Indian Railways Go Cashless

Mothers vacationing with kids

Mothers vacationing with kids is the latest travel trend across the world. Adventure and rejuvenation apart, it leads to the much-needed emotional bonding before the raging adolescent hormones kick in. Are you ready to pack?

          Meaningful mother-child journeys are emerging as one of the fastest-growing travel trends all over the world. A recent survey, conducted by famous research firm, asked 1,000 parents with kids aged between five and 17 what they gained out of vacationing together. 97 per cent of parents said their children discover new sides of their mother; something that would have been quite impossible to achieve in their hectic daily lives. The survey also found that families tend to be at ease, excited and affectionate while on such vacations.

          Says mom & a entrepreneur, “When mothers plan holidays with kids, it is a simple way to tell the children that they are important in the mother's life.“ Fashion designer gives credit to smart mothers of our times, who have found the perfect way to balance work and home life. She says, “Mothers always love to bond with their child. Despite their hectic schedules and workload, today, they have figured out a perfect way to connect with their children before the impudence of adolescence sets in. When I take daughter for a holiday, we focus on doing what she likes. The key thing is to stay focussed on the child.“

          It's not just children, but adolescents and adults, who are taking off with their mothers for vacations. Engineer mom, who got married three years ago, recently took off with her mother to spend some time together. She says, “I'm planning to have a baby. Before life gets hectic with work and a child, I wanted to get away with my mother to Darjeeling. She loves greenery and cold mountain air. We caught up on old times, ate great food, and watched the sunrise together. I was building memories with my mom.“

          Travel agents have been creating special mother-child packages. A travel expert, “With the great Indian summer beating down on our heads, the best places to head to are the Himalayas, Nainital, Kasauli and Mussorie. Singapore is also very child friendly, with its museums, animal sanctuaries etc. You can even plan a sleepover at the Aquarium in Sentosa!“ Some destinations like Bangkok offer opportunities for art and craft activities. Children can learn the local dance, join a cooking class, go swimming, take taekwondo lessons etc.

          Why mom-child vacations are on the rise What's unique about an exclusive mom-child vacation is that the child gets the opportunity to see the mother as an independent individual; minus family responsibilities (which often keeps a woman from showing her funnier and more spirited side)

          Says actor Perizaad, “Both children loved their last safari while we were vacationing in Koh Samui. We rented bikes and would travel together to different places. Mothers should involve their kids in planning the trip too; they will love it. It's ideal not to take your domestic help. Let the child know you better. Trips aren't meant to show your perfectionist side; they're meant to show the real you.“  Travelling is a way of teaching kids how to get along with different people and prepare for unpredictable situations.

          Adventure-loving mothers can go river rafting in Rishikesh; the laid-back ones can take their kids to a spa or Ayurvedic destinations, lik Alleppey. The elephant safari in Jaldapara National Park, West Bengal, is also a hit. It is a beautiful place that hasn't been explored by tourists yet. Young mothers also hire houseboats and ride on the placid waters of Vembanad Lake in the spas of Alleppey, Kerala.

          A Businesswoman, who travels frequently with her daughters, says, “We visit new places, eat different foods, learn about history and seek different ways of doing things. These are the experiences that form a child's sense of identity, helps them accept their uniqueness, and allows them to be connected to the larger world. Recently, we went camping in Joshua Tree, California, with my daughter's friends and their moms. Pitching tents, making dinner on a campfire, roasting marshmallows, hiking and rock climbing was incredibly fun!“

          When you travel with your children alone, it helps them develop decision-making skills. I talk to them beforehand about the places we visit. You will realise that a simple decision making process like what they'd want to do, what they'd love to eat, goes a long way in developing their self-worth.............Nonaw.  

Walking while you travel

Just walk: You'll be tempt ed to hop into a cab or even just take transit to get the most out of a city you don't have much time in, but as a recent 11-hour day in Budapest proved, you'll have a way better time if you just go where your feet will take you.

We only had a day in Budapest. It's one of the world's great cities, but we were on a 10-day, 9-country binge, and my buddy Will and I realised we weren't going to see everything everywhere. We were going to get tastes, nibbles of cities. And Budapest was going to be more of a morsel than most. We were getting in on the train in the morning and taking the overnight train out.

