Bengaluru: As the saying goes, it is not the destination that matters but the journey. And if that journey happens with your newly-wed wife or husband, it becomes all the more special. New age honeymoon is enjoying the journey as well as the destination, and what better way to enjoy both than a self-drive road trip adventure.

Dibyajyoti Saha, marketing professional, and Pritikona Roy, an insurance agent, went to Kovalam from Bangalore. “A road trip allows you to play your tunes, sing along, show some love and share some laughter as you travel,” says Dibyajyoti. “We wanted to do something

unusual for our honeymoon. Flights and trains are cliché'. We wanted to enjoy the roadside cafes, the conversation while travelling; we didn’t want to rush it,” says Pritikona. They drove to three places in three days: Bangalore to Mysore (approx. 150 kms), Mysore to Munnar (400 kms) and Munnar to Kovalam (325 kms).

Sandhya Kumar and Vineet Subramony, HR professional in Tata Steel, drove from Chennai to Pondicherry in one day. “The distance of 173 kms was a breeze. We stopped to have dosas and idlis in cafes. We took the NH-45, through Chengalpattu and Tindivanam; the 4-lane drive is more convenient for driving,” says Vineet. For them, the perfect start to marriage was to be found in a French experience. Quiet, cobbled roads and candlelit dinners in Pondicherry was what they were looking for.

Newly-weds Meenakshi and Puneet Bharadwaj, lawyer, wanted a very different ‘wild’ experience. Meenakshi says, “I wanted to visit a wildlife spot for my honeymoon. It is a double whammy of adventure to drive to the spot. We drove from Bangalore to Kabini (150 kms).

The best thing with self-drive cars is you can choose your car. We took a Gypsy. It is boring to do the routine, and huff and puff to cover many places on your honeymoon,” she concludes.

Some Self-drive Car Companies

Mylescars

Eco rent a car

Zoom

What do you require to hire?

Passport, valid licence

Deposit (amount is different for each company)

Sign an agreement

Take a car of your choice