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Yas Marina Circuit Express 3000 Driving Experience
So this is a once in a life time experience. Aditya thought it would be fun to drive in a Formula 3000 car. Sure, why not?! I have never been one to shy away from a challenge…. till you see or rather hear the challenge!
So off we were to the Yas Marina Circuit.
To try , you must have a valid driver’s licence. Well that was fine- Check!
Then you get to the circuit. The car racing and skidding noise as the cars turn is shattering. How was I ever going to do this?Add to that we had a briefing which scares the living daylights out of you.
- You may not drive.
- You may not learn to even start this car
- If you do the above- you may still skid / slide if you drive badly.
- That will cause a crash
- If you crash, that could cause major damage including the car on fire.
Ok. Now I was quite petrified.
We dressed in the jumpsuits and then were led to the car. The car is almost at ground level and the pedals are all the way in front. You must know how to operate a clutch for this, as the car initially starts with the clutch.
Maybe I wasn’t going to be able to do this.
Aditya sensed my fear and told me, if I wasn’t sure ; I could do the trial round and then just quit.
The instructor because I was scared gave me my very own driving instructor to guide me who’d drive in front of me and show me the route.
Helmet on. I started.
What a rush. The instructor drove the first round carefully for me to follow and then left me to my own devices post round 1. Though the main instructor came to check on me there was no way I was stopping now!
Best experience ever. Must Do.
Cost per head-: $ 600 but you must add a video capturing your experience at another $60.
Heidelberg on your honeymoon?
It was a day in Germany …part of our whirlwind honeymoon in Europe and we were in Heidelberg! We were staying at Aditya’s friends’ home and were being taken to Heidelberg by a friend of his Moms…so it wasn’t exactly the romantic-couple honeymoon trip that day… but…I’m always up for adventure and so off we went!
It was a cold morning and I slept in. After a late brekkie , we were picked up at 12 p.m. on the dot and driven to the student town of Heidelberg for lunch. We weren’t very hungry (late breakfast to blame!) and we said we’d be fine just walking. She seemed a bit peeved but maybe I was just being too picky and it was a bit chilly, so we started walking to the University.The lanes were pebbled with little shops on either side and seeing my very red nose she suggested a warm cup of coffee and these little cookies that were supposed to be shared by those in love! Maybe she wasn’t so mad at us after all. The coffee was much needed and the cookies DELICIOUS- though she said we should eat while we walk.I wasn’t sure what the hurry was but I was excited about seeing the University. Grand and imposing you knew as you stepped in to the university that it had incredible history and wonderful stories. She took us to the Student karzer – a jail like detention centre where for years students used to be sent. Writing on the walls, painting , notes dated back to the 1800’s and it was scary to think of student having enough time to write not only messages and paragraphs but paint drawings and do sketches. In this scary , once dark cell it must have been lonely and scary to have been imprisoned like a criminal. Not really romantic, for our honeymoon,I thought…but very interesting!
Studentkarzer over we made our way to the Heidelberg Castle. Perched on a hillock it had a glorious view of the entire town. Now I was hungry as was Aditya. However we were told “Time for lunch has passed.” And thus ended that discussion. Hungry, we trudged on!
The wine cellar of the castle houses the biggest barrel in the world, holding 55,345 gallons of wine and I was delighted that I could purchase a bottle of wine in my Dad’s name as a gift for him. He’d understand the significance and he loves his glass of wine! I’m not sure how it actually tasted or whether he ever opened it even but I think it made for a nice tourist stop and a great , personal gift to take home!
After loads of history and walking around this beautiful castle , it hit 4 p.m. and we were ‘allowed’ a coffee break in a nearby restaurant overlooking the castle. I swapped coffee for soup despite her rather cross glare and finally I had ‘lunch!’
Much of travel is about the memories you make while traveling…!”The time for lunch has passed!” makes for one of my most fond, funny memories of this little, German woman who kept us on the clock!
Best Times to Travel-: Use the summer months- May to September
Cost-: Only very few 5 star hotels and they cost approx $400 a night…I’d say maybe make Heidelberg a day trip from one of the several very close German cities…. BUT DO GO- THIS QUAINT TOWN, LOST IN TIME…IS DEFINITELY WORTH THE TRIP!
Travel with Divya 