There are a lot of museums in Budapest. The House of Terror is a great one. There's also an old fort, some great churches, a few famous goulash places and a big old market. It wouldn't have been too tough to sketch out a route and see it all in the 11 or so hours we had. And Budapest, like most big European cities, has those double-decker city tours that are often a good way to get a quick overview.

We decided to go another way.

We wandered.

If you don't have a lot of time in a place, walking can be a counterintuitive way to spend it. You've paid a lot of money to be there, you don't know when (or if) you'll ever be back. You want to maximise, find efficiencies, get the most out of your trip.

Another word for that sort of thing is sightseeing. You see the sights, you move on, you have pictures to share and can give friends and family a satisfying shorthand version of the place in question.

But walking around a city, preferably with no particular agenda, gets you past sightseeing into something more like experiencing the place you're in.

That day in Budapest, for instance, we walked around the main core of the old city, then stopped by a tourist booth to ask whether there were any residential neighbourhoods nearby. Turns out there was one, with its own bars and cafes, just behind the parliament, with buildings that made me think the architects behind London's and Ottawa's neighbourhoods were just phoning it in. On the way, we passed by what looked like an underground bar, though the sign was giving up none of its Hungarian secrets.

We went down the steps, opened the door, went down even more steps, and found a fantastic place, with walls of roughly-carved wood, a few old men hanging around drinking small glasses of not-quitewhite-wine-coloured stuff. We asked for a couple of glasses of whatever they were having. It was a sweet Hungarian wine called Tokaji (pronounced `toke-eye'). The stuff is actually mentioned in the Hungarian national anthem. It was good. We ordered a pitcher. It was better.

From there, after passing a statue of Colombo scratching his head looking at a basset hound (also in bronze) -no idea -we walked towards the parliament buildings, and down some side streets, where we came across what looked like it might be a pinball museum -it was called theFlipper Muzeum -but turned out to be an actual, functioning, enormous hall of pinballery. The place was pretty busy, and there were machines from every era, Happy Days to movie tieins of the '80s and '90s.

Then we found what looked like a corner store with a bunch of guys hanging around outside. Working on the principle that a place where a bunch of people are hanging out is probably worth checking out, we went inside. They had some corner store stuff, but mostly they just sold beer.

You bought a bottle from the coolers, or a pint from a couple of taps by the cash register, and then sat on the curb in front and drank and talked. I couldn't think of a more purely neighbourhood bar concept than that. And the beer was pretty good, too. (Mine was a craft brew from the Hungarian town of Fót, just outside Pest.) We sat and talked and watched people go by as we sipped our beer, propped up against the 19thor early 20th-century brick building the corner storebar was built in. It was mostly men in their 20s and 30s on an early weekday evening, day work over or night work not yet begun.

From there, we wandered through the neighbourhood, past hair salons and travel agencies. I always like seeing where people who live in places I'm visiting want to visit. Hungarians seem to like Croatia quite a bit these days, and Spain.

After a couple of hours of that ­ stopping in for the occasional bit of street food, getting lost, realising you never really get lost in cities and popping out somewhere we recognised in time to figure out how to get back to the train station ­ we felt like we got a bit of a handle on Budapest, more than we would have if we'd confined ourselves to the spots Hungarians self-consciously presented to the visiting world.

I've done this sort of thing in Vienna and Paris, Sofia and Santiago, and it never fails to give me a different sense of the place, a feeling of familiarity, of comfort, like I could go back -and I have gone back to all those places -and feel, if not quite at home, then at least like I wasn't totally on the outside looking in. At a time when Wikipedia and Street View can give you any place's greatest hits just fine without you actually having to visit, this slow-mo style may be the best approach to 21stcentury urban travel..........Article by Bert A.

Offbeat romantic retreats

It doesn't matter which part of the country you're from; India's vast natural beauty and cultural heritage ensures that whichever part you're from, a romantic retreat isn't too far off. Forget the well-known destinations, and go for these hidden, unspoilt places that are still far from the madding crowd.

