Catriona Gray on her dream road trip, working with Alden Richards

Catriona Gray (left) and Alden Richards —PHOTOS COURTESY OF SAILUN TIRE

One of the things Catriona Gray loved growing up in Australia was going on “long, scenic drives.”

“Going on road trips is quite a popular Australian pastime. Until now, every time I visit my parents, we go on multiday road trips to the countryside,” she told the Inquirer in an interview for her yearlong partnership with Luxuriant Marketing’s Sailun Tire.

Things were different, however, when she first moved to the Philippines a couple of years back to pursue pageantry and show biz. Because she didn’t have her own car at first, she had to shuttle between events, hauling heavy luggage and all her other essentials.

“When I first started here, I took taxis and used ride-hailing apps. It was quite exhausting carrying all my stuff everywhere. And then, I would have multiple events in one day, so it really was a struggle,” she recalled.

“But when I finally got a car, I felt like I had an extension of my home, where I could rest,” Catriona added.

Catriona Gray

Top destination

Although her job requires frequent travel, the 2018 Miss Universe winner still finds joy behind the wheel, going out with friends on day trips and out-of-town staycations “to escape” the city.

What’s the top destination on her bucket list?

“I would love to do the drive up to Batad, [Ifugao province,] again. But this time, with friends! The first time I went there was with my mom, which was so much fun,” she said. “But I have been raving about the place for what feels like forever, so I would love to finally take a road trip to show my friends what the hype’s all about.”

Joining her in the campaign for Sailun Tire—an international tire supplier catering to commercial and passenger vehicles—is Alden Richards.

“The shoot was super easy and chill. I have worked with the production team before, so there were a lot of familiar faces. And it also wasn’t my first time working with Alden. As always, he’s such a professional and is easy to work with,” she said.

“However, I almost slipped off the hood of the car,” Catriona said of the shoot. “I was asked to climb up and sit on the hood for a photo, but my pants were so slippery!”

And given the opportunity, Catriona said she would like to collaborate with Alden again on future projects. “Yeah, why not? I would be open to any opportunities that would come my way,” she said.