Here comes the tourist season..
When I was young and naive and believed everything the books told me , I learnt that there were just two seasons – summer and winter or coming from Madras, it used to be the hot summer and the cool summer as elders in the family used to joke. Those were the days when life was in black and white . It was either Rajinikanth or Kamalahassan , thumps up or goldspot, idli or dosa..
I learnt about the third season a bit later in the day and that, believe me was an experience . When I stepped out of a tiny room after an entire night of editing and saw an office flooded with knee deep water , with old food floating around , I knew there was a third season called the monsoons. It was Bombay that made me experience the fury of the Arabian Sea, the lethargy of the local government as I shivered with malaria , while the roads got flooded year after year . It used to rain heavily in Madras too, but that usually coincided with the winters,sorry cool summer .
But then, seasons to me have always meant weather conditions – hot,dry, humid,wet, stormy, cold..but later it came to be festive and fashionable too. And finally it seeped into the world of travel . The holiday season, the tourist season, the honeymoon season soon gave way to the Kerala season, Goa season, Rajasthan season . Every tourist worth his salt had to put his stamp in these places. You need to have those photographs against the Taj in the background, else you haven’t travelled at all.
When I started travelling, I was asked if I was going to Goa for new years eve and I would say no.( I still havent, but thats a different story ) They asked me if I had been to Jaisalmer and again the answer was negative. Thankfully I had been to the Kerala backwaters and I eventually redeemed myself by heading to Agra and got a glimpse of The Taj -whew ! that was a sign of relief.
I dare not tell them that I havent seen a single tiger or leopard in the forest, nor have I been to Corbett or Kanha. My last visit to Kanyakumari was probably when I was 15 to see the sunrise .. And yet, the eyebrows are raised..am I really a traveller ? ” Maybe shes just a pretender , not really been anywhere.” came the voices..
So who are these people , you may ask..People who believe that their holidays should be a list of only must see places as they keep ticking them off their bucket list. I see nothing wrong with it really as I have my own bucket list too and I will probably visit all the places mentioned above “whenever I feel like ..” And that to me , makes me a nomad.
I choose my destinations – I travel where I want to, when I want to – not because its the season to go there. I travel within my own city, around the outskirts of the city and sometimes to a getaway outside the city . And when I feel like its time to have a date with a destination , I check out my bucket list and go..
Meanwhile I realize I am a bit outdated still. Seasons have changed again – you now have a tiger season, an angling season and a migratory season too and I will soon be hibernating to run away from all of this
Since when did travel become so stressful, I wonder !
Add some ‘things to do’ too.. “You went to Davangere and didn’t eat benne dose?” .. “You went to Goa and didn’t visit one of the shacks?” .. “You went to Kerala and didn’t go to a houseboat?”
I am tired of all these questions.. Cliche overload..
So true Radha..the list of must dos and the must sees…
🙂 nest time someone asks you such questions tell them that when you visited the place it was closed due overexposure… tension deneka, leneka nahi – an old mumbai saying!
Nice write up… It all about whether you want to be a tourist or a traveller.
http://rajniranjandas.blogspot.com/2011/04/sojourn-amidst-coffee-beans.html
So who are these people , you may ask..People who believe that their holidays should be a list of only must see places as they keep ticking them off their bucket list. I see nothing wrong with it really as I have my own bucket list too and I will probably visit all the places mentioned above “whenever I feel like ..” And that to me , makes me a nomad.
I choose my destinations – I travel where I want to, when I want to – not because its the season to go there. I travel within my own city, around the outskirts of the city and sometimes to a getaway outside the city . And when I feel like its time to have a date with a destination , I check out my bucket list and go. When people tell me things like this, I tell them plainly that its not the destination or the season that gives me the thrill, it is the actual experience of the journey and that I travel where I want to. I sort of make it clear that I don’t like to be invaded in my own private space.
The only way is to speak plainly because that is the only language that can be applied as a clear solution. I’ve tried it, it works.
Meanwhile, enjoy your blogging and traveling. We as readers look forward to hearing your travel stories.
I nodded reading…I not only have problems with those must sees people think I have to visit when I go there. It happens on a regular basis that I get asked why I haven’t read this book, eaten at this place or participated in that event. It seems I don’t belong and that is perfectly alright with me. For ex. I have been countless times to Paris but not once was I on the Eiffel tower. I always get lost in the back alleys and then the time is over way too fast and I have to depart again. I am sure I will make it one day – but on my time 😉
Btw, Canada only knows tow seasons – Winter and July 🙂
Very well written.
You have managed to bring alive my own sentiments about travelling….and thats why I call myself a Urban Yayawar..
just like those lines from a Disney Song..
He’s a tramp
He’s a rover
And there’s nothing
more to say
If he’s a tramp, he’s a
good one
And i wish that I could
travel his way
Ditto, Ditto, too true:)
Word.
I am going to Kerala in July. There. Judge me all you want 😛
@deepak-Mumbaiyya – I like that !no place is really overexposed , there’s always sthg u find there
@niranjan – no its abt one vs other – its about being either whenever u want it
@sanand – thanks – I so agree
@fida – 🙂 loved the bit on seasons
@ashish – that’s the spirit of travel
@poornima – :)glad u agree
@tamanna – go right ahead and enjoy – the. Idea is to travel where you want to go and do what u want to do – have been to kerala many times and have done the must do thgs – my point is one must do whatever they like
Exactly, I totally agree with you on that.
Your idea of travel exactly reflects my opinion and my idea of travel!
Hope your postponed visit will soon happen and I will get a chance to meet you (of course after I return from US, heheh)..
Ram
i agree with everything you’ve said, but it takes time to switch (if it ever happens) and experience to go from a tourist mentality to a traveler mentality, and not everyone has the time and money for it. i think both are acceptable forms of self-discovery. we all have our own way.
im thankful to all the people who have been kind and welcoming to me when i was an overly american hilton “tourist” and who helped me to rethink my motives, get some experience, and make the switch. so everyone has, or doesnt have their moment.
ha, ill be in Kerala in july too. Because thats when I have my NYC pre-packaged summer vacation. but what i do there and on what schedule is another story.
……and there is no better place to travel than Japan, barring Fukushima prefecture sure; Colours of spring are awesome here !
Well written. Tourist vs. Trotter it is.
Wonderful poat. In the Philippines there are actually only two seasons, the summer and rainy.
I wish I can visit India, someday. Cheers!:-)
@Tamanna – 🙂
@Ram – Hope we do get to meet soon
@Katie – It doesnt really matter whether you are a tourist or a traveller ..its about you and the call that you take ,not out of compulsions or keeping up with the Jonses..but the fact that this is what makes you happy..I just chilled for instance the last weekend ..just ate, slept, walked around and experienced a destination the way i want to do..thats the point am making
Munish – Japan , sometime
3.14 eater – thank you
Nonoy – hope u do get to visit India sometime
@Tamanna – 🙂
@Ram – Hope we do get to meet soon
@Katie – It doesnt really matter whether you are a tourist or a traveller ..its about you and the call that you take ,not out of compulsions or keeping up with the Jonses..but the fact that this is what makes you happy..I just chilled for instance the last weekend ..just ate, slept, walked around and experienced a destination the way i want to do..thats the point am making
Munish – Japan , sometime
3.14 eater – thank you
Nonoy – hope u do get to visit India sometime
Wonderful post!