MOUNTAIN, MIST, LOVE

            Picturesque Khajjiar: Called India's mini Switzerland for its expansive meadows, Khajjiar is an idyllic hill station in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh.Set in the midst of magnificent deodar forests, it has the rarest combination of lakes, pastures and foliage. Khajjiar Lake is ideal for picnics, strolls and more. The honeymooners can enjoy activities like horse-riding, paragliding and zorbing.

Best time to visit: Throughout the year;

Nearest railway station: Pathankot;

Nearest airport: Gaggal in Kangra; Approximate travel time: 15 hours (from Delhi);

Topmost attraction: Glimpse of the misty Dauladhar mountain range.

SUNSET ROMANCE

            Wavy Havelock: This island, located in the Ritchie's Archipelago in the Andaman Islands, has some of the best beaches in Asia. It is also India's top scuba diving hub. But the best experience is to go on a diving trip to India's only active barren volcano. And like most tropical islands, there are those romantic sunsets, candlelight dinners on the beaches and much more.

Best time to visit: Mid-January to midMay. Avoid the monsoon months;

Nearest ferry terminals: Port Blair and Rangat;

Nearest airport: Port Blair; Approximate travel time: Two to four hours by ferry; one hour by air;

Topmost attraction: Radhanagar and Elephant Beaches.CULTURAL HIGH Serene Shantiniketan: This small town near Bolpur in the Birbhum district of West Bengal is synonymous with Ra bindranath Tagore. If you want to enjoy its tranquility, go any time of the year.And if you want to enjoy, the culturally rich heritage of Bengal, do visit during Poush Mela (Winter Fair) and Basanta Panchami (Holi).

Best time to visit: Any time of the year;

Nearest railway station: Bolpur; Nearest airport: DumDum Airport, Kolkata; Approximate travel time: It takes approximately 1 hour 53 minutes from Kolkata;

Topmost attraction: Amar Kutir and Kopai River.

A WALK IN THE WOODS

            Panoramic Panchmarhi: Pachmarhi is Madhya Pradesh's most precious gem and reflects romanticism at its best. A lovely hill station surrounded by the Satpura ranges, it offers absolute serenity.Bridle paths lead into placid forest groves. It's a great destination for trekkers, hikers, bikers, parasailers and of course, couples.

Best time to visit: Between June and October;

Nearest Airport: Bhopal;

Nearest railway station: Pipariya; Approximate travel time: Three hours from Bhopal;

Topmost attraction: Jamuna Prapat (Bee Fall), Rajat Prapat (Big Fall), Apsara Vihar and Satpura National Park.

GO WILD!

            Breathtaking Nameri: Explore the avifaunal biodiversity of the Nameri National Park, a birder's paradise, in Assam. It comprises semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests. The rich wildlife includes barking and hog deers, tigers and leopards. Couples can also indulge in fishing, river rafting and wildlife trekking.

Best time to visit: November to April;

Nearest Airport: Tezpur;

Nearest railway station: Guwahati; Approximate travel time: Forty-five minutes to an hour; three hours from Guwahati;

Topmost attraction: Pigmy Hog-Breeding Centre....... Article by S. banerjee

Why travel is your best teacher

There is no discounting that you learn some of the most important skills in the classroom but the lessons you learn about life when you leave your comfort zone and step into the unknown are incomparable. We list some of the best lessons of life that travel teaches you.

TRUST YOUR INTUITION

If you travel on your own (by not opting for nosweat group tours that have everything planned for you), you are likely to tackle situations where you have to make a choice or a decision immediately. No amount of research or preparedness can come to your rescue. But on the bright side, discovering things on your own, like what's the cheapest and quickest way to get from point A to point B, how much should you trust your instinct when talking to a stranger, how much should you spend each day... etc. all go a long way to smarten you up.When you are in another country, you feel less judged and more courageous too.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE RICH TO TRAVEL

Yes, anybody can travel. When you often tell others about your travel plans, their immediate reaction is, “How can you afford it? It seems you have a lot of money“. That's a misconception.If you decide to religiously save a certain amount from your paycheck, you can easily save a good amount for at least one trip a year. And a trip doesn't mean you have to book a ridiculously expensive hotel. You can stay with a local, work along the way, eat simple food, take public transport, etc. and stick to your budget. These are simple tricks to minimise your spending.

