Travel In COVID Times

All of us are yearning to travel. Agreed. But it is a bit daunting, what with COVID waves still on in various parts of the world. However, where there is a will (and suitable precautions), there is a way. Here are some appropriate recommendations, both in India and abroad, made by Farzana Contractor, based on her vast and varied travel experiences

Photographs: Farzana Contractor

The lockdown was a difficult time for everyone, in every social strata, no question about that. What most yearned to do was to get out of their homes, just go away somewhere. If the rich suffered the blues not being in London during the summer, the middle class missed their annual holidays to their ‘native place’. Could be Kerala, Goa, Mangalore, Rajasthan, Delhi, Punjab, Lucknow, Hyderabad – anywhere they hailed from. And those who were happy merely shooting the breeze on Sunday evenings on Marine Drive or Chowpatty were also waiting for when they could start to do so.
The point is, now that the lockdown is over and rules have been relaxed, everyone is dreaming of when they can start to go out freely on holidays, near or far, and yes plan trips abroad!
What I would suggest one could do, ideally, is go on roadtrips. Get into your car and drive to motorable destinations. Every city in India has a hill resort in its vicinity. In a radius of 200 to 300 kms. one will easily find a suitable option. Take Bombay for example; you have Lonavala, Khandala, Alibaug, Panchgani, Mahabaleshwar. There is also Pauna and Karjat where farm owners have started to rent their places. Or the Sindhudurg region on route to Goa which is also a wonderful option. In any of these places there are a multitude of homestays, boutique hotels, villas you could rent. A week away is bound to get you going. Make you regain life and its freedom of yore. For too long we have lived in limbo and a holiday would be the perfect antidote.
For now, I’d say, stay away from train journeys – for two reasons, one it is far too public and therefore hazardous and second reason, equally important, let’s leave the seats for those who need them far more urgently. Labourers who want to get back to the cities for their livelihood or to their villages for some rest and peace of mind. If March 2020 was harrowing for them, March 2021 isn’t any better. Let train journeys serve a vital reason for now, not be used by us, pleasure-seekers.
That leaves plane travel. If sitting enclosed in a limited space with masks and shields on does not deter you, I can suggest many nice places, all with wonderful hotels situated there. Hotels which are inward- looking. Resorts  which are a destination in themselves. India first.
Start with Udaipur, a short flight away and you land up in an era so royal and remarkable you feel like royalty! You can check into any of the wonderful 5-star hotels where you will be overtly pampered – The Leela, The Oberoi Vilas, The Taj. They are all so grand, so beautiful. Once inside, you won’t want to leave the gates for nothing!  The weather will be perfect, you can soak in the sun, get yourself massaged, eat the most gourmet food you can. Pure happiness.
Actually, you could go to any place in Rajasthan. It would be my number one pick for a destination holiday. Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer…
Next, I would pick Kerala, cooler of course. Cochin would be nice. It has wonderful hotels in all categories, but I would pick The Taj Mahal, right there on the river. A corner room would be perfect. Stay indoors, watch the boats sail by, the Chinese fishing nets across, which all adds to a charming seascape.
It’s summer now and I would recommend Kashmir where the Mughal Gardens will be in full bloom. I know the feeling of uncertainty persists with the uneasy  situation in the state of J&K – oops, sorry, still haven’t got used to calling it the union of J&K – but those I know who have been there, have returned with good tidings. So Gulmarg, will be perfect, too, nice and cool. And Pahalgam with its walks in the woods and charming ITC Welcomhotel Pine N Peak where you can enjoy some great Kashmiri food!
But if you would like to go abroad, and commercial flights have resumed, I got a few good recommendations for you.
First, closer home, Dubai is a one-stop shop. Great hotels, unlimited shopping, unbelievable dining options. The restaurants in Dubai are mind-boggling. But if you are seeking privacy and solitude and want to be far away from the COVID world, then I would recommend you fly to Dubai, get into a car and head straight out to Al Maha. I rate this among the best places to just be. It was one of the best holidays I have ever had.
Next, if you don’t mind a slightly longer flight, change that to… if you don’t mind a long-haul flight, go to New Zealand. Clean, green, uncrowded. You could indulge in every conceivable sport and adventure. Rent a car, drive vast distances, live in awesome hotels, chill…
In the same vein, there is also Ireland, at half the distance. Just eight hours away. This Emerald Isle has always been my favourite destination. Mainly because I love driving and Irish towns and villages are so pretty. It’s relaxing to be in Ireland.
Again, a little further, directly across Ireland is Atlantic Canada. So different from the rest of the country and not really on the international tourist map. It’s simply lovely, this part of Canada.
Last but not the least, I would say if you have a cruise on your mind, do the Nile! Sail down the narrow river, observe the unique Egyptian life on both banks as you float down the river. Soak in ancient history at the few stops the boat makes… and then land up in Cairo, stay at The Mena, marvelling at the pyramids.
I can recommend other destinations, too, like Santorini in Greece and quiet villages in Spain and Italy, but let’s leave those for another time…  

Dubai

New Zealand

Ireland

Atlantic Canada

Egypt