We are all increasingly mobile these days. Whether it is globalisation or an increasing awareness of the pleasure and freedom that can come from travelling, many young couples and families no longer feel the need to think too carefully about travelling outside or within the country.
During the 50s and 60s, a trip to Bombay (Mumbai) used to be the ultimate thing for young hopefuls on the look- out for employment or a hot holiday destination for families down South. This was equivalent to going to the US or round the globe these days - or is it, anymore?
With intimate travel information available actually within your PC mouse’s reach or at the nearest book store, Indians as tourists are now common faces anywhere. During a recent trip to Scotland, while admiring the view with fellow passengers, I could not decide whether to marvel at the snow covered landscape or at the fact that deep in the Scottish countryside, I was hearing intense conversations being carried out in pure Tamil among a whole group of tourists.
For many of my friends and colleagues, part of this interest in travelling came about through novice- traveller friendly guides, prime example of which are the Lonely Planet series. They are very reliable, meaning, really reliable - you can actually check out current rates of restaurants (in the latest edition), bus and train rates, reliability of local transport, seasons based information and what could bug you or alternately excite you in your chosen destination - all this written in an entertaining and conversational style, so that you feel like you have just received advice from a trusted friend. They are actually written by travellers like any of us, who have made the trip themselves; hence each information therein is validated. So, if you have reason to hit the bookstore next time, check them out and happy travelling to you!