ACCEPT, ACCEPT, ACCEPT

Don't you like making plans and hope life turns out exactly that way? When you are travelling around the world, things often go wrong, but you have to keep calm, be flexible and learn to roll with the punches. “I was once invited by a local in Rome to go and stay with him. I was super excited by the idea. After taking a two-hour tiring journey to the address he had mentioned, I found out that he wasn't residing there and was only playing a prank on me. It was extremely frustrating, as I ended up wasting al most an entire day,“ says travel blogger Sachin Bhandary. “In hindsight, it taught me acceptance. The time that was gone, was gone; why spoil the whole trip sulking over it,“ he adds. Travel is the best way to expose yourself to uncertainty.

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER

You're never too old to live your travelling and backpacking dreams. When you hit your 60s or 70s, you are often in a better financial position and can travel stress-free.

ALL THINGS ROMANTIC

“Every single time I have travelled, I've discovered romance in me. It has nothing to do with falling in love with a person. It's about discovering and romancing a new side of you that you've just discovered,“ says travel enthusiast Srishati Suri. As a tourist, you enjoy the beauty of simple, everyday life. You become more aware of the wonderful things nature has to offer.

THE WORLD ISN'T A BAD PLACE TO LIVE IN

“Maybe, everybody in the whole world is scared of each other,“ American author John Steinbeck had said. It's true. It is important to be smart and take basic precautions while travelling, but you also learn to trust good people, and your faith in humanity increases. Travel helps you get rid of race, religion and cultural stereotypes. When you travel, you realise that people, all over the world, are not very different ¬ though they may do things differently.

LESSON IN HUMILITY

You may be that special one for your loved ones, but once you set out on a journey, you are just a small part of the vast world. You realise the world doesn't revolve around you.And it's okay.

YOUR MANAGEMENT SKILLS IMPROVE

Planning your travel is like a crash course in better management. Whether you're planning a trip with friends or going solo, a lot of planning and co-ordination are required to book your tickets, do your visa, find the best budget places to stay etc.

5reasons travel is better than ever before

Good roads

The betterment of roads and infrastructure, with every passing year, is a sign of global prosperity. The biggest plus point? Now, there are actually roads to places that were inaccessible. This means there are many more holidaying spots today than ever before.

The miracle called `mapping'

In the past, if you wanted to navigate your way around the world, you had to research for weeks on the roads to take, to reach a particular destination. Do you remember stopping at a petrol pump asking for directions? Fortunately, with mapping applications and GPS (global positioning system) devices guiding you to the accurate location, it's possible to know the right route in a few seconds.

More choice, information

With so many more air lines, routes, destinations, flight times and connecting cities to choose from, you can easily escape the most heavily-trafficked airports while actually getting closer to your preferred destination.

Moreover, you can find the cheapest hotel to stay in, the nearest gas station, shopping areas around your location, weather conditions, current currency exchange rate ¬ all of this and much more in a jiffy.This has brought about a massive change in attitude. People are more confident of travel today.

Cheap options galore

Do you often tell yourself “I don't have the money to travel the world?“ If you do, you're truly not exploring the possibilities you have at hand. Today, there are ample websites that give you free travel coupons, cheap flight deals, discounts on hotel stays and also help plan a trip within your budget.What you must know is how to use them smartly.

E-tickets

There was a time when you had to take that extra effort to keep your tickets at the right place, and most importantly, make sure you don't end up losing them. The paperless ticket system has made life easy; Forgot your e-ticket? Take a printout at the airport. Just keep the IDs handy. They are still needed...........Article by shikha shah

Source : Media 

DON'T JUST VROOM, OFF-ROAD! .....

Navigating otherworldly terrains and unspoilt trails, travelling doesn't get more off-the beaten-path than this!

Nothing worthy has ever come out of a war. We all would agree, but not those who off-road. We tell you why. Once World War II ended, there was a huge surplus of jeeps and lorries in the market. While most of these lightweight vehicles were bought for utility purposes, a few adventure junkies paid for them to engage in off-roading.This was a new fad, primarily American. That was 1945, this is 2015. What started as a hobby in America 70 years ago, is now the `it' thing for a growing number of travellers whose idea of road journeys is not cuffed to nitrogen cylinders, 16-lane expressways and cars that reach 100 kmph in less than five seconds.

