Drive On - An Ode to Driving! - The Vagabond Vibes

As these times get crazier, here’s a love letter to one of the few things that move me – Driving.

Driving, an activity that involves operating/moving a vehicle, is a chore that most of us experience as a critical part of our lives. But is it really just that?

Let me start with a story of one of those “Hypothetical Situation Questionnaire” as I call it – “Zindagi se Jude Sawaal” that are so hypothetical that you simply have to answer truthfully and in the process you figure out ‘Life’ in general. I think it’s a fun game between friends. Anyways, back to the story. During one of such sessions during a road trip, the question was that if you had just 10 days to live and shit loads of money, what’ll you like to accomplish? My answer was fairly simple & stupid – Would like to drive on a F1 Race Track! And as things unfolded, within a few months, I did it! All thanks to my wife, who is adds the “Life” in my Life. Oh! And it cost 25 grand. When I told this amount to my parents & friends – they thought I was crazy! Just to give you a perspective, in INR 25k, you can afford a couple of days of luxury stay and have the best food in the best of the places OR have a return flight from Delhi to Goa booked – 4 times over! But for me, it was “discounted” price baby!!!

Why’d I do that? Actor Matthew McConaughey puts it in perspective, “I’ve never cared much for the destinations. Give me a direction and a sixteen lane highway with room to swerve and explore along the way.”

We, as humans, have evolved from Nomads into Settlers. While a lot of us have focused on the ‘Settling’ aspect of it, it is the ‘Nomadic’ aspect that is still so relevant and critical. Without this nomadic instinct, we would never be able to truly relish what settling down in life means. You cannot really understand one without the other. Driving helps me fulfil this exact need. It is an experience that moves you – not just physically, but spiritually! It makes you realise the insignificance that you hold in this vast world. It helps bring in the desired focus. And if you’re driving in a country like India, you need all the focus that you can muster. This is a form of meditation – a ‘Sadhna’ – for me. It is just you, your thoughts & the road. Long drives, make you think, they de-clutter your thoughts, leave your worries with each passing turn & makes you stay in a place that balances the past and the future – The Present!

And it is not all philosophical. It’s romance as well. The feeling is always of a First Date!

That unique smell of your car is always mesmerising
That instance when you push to fire the engine is no less than the rush you feel on a date that you feel is going to go amazingly well
The music being played is always your jam
And finally, that sound of a perfect transmission (specially on a bike), it just Clicks! It is all perfect!