TRAVEL PLANNER - TOUCH, FEEL,
SMELL... TRAVEL
Buying travelogues or booking tourist guides
isn't the
same as travelling with a local companion who
takes you
through the secret coves and homespun bistros
for that
authentic flavour. Local travel is trending
big time this year
It's
like having a guidebook written just for you. No touristy
rip-offs
or standard rec ommendations. It's getting
downright
personal with your destination. From having
high
tea with the descendant of an erstwshile nawab of
Lucknow
to sharing a home-cooked meal of kolumbus,
pootus
and poriyals at a local's home in Chennai -local
sharing
and caring is every traveller's demand today.
“Conventional
luxury is available in almost every travel
destination.
What people are searching for is
meaningful
and authentic experiences -whether it's
an
enriching conversation or a delicious dish they
can
share with their friends upon their return,“ says
Aashi
Vel, co-founder, Traveling Spoon Travel Off
The
Eaten Path, a community that lets travellers dine
at
local people's homes around the world, including India.
PERSONAL
CONNECT
Who
would you rather have in your jeep on a tiger
safari...
a seasoned wildlife photographer or a regular guide?
We
all know the answer. Face-to-face recommendations
and
insider tips from in-the-know locals or professionals
rank
much higher on people's itinerary than a tour escort's
rehearsed
stories. “Local travel comprises authentic,
off-the-beaten
track experiences. It can range from meeting
an
ex-monk in Malaysia, who will take you through several
sacred spots to learning how to cook
organically with a
family
in Bali,“ says Madalina Buzdugan, communication
manager
of Withlocals.
Connecting
with local people is also easier than ever thanks to
technology.
This rapidly
growing trend is transforming how
travellers
see the world. And what's the best part?
It's all very cost-effective. The trend is encouraging individuals
It's all very cost-effective. The trend is encouraging individuals
and
communities to share their resources, right from sharing
their
couches, renting their cars, leasing out their residential
farms
for camping, to hosting delicious dine-ins.
MICRO TOURISM
In
local travel, the trips could get as narrowed down as
meandering
through the Dharavi slum in Mumbai (by the
startup
Padhaaro) or seeing Agra in battery-driven rickshaws. Seeksherpa.com, a website
currently operational across New
Delhi,
Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru, offers potential tourists
the
option of choosing specially-created tours, all priced under
Rs
3,000! These micro tours offer a plethora of options -from
street
photography in old Delhi to cycling in the British-era
Mumbai.
Micro tours are also ideal if you're passing through
and
only have a limited amount of time. The best feature is
that
anyone can sign up to be a sherpafriendgreeterlocal expert.
All
you need is the enthusiasm to talk to people and, of course,
sound
knowledge on the lay of the land.
Local
travel is big not just among the budget traveller, but also
for
those who have travelled abroad extensively, and now want
to
explore their own country in detail. Holidaymakers are accepting
that
the exoticness of the unknown doesn't have to take the form
of
a desert island in the middle of the Pacific... it could be hidden
in
their own backyard.“Earlier, only going abroad was seen as glamorous, but now
going to the Rannotsav or doing a high-altitude drive in Ladakh is also a
talking point,“ says Piya Bose of Girls on
The
Go Club. Her Great Rann of Kutch vacation is all about
staying
with the tribals in their traditional huts and buying authentic
embroidery
first hand. The trip also includes a rendezvous with a collector of ancient
fossils and dinosaur eggs... an experience one
would
surely miss on a guided tour.
FOOD
MELTS BORDERS
Going
by the popularity of local travel, you'd probably be booking
a
delicious home meal instead of a fancy restaurant on your next vacation.
Imagine accompanying local hosts in Rajasthan on a
spice
bazaar tour before being served a rich Rajasthani spread of
soolas
(a battlefield speciality meat), ker sangri and bajra roti
with
chunks of homemade butter! “Cooking and sharing a meal
allows
people to open up, share stories and realise how similar
we
are despite cultural differences,“ sums up Aashi.
CHECKLIST
BEFORE YOUR TRIP
Do
your background check on the locals you will be hanging out
with,
especially if you're staying with them.z Keep an open mind.
Don't
be judgmental about lifetyle or food choices of your host.
It
was your decision to be adventurous and try something new.
TL22FEB15
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