All six of us arrived in Mumbai and immediately we embarked on an 18-hour drive down to Goa. We hired a driver and all crammed into a people carrier. The journey took us north to south, in between India’s west coast and a vast mountain range called the Western Ghats. The scenery was amazing – lush forests, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, plus some very hairy mountain roads.

We weren’t exactly able to enjoy the scenery, though, as our driver kept falling asleep. So we kids took turns in keeping him awake throughout, singing, shouting, bombarding him with questions, and flicking his ears whenever he started to nod off. Looking back, it was all insanely dangerous, but I loved it all the same.
Driving in South Asia is often a white-knuckle adventure. I remember my first experience of utter transport chaos when we first went on holiday to Goa. It’s difficult to explain the mayhem of mopeds, cars, bicycles, lorries, pedestrians, donkeys and cows, all sharing the same congested roads. My life flashed before my eyes more than a few times that day.

One of my most memorable road trips of all is the time, in 2019, when my brother and I rode Royal Enfield motorcycles across Nepal, from Kathmandu to Nagarkot, visiting our kids’ campus on the way. For four days we negotiated winding roads, hectic drivers, even sleeping cows in the middle of the road. It was exhilarating and terrifying, all at once.

Once we’d arrived in Nagarkot, we stayed at this amazing hotel called Mystic Mountain. With views to die for across the Himalayas, it was at such a high altitude that we found ourselves right up above the cloud level. Waking up to that felt like freedom in its truest sense. 
The year before that I was really lucky to take a road trip across the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. The aim was to do a photo shoot for our new Gandys range of clothing and accessories, with the stunning mountains as the backdrop. My road trip companions were a photographer and a couple of models.
What an odyssey it was. We started at Ouzoud Falls, an hour and a half northeast of Marrakech, and ended all the way over in Agadir, on the Atlantic coast.

In between we stayed in the remotest of mountain villages up in the High Atlas. We spent the days absorbing these incredible views across the orange mountain peaks and lush green valleys. At night we gazed at the brilliant stars. Aside from the goats and the odd goatherd, there was hardly anyone else around. That freedom, combined with such a slow pace of life made me feel really happy.  

There really is nothing like the freedom of a road trip: the ability to jump behind the wheel, head off in any direction you want, and stop off whenever and wherever you feel like it.
Perhaps my need for freedom stems from the tsunami tragedy that my brother and I survived in 2004. Wherever I find myself in the world now, I always have to have an escape route planned. It’s good to know that if you need to get the hell out of Dodge quickly, your car is there to help you. 

| FOLLOW YOUR NOSE SOMETIMES

Try driving without a precisely planned route or a satnav guide. There’s nothing wrong with going on a road trip and simply following your nose. Towards the end of the day, when you're tired, stop off and stay wherever you feel like it. Out of season, you don't necessarily need to book accommodation in advance.

| MUSIC IS VITAL

Music is as vital as fuel. Sometimes you need chilled out beach tunes or reggae. Other times you need loud, upbeat tunes to push you on for another hour or so. Your choice of music should depend on the different countryside you're driving through, or the stage of your journey.

| FOOD AND DRINK

Simple: Haribo sweets and lots of water.

| THE PERFECT ROAD TRIP VEHICLE

If money was no object, it’s a vintage Porsche 911. That was my dad’s favourite car.

THE PERFECT ROAD TRIP PARTNER

My partner Roisin.