscape change at every turn, at other times see the culture change at every turn. Yes, we definitely love road trips more than anything else.
In this episode, we are glad to bring to you someone who lives road trips. Rikhia Pal heads a road trip company and has done a multitude of road trips across the country even though she doesn’t know how to drive. Also known as the “Boss lady” of the Kolkata Road Trippers Club, Rikhia has found her passion in life and is making sure she lives her life to the fullest.
Tune into to hear some of her travel stories, how she got here, the road trips that she has done why she loves road trips. Finally, why you should do road trips and some suggestions for you.
Podcast Summary: Road Tripping with Rikhia Pal
Hosts: Hemant Soreng & Tapas Biala
Producer: Rustik Travel
00:00-03:14: Intro. About you, how did the travel bug bite, where all have you travelled?
03:14-09:46: How did road tripping start?
– Initial influences as a child road trips with family.
– Transitioning from a corporate executive to doing what you like.
– “Boss lady”
– Road Tripping Club (RTC)
09:46-17:30: Road tripping as a job
– The planning
– Trips to Tadoba, Kanha, Jharkhand, North Bengal
– Road tripping during the lockdown
17:30-36:39: Road Trips in different places of India
– From Mumbai – the western ghats in the monsoons
– From various metros – Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata.
– Road tripping while moving to different cities
– Discovering new and offbeat places while driving
– Driving through Uttarakhand from Garhwal to Kumaon via Jim Corbett National Park
– Delhi to Ahmedabad: Road trip with husband
– The best conversations happen in the car during road trips
– Music while driving
– Learning how to drive
– Long rides to Rann of Kutch, Puri.
36:39-43:34: Why should anyone go for a road trip?
– Experiencing the changes in terrain, culture, food, flavours, houses
– Pack as much as you can
– Spiti road trip: change in terrain, culture
– Kolkata to Bhutan
43:34-47:51: Tips/advise for a short and long multi-day road trip
47:51-48:51: Conclusion and Outro