WHAT'S THE FAD?

It's not as simple as it sounds. It is a rubber burning sport that calls for you to drive on mud, sand, gravel, snow, rock, grass, salt and riverbed and every other place where you are one with nature, and there are no roads. Thus, technically, no matter how many potholes are there in your city roads, you will still have to go to a desert, forest or hill area to off-road. However, most of the metros have private off-roading clubs where you can pay and drive, but the real fun is obviously in the woods or in places that are from the macadam.

ADVENTURE ROUTES

India has some of the world's finest terrains for off-roading in Himalayas, Ladakh (Nubra Valley), Rajasthan (Jodhpur, Nagaur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer) and Gujarat (Rann of Kutch). The Himalayas offer spectacular off-roading terrain, while Ladakh's high-altitude desert offers equally favourable conditions for the activity. Out west in Gujarat, the salt marshes of the Rann of Kutch make for a unique off-roading experience. Rajasthan is famous more for an offshoot of offroading called dune bashing.“Off-roading is like an addiction.Me and my family often bond over off-roading and this is how we like to holiday. Malls and five-star hotels can wait, we like the dirt and the adrenaline rush,“ says Delhi based off-roader Rajeev Kapur.

GROWING TREND

The incoming of SUVs, which has changed the way we look at cars, is jet fuelling the growth of this trend. We are buying bigger, brawnier and better cars, and using Rai them not just to commute to work, pick-up relatives from the airport and weekend picnics, but also for road trips and family excursions.

“In the last five years, the number of people undertaking offroading trips has tripled, and this adventure pursuit has been ma jorly driven by SUVs and modified jeeps and gypsy,“ says Tejas Kothari, a certified four-wheel drive trainer .

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

Primarily, guts! Loads of money! A car. You will have to get your machine modified, which can be taken care off by a car modifier. Or, if you have the money, go for an allterrain vehicle (ATV) that is specifically built for such escapades.Talking about preparing a car for off-roading, Kapur says, “I worked on the suspension, replaced the existing fan and radiator with bigger ones because the car heats up a lot during the drive; room cages had to be installed so that we don't fall out of the car in case the vehicle turns turtle, ground clear ance had to be increased, and because I mostly drove in the mud, mud terrain tyres were essential. The strengthening of the car was major work be cause the car gets damaged during the ride and without the strengthening, you are never sure if it will live through the drive.“

DON'T HURT NATURE

Environmental groups abhor offroading because it leads to soil erosion and various forms of pollution due to the noisy machines that burn excessive fuel and are harsh on soil.So, it's every off roader's responsibility to ensure he does everything possible to negate the damages the sport makes to the environment.....Article by kumar saurav

I TRAVEL MY WAY

He or she could be your best friend back home, but not the best companion on a journey. As travel becomes an inward journey -directed towards self-growth -no one is ready to compromise on who they are travelling with

            I was feeding my persistent sense of wanderlust when I headed to Bangkok last June. It was a much-awaited trip with my besties; but, alas, it was a bumpy ride. One of my friends and I just couldn't see eye to eye. While I would want to eat like a local, she would spend all day googling `Indian restaurants in Bangkok'. While I'd explore the night bazaar, she'd check party places. The much-awaited trip changed my perspective on travel, and travel companions. They may not always be your best friends or even family because travelling is no more what it used to be ¬ an annual summer or winter vacation with family that would include sightseeing, eating at well known restaurants and relaxing at hotels.

MY DESTINATION, MY CHOICE

            Today, people have an independent outlook towards life, an urge to learn, reflect and introspect... Thus, holidaying is more about “travelling with a purpose“. Travel blogger Sachin Bhan dary says, “Travel has become a very serious aspect of our lives. The chalta hai attitude doesn't work. It's about `my choice' and a lot of thought goes into planning vacations.“ While some people are travelling for self discovery and personal growth, others are travelling to make new friends, eat good food, follow their favourite music bands or to visit their favourite art and culture spots. What ever the kind of travel, one thing is be coming distinctly clear ¬ no one has the patience to tolerate an irritat ing travel buddy anymore. They'd rather go with a stranger. Several online travel communities, where you can find like-minded company, have cropped up over the last few years.

