A journey by road that commences from the river Hooghly and ends at Thames. What a dream! A dream that has been conceived by renowned globetrotters and couple Kaushik Roy and Dr Debanjali Ray. The Drive Of Dreams, an apt name indeed, will take off on August 24 and last till October 25. This inter-country drive will accommodate 15 avid travellers and take the enthusiasts through Nepal, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Czechia, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, France and culminate at the United Kingdom.
To cover 23 countries in a span of 63 days and travel around 18,000 kilometres is a dream come true for any travel aficionado. Moreover, Dr Ray and Roy, are well-travelled people themselves and have personally prepared the itinerary. Over years of passionate travelling the couple has built a community of travellers who shall accompany them on Drive of Dreams. The entire exploration has been made safe with preparations of convoy control, a doctor and a mechanic so that participants can take in the epic adventure. The duo moved to Australia a couple of years back after surprising their four-year-old daughter’s school by taking a leave for over a year for travelling.
Kaushik said: “I feel travelling is in my genes. When I was younger, my grandfather was a doctor in Rajasthan and during every summer vacation, we would go to Rajasthan from Calcutta in an Ambassador car. In those days, the roads were different and Google Maps was not a thing. In 2018 when my wife, Debanjali was a doctor at North Bengal Medical College we wanted to travel beyond borders but the only borders we could cross over were to Nepal or Bhutan. We realised that we wanted to travel more. Our daughter was four and we told the school authorities that we are taking her out now and she would get admitted to the school again next year. They were obviously surprised (laughs). But we believed that at her age, travelling is an excellent mode of education in itself. In Australia, for instance, there is no educational pressure and they say that it is scientifically proven that until children are 10 years of age, that kind of pressure of studies is not required.” “Anyway, at that time we had travelled over 32 countries and covered 42,000 kilometres. Everybody who knew us told us it was a risky affair and that we should drop the plan. In fact we also had to go to Delhi multiple times for several permissions regarding inter-country travel. By now we have covered almost 50 countries just by road,” he continued.
The duo is also planning to travel for six months which is expected to break records next year. There were also multiple challenges that they faced when they were planning the Drive of Dreams. Kaushik said: “Earlier we planned on going via Russia but due to the international tension we had to change the whole route. Then we decided on going via Iran but then Israel and Iran had issues which attracted international attention again. So, these countries continue to be beautiful but a ton of challenges await us. It is the sheer want to travel that keeps us going. Additionally, we have now made friends in every country and they open our eyes to the rampant spread of misinformation too.”
A snap from when Kaushik and Debanjali drove from Vladivostok to St Petersburg in their trans Siberia drive in 2022
Out of all the countries, Kaushik could not choose a favourite but he holds a soft corner for residents of Iran. “I met a guy in Tehran. He literally took our luggage from the hotel and said that we were his guests so we had to stay at his place. We stayed there for seven days! I don’t recall staying at a relative’s place for more than a day! (laughs)” Debanjali added, “The destination that brings the most peace is subjective, but to me, it is always about being surrounded by nature and serene landscapes. Sometimes it is just by seeing kids playing in a quiet village.”
The youngest person who will be on the Drive of Dreams is a 26-year-old man from Jamshedpur and the oldest traveller is a 68-year-old man from Calcutta. “I feel the journey can be more enjoyable than the destination. It’s all about excitement and to experience something new. This kind of trip offers ample time for introspection and self-reflection. The solitude of the open road allows you to disconnect from the stresses of daily life, gain perspective on your goals and priorities, and return home with a renewed sense of clarity and purpose. It also instils friendship across the borders,” said Debanjali.
