2008 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti Magic India Drive 4

(from Ferrari Press Release)  First Day from Lucknow

We�re following highway number 24 in the direction of Delhi, along the river Ganges. The road conditions are normal, actually they are quite good, but we have to cross several villages and cities, which lowers our average speed. There is lots of agriculture, but, as also in other parts of India, not many machines on the fields. The tree-lined road provides nice shade. The problem here is that the big trees force the trucks to drive in the middle of the road, which makes overtaking quite difficult. Getting closer to Bareilly the traffic intensifies and the driving abilities of the journalists behind the wheels of the two 612 Scaglietti are tested out. At Bareilly, the hotel is right in the city centre and obviously we get stuck in traffic, due to the literally thousands of people stopping to admire the cars.

Second Day

Quite a normal road for us today, but with some traffic. Many fields, and again a tree-lined road, creating a green galleria. The road surface is good, although sometimes a little bit bumpy. We have to pass several villages and cities, where the heavy traffic slows us down. The sky is sunny and it�s not even too hot. It�s the dry period before the arrival of monsoons. At Moradabad we�re leaving the highway leading to Delhi and go in a northernly direction, the direction of the Himalayas. There is less and less traffic and we can travel much faster. The journalists can therefore open the throttles of the two 612 Scaglietti. We�re passing some industrial estates and in the afternoon we arrive at the Corbett National Park, where we have the possibility to watch some animals living here in this protected area, such as elephants and tigers. A long time ago the park was the hunting ground for the Maharajas and the British, before it became India�s first national park.

Third Day

Today we spend the whole day at the Corbett Park for a safari, where the journalists and photographers can do their work. We�re driving along the river, reaching the Ramganga lake. We spot deer, does, elephants, wild boars and numerous birds, but also crocodiles with the typical long nose and also tigers, which the park is famous for.

Fourth Day

Today the sky is grey and there�s even some rain. On our map it seems that we have to take a minor road, but in the end it turns out that it is actually quite nice to drive. There is lots of agriculture and we pass many eucalyptus woods. At Najibabad we stop for lunch. The weather is much better now and it�s even quite hot. Later on we arrive at Haridwar, �Gate of the Great River�, where the Ganges leads into the lowlands. There are numerous people washing themselves in the river and there are many staircases to the riverbank, just like in Varanasi. There are many levees to canalise and channel the water of the river, using it also for irrigation. Leaving Haridwar we drive along the river Ganges again. We arrive in Rishikesh, which is famous for its yoga and meditation seminaries. We spot many tourists going rafting on the Ganges. From here one can start excursions to the source of the river, passing wonderful woods, reaching a camp with tents, where the rafting tours usually start.

Fifth Day

Early in the morning we take part in a rafting tour on the river Ganges. The rapids provide great fun for all of us. Later on we leave in the direction of Chardigarh, an area with fields, woods, rivers, levees and channels. We�re driving through the woods where we spot monkeys, who seem to be amazed by us, and the cars. Driving the 612 Scaglietti here is a great joy for the journalists behind the wheels. We stop at the two Tata Fiat dealerships and are welcomed with the usual enthusiasm and the typical Indian hospitality. In Chardigarh we also meet some reporters. Chardigarh is an amazing place. It�s completely different from all the other places we�ve been so far in India. It�s orderly, clean, green, with wide streets, pedestrian zones and parking spaces. Planned by Le Corbusier and built in the late 50s this is the capital of the state Punjab and Haryana at the border to Pakistan. Thanks to agriculture, industry and tourism this part of India is much better off than many other areas here. Tomorrow new journalists will arrive as guests of the �Magic India Discovery�.

The remainder of the day-by-day journal available at www.ferrari-indiantour.com