            Hari Nair, founder of an online travel portal, says, “When two people with completely different ways of dealing with a situation come together, it can lead to arguments and discomfort, turning the holiday into a nightmare.“ You may have to face a lot of challenges on a trip ¬ delayed flight, loss of important documents, unavailability of vegetarian food, a terrible hotel etc. These test your ability to adjust, compromise and find a solution without whining.“

            It's not always the other person. Travel also gives us all a rare insight into ourselves ¬ it gives us more or less an accurate understand ing of where our boundaries are set, how far we can stretch the limits of our basic emotions. BBC World News presenter Rajan Datar says, “I travel quite frequently for work with my cam eraman, producer and local researcher, and I pretty much get along with everyone. One of my worst experiences was travelling with an over-talkative person. I love my space on long journeys, while soaking the natural beauty around me. But this person didn't fail to miss a single opportunity to fill the silences with silly, random conversations about himself. That is when I found the intolerant side of the traveller in me.“

SEEK ANSWERS, KNOW YOURSELF

            Intrepid traveller and award-winning blogger Shivya Nath believes if you travel to seek answers, or even the right questions, it's important to travel with the right person. “At times, the person can be just yourself. Or travel with someone who pushes you out of your comfort zone, adds another dimension to your perspective, and shares your curiosity to see the world. The wrong travel companion could do just the opposite ¬ reduce your travels to a mere outward journey that changes nothing within. Then you might as well just stay at home,“ she says.

STRANGERS OVER SPOUSE

            Travel certainly isn't just one of those things people do these days. It's a life lesson and no one wants to misinterpret its chapters due to a wrong teacher. In fact, travel as a self-growth process has become so vi tal that people are seeking like-minded companions even over their spouses. Architect Archana Mehta says, “While being busy with work and household chores, we often tend to forget our priorities, likes and dislikes. During my last holiday, I travelled alone and met various people. We would chill at a bar to gether and talk for hours about ourselves. It was refreshing talking to people other than my friends, husband and fami ly. I came back from the trip feeling peaceful yet energetic, and it was great to reconnect with my family af ter the break.“

            Travel enthusiast and writer Lakshmi Sharath, who writes about her journeys in A Travel Blog of an Indian Backpacker, explains why people closest to us at times don't make for good trav el partners, “Travelling with someone is not like go ing to dinner with a friend ¬ where you can both or der different dishes, have a good conversation, hug and leave. It's not even like going to a movie ¬ where you come out with different opinions about the film but enjoy the popcorn nonetheless; travelling brings out who you really are. When you are on the road, you are in touch with your core and don't want to deal with any nonsense. The masks which you can keep on in a familiar environment of home, office, your neighbourhood and other known surroundings, come out when you are travelling. At that time, you just want to be yourself. The freedom, the space, the new surroundings all together propel the real you to come out on the surface. You don't want to compromise on that.“

            Advertising professional and avid traveller Kanaad Chatterjee from Ahmedabad gives a whole new dimension to the idea of travel companionship when he says, “Think about travelling like you'd think about marriage ¬ if you're with the wrong person, it can deprive you of the people you could have met, the food you could have eaten, the fun you could have had, and the person you could have become.“

ONLINE TRAVEL BUDDY

Travbuddy.com:       One of the largest services for finding a travel buddy online, this one will ask you to register and write a bit about yourself as a traveller with a picture or two. It has over 43,000 members and 185,000-odd future travel plans.

Thelmandlouise.com:            A women-only search engine, this site helps you find someone who specifically matches your criteria through advanced-search options.

Meetup.com: Prefer group vacations?        Meetup.com lists worldwide get-togethers for specialist interests. Yes, they have a special group for people who love to go for road trips and attend local events like movies, coffee and clubbing.

TripTogether.com:    Started by a team of 30 avid travellers, the website has a lively pool of over 50,000 enthusiasts. You can share your experiences, find new friends, show visitors your favourite spots and get to know a lot of things about places you're interested in.

Travel-buddies.com: Aimed at backpackers looking for a partner or group to travel the world with.Absolutely free of charge.

Article by shikha shah