Road trips are always a great way to celebrate birthdays, but how about a 12,000 km journey on a 73-year-old vintage car?! Sounds incredible, doesn't it? Daman Thakore, a businessman and travel enthusiast from Ahmedabad, is doing just that for his 50th birthday and making headlines with his unique venture. 

Along with his family, he has decided to take their cherished 1950 MG YT vintage car named 'Laal Pari' on an epic journey across nations and continents. Starting this week from Ahmedabad, the expedition will culminate at the Abingdon factory in London, where the car was manufactured.

Daman won't be embarking on this adventure alone. His 75-year-old father and daughter will accompany him, along with a group of friends and family. The ambitious journey will cover approximately 12,000 km across 16 countries.

He attributes his passion and courage for travel, especially long road trips, to his family legacy. His parents were avid adventurers, often embarking on daring journeys on a shoestring budget. He aims to celebrate not only his birthday but also the spirit of adventure and travel instilled by his parents.

The journey will be supported by a caravan, a Tata Winger, led by vintage car expert Mukesh Bararia and photographer Vinay Panjwani.

Lal Pari's voyage, alongside its proud owner, will commence in Ahmedabad this week and progress to Mumbai, with a visit to the Statue of Unity. From there, the vintage car and its support vehicle will be transported to Dubai. The car will then make its way to Iran before proceeding towards the ultimate destination, London. En route, it will pass through diverse countries including Turkey, Azerbaijan, Switzerland, and Germany. To avoid Pakistan, the car will be shipped from UAE to Iran.

Despite Lal Pari's maximum speed being 60 kmph, they plan to travel at a leisurely 35 kmph, reliving cherished memories with his parents. The rough plan is to cover around 250 km per day. To ensure the car's roadworthiness, it was tested on extended domestic trips.