The verdict it pretty much out on the two most desired ways of travelling. Not surprisingly it straddles either extreme of the travel spectrum — backpacking & luxury. The carefree abandon of traveling on a shoestring budget with a flexible itinerary has a counterpoint in travelling club class and 5 star living. The natural progression for travelers would be to start as backpackers during student life and early part of ones career. And as the bank balance looks a little healthier, the transition generally begins. But you have diehards in both camps.
I got into the backpacking mode pretty early in life. As a teenager representing both my college and university in table tennis, I’d often be thrown into situations where we’d travel without reservations. On one such occasion, I led 4 guys in their late teens, for a tournament, to Kochi during Onam festival. All the trains leading to state were running full. For the better part of our journey we traveled without reservation – either standing or sitting on our bags. We chatted army jawans returning home from the front to be with their young families, govt. servants on their annual leave…Malayalees from all over the country seemed to be getting back home. We saw Kerala in the flush of festivity. We were put up in dormitories. The lush countryside, neatly decorated homes, freshly scrubbed faces…one felt the heartbeat Kerala up-close on the roads, in the trains, at stations, in buses, in tiny eating joints, in the bazaars. We fell in love with the state. The romance of that autumn journey is two decades old, and still going strong.
Close to a decade and half latter since that trip, another trip to Kerala beckoned. This time I was accompanied by a 70 year old renowned photographer, S. Paul, for a travel writing assignment. The local tourism board was our host. Through our road journey from north to south Kerala we stayed in some of the most celebrated hotels and resorts. From the comfort of my room on a small bound I experienced the backwaters of river Chaliyar, at Calicut. A resort beautifully built in Kerala’s traditional architectural style with all mod cons thrown in. Our stop at Kochi was a property by the bay. Ocean liners making their way, small ferries transporting people, wares and small vehicles, and observing life gently go by in Fort Kochi had a surreal tinge. At Chowara, in the southern tip of the state, we were booked into a hotel overlooking the sea from a hill. Surrounded by coconut groves, all one could see were the greens of the foliage and the blues of the sea and sky. We were in the lap lux.
One day, a week into our journey, I decided to step out. After spending the day at Kovalam and Trivandrum, I boarded a local bus back to my hotel in Chowara. A young man helped me out with the destination names written in Malayalam. We traveled together for a few kilometers. He worked as a waiter in one of the hotels dotting the touristy haven – Kovalam. After a hard day’s work how do you unwind? I asked. ‘I’ll go to the seaside and catch up with my friends.’ Having grown up in a in a small coastal village, none of modern means of entertainment TV, films, internet et al. held any sway. The sea remained his greatest source of recreation.
Travel for me has been about understanding people, their way of life, their aspirations, and their culture. Budget travel throws open immense possibilities. Its innate serendipitous quality is a big draw. Luxury travel on the other hand, is ideal to simply unwind. Put your feet up, chill, read a book…
Going through the Egypt travel guide, as part of my preparation for a future trip, I hear a voice say BACKPACK. With a moderate bank balance, the choice is pretty simple.
