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How many times have you wished in the middle of a holiday that
you could have your own comfortable private place or bed to stretch
out on without having to go to a hotel? Countrywide Caravans
bring you just that, a cosy air-conditioned caravan, which has
a living room with a television, a kitchenette with a refrigerator,
a bedroom with a bed, a bath with water heater and an attached toilet.
Countrywide Caravans are India's first operator of caravans or
holiday homes, as they are known abroad. This Chennai-based
company founded by Karthik Chidambaram offers five plush
caravans that can make the perfect travel companion on your holidays.
Being a frequent traveller abroad, Karthik Chidambaram saw the potential
this concept could hold in India and imported five caravans costing
about Rs 20 lakh each from Germany.
 There
are three models available - Twin bed, Bunk bed and Honeymoon models.
The cost of hiring the caravan for a single day is Rs 5,000/-.
It is Rs 4,000/- per day for periods of longer duration. The
charges are exclusive of the hauling vehicle. The caravan
can be towed by any car over 1000 cc. It has however been noted
that the Tata Sumo is the most effective vehicle, when it
comes to towing the caravan over hilly terrain.
The caravans can be used only when they are parked, at present
they cannot be used while in transit. For the caravans to
be parked, the company has tied up with the Tamil Nadu Tourism
Development Corporation, Pondicherry Tourism Development Corporation
and Traveller's Bungalow. The caravans can be parked
at 'caravan parks' identified by the company against a nominal ground
rent varying between Rs 100/- to Rs 300/- per day, which includes
providing primary facilities like secured parking space, power-supply,
water and cleaning service. In some places additional facilities
are also available against payment.
 Says
S P Sunderajan, Marketing Manager, Countrywide Caravans "Depending
on the model between four to six people can sleep in it. Inside
the caravan, there is a three-flamed gas stove, a refrigerator (70
litres capacity), a water heater and a chemical toilet.
Other facilities like Television, VCR, Music System, Cookware can
be made available at extra cost. We also provide an attendant
at an extra cost of Rs 200 per day. The toilet is similar
to the one provided in an aircraft. The toilet waste gets collected
in a cassette, and the chemical added in the cassette digests the
solid matter. An indicator is provided to show the cassette
is full and it can be taken out and discharged".
The caravans originally intended to cater to foreign, domestic
tourists and corporates however found a completely different set
of takers. Movie stars from the film industry fell in love
with this concept. The caravans have been taken to locations
such as Ooty and even Delhi. Over 70% of the company's customers
are from the film industry. "They like the cool comfort
of a caravan to retreat to, in the midst of tough shooting schedules.
It becomes a retreat that provides instant access to privacy during
costume changes as well as the availability of a clean toilet on
varied locations" says S P Sunderajan. Ad-film making
companies, corporates and individual tourists form rest of the 30%.
September to December is when clients from abroad hire the caravan.
 The
company has also obtained permission from the Ministry of Surface
Transport to enable automobiles with both yellow and white number-
plates to tow the caravans. Driving too does not require any additional
effort and the two-wheeled unit can travel at a speed of 70 to 80
kmph on highways.
"We get quite a few enquiries through our website, around two
or three per day and of these we have eight to ten conversions in
a month. For the movie stars, we interact with the producers,
get to know their schedule and book the caravans accordingly.
It is a case of demand outstripping supply as many a time we have
had to turn down clients, as all the caravans are already booked.
We require advance booking, at least a week's notice." says
Sunderajan.
Address: Countrywide Caravans, # 3C Eldorado,
112 Nungambakkam High Road, Chennai - 600 034.
Phone: 827 0931, 824 1424
Fax: 822 8675
Pager: 9622 714141
Mobile: 98400 45240
Email: chessms@vsnl.com
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