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In a quest to celebrate the spirit of hopping on to new adventures in far-off lands, True Wanderer by Wrangler didn’t just serve as a competition but also an honor to all the travelers who love to wander. In its eighth year in India, True Wanderer aimed to discover the nomadic souls who embolden the spirit of wanderlust with their cherished memories of nerve-racking exploits, making new buddies on the road and gathering new experiences through traveling.
True Wanderer was a hunt for wanderers who could inspire you to pack your bags and set on globetrotting with their nail-biting stories. The contest for 2019 aimed to show our appreciation for all those who don’t care about the finish line when it comes to traveling and intend to leave a mark everywhere, with their fascinating escapades.
The contest invited the people to upload a photograph of one of their recent trips with the caption #Live2Wander writing why they live to go on such journeys and mentioning who they #Live2Wander with. After voting by the public on the website and being judged by a panel of experts, twelve lucky Wanderers were selected. They got the exciting opportunity to complete their journey on the road with their travel buddies while sharing their captivating stories on the way in association with Wrangler. The top Three Wanderers also won a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Switzerland, Andaman, and Leh.
However, it’s always a delight to peek into the life behind the cameras and get a small glimpse of how these ‘True Wanderers’ actually did it. Their thrilling stories are like a breath of fresh air and capable of inspiring many out there to wander out on new adventures in new landscapes. Capturing the charisma of these wonderful travelers, here are the stories of the winners of the True Wanderer Program.
1. Pranay Metta
Trailing on some of the most off beaten paths in India, Pranay Metta considers riding as his meditation. The most wonderful travel expedition he is proud of is when he traveled from Kanyakumari to Kargil in a span of 52 days covering 9619 km. His travel partner is Suryachaitanya Vanapalli who works as a photographer. Hailing from Vizag, Vanapalli credits the gorgeous landscapes and the beaches to be his source of inspiration for photography.
In the past 6 years, he has been carving new paths to discover new destinations with bike rides ranging between 1500-2000 km. Winning 4221 votes in the contest, Prannay Metta’s most beguiling story in this contest is curated as ‘Off the Grid’ in #TrueDenim. This was when he totally went off the radar on the road to explore the unexplored lands of India. Off The Grid is based around the sensitive border regions of Andhra, Telangana, Orissa, and Chhattisgarh, notoriously known as “The Blacklisted Travel Zone In India”.
2. Ravi Rana
Fancying to live his life in the mountains, Ravi Rana is one who cherishes quality time gazing at the hills with his dreams floating like the clouds. He likes to discover new places with his travel partner Rupesh who is passionate about making vlogs about bike trips, bike modification, mountains, trekking, traveling, etc.
Gathering 17533 votes, Ravi Rana claims his journey to be ‘Never Ending Voyage’ in this contest. Showcasing the vibrancy of the local culture and exploring the myriad arts and rituals of unique places, his most thought-provoking story is about the Khasi Culture of Meghalaya entered under #TrueCulture. His fantastic journey captured through the vlogs offers a thrilling insight into the sacred forest of Mayphlang and the whistling village in Kongthong Khasi Hills of Meghalaya.
3. Clifford Dcosta
A travel enthusiast having traveled across 35 countries, Clifford Dcosta revels in discovering new places, culture, food, and people. The most intriguing achievements under his belt including being a certified scuba diver, cliff jumping 80’, swimming with the sharks, hiking the Dolomites, etc. He travels along with his business partner and cousin Raunak Almeida who likes to discover new places and finding tranquillity in nature.
He is among the top winners in True Wanderer Contest with 5874 votes and has portrayed the local culture in an exquisite way. On his travel expedition, he went on to explore the Haunted Village in Malvan where villagers vacate to the jungle outside for 3 days every 3 years as it is believed that ghosts visit the village at that time. Listed in #TrueCulture, Clifford has showcased the nerve to explore places associated with paranormal events and bring out to the world such unheard stories.
4. Saanjhi Rawat
Describing herself as a carefree soul, Saanjhi Raawat intends to wander to numerous places on earth just like the way one breathes air. Her travel companion is her mother has shared the journey with her sometimes dancing spontaneously, crazily posing for pictures and discovering new places on the way.
Capturing a lungful of adventures, Saanjhi Raawat won 4042 votes in True Wanderer contest. She has signified the zest of women travelers through #TrueDenim hailing the unique program organized by Wrangler. She made a hand gesture saying W and came up with an exhilarating tagline- “We. Women. Wonder. Wander. With. Wrangler!” to celebrate their journey.