Getting Personal

                Drive into the New Year with Style
            
                For many individuals, driving is not just a pastime or a necessity; it's actually a passion and a way of life. And, even if a person has never sat behind the wheel of a high-performance car or motorbike, even just sitting in a mainstream vehicle while they take the journey to work can be an amazing thrill.
 
So, if the man or woman in your life has ambitions to fulfill, and a desire to get behind the wheel of a serious beast, why not treat them to one of any number of exciting driving Experience Days?
 
For those among us who like to hit the dirt track, the 4x4 Extreme at Silverstone Experience Day could be the perfect gift. After climbing into the driving seat of a Land Rover Defender, the lucky recipient will get to put their skills to the test on Silverstone's exciting and difficult off-road course. The course is fantastic fun, and incorporates a number of different and challenging terrains, including deep water and knife-edge type hills.
 
Made with a phenomenally large number of different body types, the Land Rover Defender is the product of a series of vehicle that began life in 1948. And although the vehicle is increasingly used as a private car by some families, the Defender's primary uses have always been in more specialist roles, such as the military, agriculture, expeditions and even surveys.
 
But if the person you're buying for prefers Experience Days of a more high-performance variety, how about the Motor Sport Entrance for Two – Experience Day? Taking place over the course of an entire day – or four hours, depending upon the exact location - the lucky recipient can shape and mould this particular experience day in a way that really compliments their personality and tastes. Whether it's a ride in a classic sports car, or the seat of a high-performance motorbike, it's entirely up to them! And the event can be held in a number of different locations, including Oulton Park in Cheshire, and Castle Combe in Wiltshire.
 
However, for those with ambitions to drive something a little more unusual, Double Decker Bus Driving could be the ultimate in off-the-wall Experience Days. Using the safety of a pre-defined course, the Double Decker Bus Driving experience day teaches the lucky participant how to control and manoeuvre this genuine beast of the city.
 
Double-decker buses are frequently used around the UK, although its most iconic implementation has been in London, where the famous Routemaster bus was used from 1956 until 2005. Although, it's worth bearing in mind that these old buses are still in use along limited routes within the capital. Introduced by the Associated Equipment Company, the iconic Routemaster buses made use of a number of advanced features, including power steering, an entirely automatic gearbox, front suspension that was entirely independent and even power-hydraulic braking. Moreover, many of the bus's construction techniques were actually developed during the Second World War. Aside from the few noted exceptions, the Routemaster bus has been withdrawn from London as a consequence of the current Disability Discrimination Act.
 
However, for anyone who prefers Experience Days with a far more nautical twist, how about the Powerboat Zapcat Blast experience day. Essentially lightweight, twin-hulled catamarans, Zapcats are a fun and exciting alternative to land-based adrenalin-fuelled Experience Days. These powerful boats are capable of performing at a power to weight ratio of 340-bhp per tonne. And, best of all, unlike some water-based Experience Days, this event is also open to those who cannot swim.
 
However, whichever of the many possible Experience Days you eventually opt for, the most important thing to remember is that having fun is of paramount importance; so, whether you choose driving Experience Days, or Experience Days of a more relaxing nature, just make sure your choice accurately reflects the tastes and abilities of the person you're planning to buy for.
 
Go on – give them an experience to remember!

Related Article: A Rush Hour to Be Remembered (Experience Days)