A 4 x 4 driving experience with Buyagift – #40thingsbefore40

4 x 4 driving experience Buyagift berkshire 4 x 4

Hoorah!

One more down, only about another 68 to go on my list of 40 things to do before I’m 40! Okay, so it can’t be 68, as there are only 40 on my list, but it feels a bit like it at the moment. I’m 38 next month, which means I’m nearly three years into the project and I’ve not done even half of them. Still, plenty of time, let’s not panic.

So, 4 x 4 driving. It’s all that muddy stuff – up hills, wheels spinning, splashing through puddles. Good, wholesome fun. I had my experience courtesy of Buyagift, who sell all manner of amazing experiences and adventures, so firstly, thank you very much to Buyagift.

Let’s get straight down to it then, no need for false modesty here – I ROCK at 4 x 4 off road driving. Seriously, my throttle control is impeccable. The instructor even said I did ‘remarkably well’, and went to great pains to tell me that I was doing much better than the two men who had gone before me that day, as though I would be surprised by that, dur.

We started with a drive around the course with me as a passenger, just to see the sort of thing we were going to be doing, and then we got straight into it, no messing about. This was great as it meant I got maximum time behind the wheel. I had a one-to-one session, but you can buy them as a small group where you take turns too.

I had wondered exactly what we would do with all the time – how often can you drive through a puddle before it gets boring? – but actually the time went really quickly. My instructor was great, stopping regularly for us to walk bits of the course so I knew what to expect and could plan my moves, and explaining some of the techy stuff happening in the car too. (Top fact – he has to change the brake pads on his vehicle every 2-3 days!)

4 x 4 driving experience Buyagift berkshire 4 x 4

It wasn’t as fast as I was imagining – I think I was expecting to be bouncing about, splashing mud all over the windscreen – but it was far more empowering than I had realised it would be. There was something about it that made me feel very powerful and capable. I guess it’s the idea that you are in charge of a big vehicle with a lot of potential power behind it, but you’re keeping it going smoothly, despite tough conditions. (Little metaphor for life as a parent there.)

After we’d finished, I had this overwhelming sense of achievement, like I had accomplished something. I know it wasn’t running a marathon or anything, but there was definitely an element of physicality about the experience, and that’s something I normally shy away from. I felt really pleased to have ticked something off the list that wasn’t just a fun trip or activity, but something that actually challenged me physically too.

If you fancy a 4 x 4 driving experience, check out the Buyagift website.

4 x 4 driving experience Buyagift berkshire 4 x 4

Buyagift gifted me the 4 x 4 driving experience, but all opinions are my own.

 

 

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2 Comments

  1. 19 March, 2016 / 9:16 pm

    My OH would love to do this, I keep looking at options for him and really should book him on an experience as he’s 50 later this year.

  2. 6 May, 2016 / 2:52 pm

    The most unnerving experience for me was going up a really steep hill in one of these vans. It feels like you might just roll head over heels back down the hill. Is good fun, agree it something that should be experienced.

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