Prescribing paths to holiday happiness

Sick of picking and choosing from the same old sun and sand holidays and hill station breaks? Well, holidays are meant to get you away from the mundane. No wonder the days of packaged tours are long gone! And with the winter break just round the corner, it’s time you start chalking out your plans to make your vacation extra special. Here are some ultra simple mantras that can transform your vacation from just-another-break to a memorable and exhilarating experience!

Fancy holidaying somewhere unusual?

The top mantra for holiday happiness is to let the roads less travelled entice you. Pick a place that does not feature in the typical list of tourist destinations. That’s the first step to making your holiday unusual. Instead of going to Goa to spend the New Year’s Eve, you could opt for the pristine beaches of Gokarna or Karwar. Or even better, you could substitute the usual lounging around in beaches with a white water rafting break in Dandeli! And if you decide to go to Khajuraho, don’t just fix your eyes on the marvelous temples. Pack in more and get to the unexplored fort of Kalinjar, which lies some 120km north-east or just set out to the Panna National Park, less than 30km away. When the world is packed with destinations and activities that offer such new and refreshing experiences, all you have to do is ignore the herd!

You deserve better than just B&B!

Why settle for the same old B&B style lodging? It’s time to try the more enjoyable alternatives! Home stays and estate stays are excellent alternatives. A classic home stay involves living with a local family and having a first hand experience of its customs, cuisine and way of life. What can get better than indulging in a great conversation with your host who knows everything about Kerala and can tell you which Ayurvedic masseuse is the best in town and where exactly you should head for an affair with the gorgeous backwaters! And if you’re heading out for a beach vacation, try a shack instead of the routine sea-facing suite. Try a houseboat or even a home exchange! It’s time to get creative. After all, you don’t want to miss an opportunity to be transformed into a different world!

Like being lost in the labyrinth?

Instead of depending on tour operators, try using the public transport available in the place that you’re visiting. You get to meet more local people and you can gather suggestions of must-visit locations that are generally unheard of! Since you’ll be saving a lot of money, you can treat yourself to a lavish dinner. And if you are the kind who likes getting behind the wheel, then rent a car! Just make sure you have a valid driver’s license, a full tank and rough directions to your destination. Self-driving is a fabulous way to discover a new place and if you’re terrible at reading maps, do not panic. You just might reach an area that is totally remote, stunningly beautiful, away from mainstream tourism and most importantly, not in any tour guide book!

Linguistic Twist

Learning the local language can enhance your travelling experience, sometimes in ways you never thought of, especially if you are travelling abroad. If you hate the pungent smell of garlic, it might be a good idea to learn the Italian word for garlic, i.e. ‘l'aglio’ (pronounced as ‘Hug Leo’) before you land in Italy! You can begin with just a few greetings and phrases like "Please," "Thank You," "How much is that?," and "Where is ..." These phrases can be very handy when you go to restaurants, buy something, take a taxi etc. You can also do a search on any search engine for "learn Spanish" or "learning Chinese" or any other language, and you will find many sites with free tutorials.

Spice of life!

A very essential mantra is to not order the cheesy pasta with sun dried tomatoes in Tokyo! It is uber important to try the local food instead of sticking with the usual favourites. It adds to that unique flavour to your holiday like nothing else does! When you go to Vietnam, you must go to the Ben Thanh Market for bun thit nuong - grilled lemongrass pork with cool rice noodles. Watch the street vendor generously add spring roll, fried shallots, roasted peanuts, pickled vegetables and a douse of Vietnamese fish sauce! Well, sometimes the ingredients of the local dish might be outside our comfort zone. But you never know! You might just find the avid traveller in you quite willing to at least give it a try! And if you are an absolute foodie, you could go for an entirely culinary vacation. Picture yourself enjoying a gourmet cuisine and wine tasting in the French Alps! If merely imagining all this is giving you so much pleasure, you ought to start planning your vacation this very minute!

Have a blissful getaway!

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PS: I think I was rather excited about my week long vacation in Maharashtra. So  much that it even inspired me to write a travel story! This one appeared in MSN’s Lifestyle column on 16^th Dec, ’09. My first ever travel story. Yaaaye :)