Ways2Travel

It’s simply a privilege for travellers

2009-12-06T00:42:00.001-08:00

lounge AROUND

American Express' new Platinum Lounge at Delhi's Indira Gandhi Intl Airport offers personalised service, a-la-carte menu & wi-fi access

Neha Dewan

DESIRE a comfortable place to unwind before your flight takes off? Or just want to spend some time in a cozy corner at the airport?
    American Express' new Platinum Lounge at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport offers you exactly that privilege. Reserved exclusively for American Express Platinum Card members, the private lounge is located at the new Domestic Terminal 1D and boasts of personalised service, a-la-carte menu and wi-fi access for its Platinum Card members.
    Simran Kalra, vice-president, American Express, says the lounge was conceived with an idea of making travel hassle-free and a leisurely experience. "The lounge intends to provide midtrip relief and rejuvenation to travellers. It's an ideal place to unwind and relax, while enjoying freshly prepared gourmet coffees and food items or
catching up on business before their flight. It's a complimentary service for our esteemed platinum card members, regardless of the airline and the fare class of their travel." Spread over 600 sq ft, the design of the lounge is largely uncluttered with natural toned colours dominating the overall decor. Based on the design concepts of the Indian architecture firm Genesis Architects, the lounge shows off a pleasant interplay of beige and mahogany shades. It gives a feeling of spaciousness as minimal is largely the design focus. Areas have been planned to maximize the use of the available space. The seating is comfortable in the single lounge seats and
    sofas covered luxuriously in beige leather. There are also custom made high stools situated at the raised table for those who want to work while in the lounge. A few entertainment options are available in the form of sampling reading materials and plasma TV screens offering cable, digital and terrestrial channels.
Keeping in sync with the lounge theme, the lighting is a mixture of down lights and compact fluorescents which make for a soothing ambience. What, however, is unavoidable is the bright white light visible due to the open roof given the security guidelines at the airport. Music is missing in the lounge as well, again due to security issues. But the good thing is that even if you somehow lose track of the time, the well-trained staff will remind you about your flight schedule.
The menu is extensive and comprises a wide range of options for snacks, desserts and beverages. The choice is frequently changed to add variety for the traveller from time to time. The all day dining options include food items such as Tandoori chicken salad with stewed fruits, mezze platter, barbeque prawns and steamed wantons. And if you have a early morning flight, you can choose from croissants, muffins,
cheese platters and cold cuts which are all a part of their breakfast menu.
    What is a definite plus here is the service. And if you can ignore minor irritants such as the bright lights above or the loud airport announcements, then you can enjoy some relaxing moments here. Get rejuvenated before boarding your flight!
    neha .dewan @timesgroup .com

SIP & SEE

2009-06-24T18:20:00.001-07:00

A wine train is a great way to taste and travel without getting tired. Why don't we have one in India too?

THIS is both a holiday suggestion and a hope! While channel surfing earlier this week, I chanced upon a rather nifty documentary on the 'Wine Train' — a ride through the vineladen valleys of Napa in California. The carriages looked like a cross between the Orient Express and a modern first class bogey and the kitchens appeared to be fabulous.
    The star attraction, of course, was wine. Much of Napa's best was there on offer for tasting and buying. The sight of miles and miles of green and serene vineyards stretching onto the Californian horizon only increased the temptation to taste and buy apparently! That made me wonder where else such train rides were available.
    Delving into the net I found a few others in the same mould as the Napa train, notably in the happening South American wine destination of Chile. According to what I could gather, after a short bus ride to the railhead at San Fernandez, the guests board a train whose vintage carriages are named after the grapes that have catapulted Chile to the near-top of the New World wine list — Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
    The route is not long — just 42 km to Santa Cruz — through the vineyard-lined Colchagua Valley. On board are sommeliers and wines by the glass
and there is an option to dine as well on a menu crafted to complement the wines of the region.
    Napa's wine train is arguably the most successful, having run for 20-odd years. And for us Indians it affords an opportunity to see vast tracts of vineyards (and taste their produce!) without straining our feet. That's something I learnt the hard way when tromping through countless chateaux in Bordeaux some years ago! Besides, if the weather doesn't hold up, the trip still continues, so we get our money's worth.
    Of course, not all wine trains area surefire success. One in Australia called the Barossa Wine Train, has had a patchy history, being called off in the middle, then shakily revived. Still the idea of covering distances in style cannot be disregarded. Especially by us Indians, who are not generally known for our enthusiasm to hoof it through miles of countryside!
    Now comes the second part of my contention. Considering that many New World wine countries have tried the wine train experiment — even cautious Canada — either as a seasonal or permanent attraction, isn't it time to consider it in India too? That would be an option that I can see many urban dwellers taking to.
    Nashik is not far from Mumbai and the route is scenic. There are trains galore already running between the two places. A day trip to and fro, with wine and winerelated food on board and a dekko of the v i n e y a r d s (maybe a couple of wineries) would be ideal!
    That would bring tourism to the area, popularise a growing industry in Maharashtra (viticulture) and also offer yet another international style travek option right here in India. In fact, even Karnataka can consider it! The stumbling block is glaringly obvious: how can liquor be allowed to be served (legally) on board trains? Well designate the train as a hotel, whatever. The idea deserves at least a thought!

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HOP SCOTCH!

2009-06-17T18:25:00.001-07:00

Nivedita Choudhary got her fill of great Scottish produce and traversed its picturesque straths and lochs, but didn't get a glimpse of Nessie, alas!

HE SCOTTISH Highlands offer the best of all worlds. For peace and quiet, you can't beat the wide-open spaces of the Cairngorm National Park and Sutherland. If you want some action – be it retail or adventure – the capital city of Inverness offers shopping, dining and clubbing experiences to rival any of Scotland's major hubs. From ancient cairns, standing stones and iron-age fortresses to romantic castles, bloody battlefields and clan histories, there is something for all ages to marvel.
    We left our hotel in Edinburgh early in the morning and made our way to the office of our tour company on the High Street. I had earlier booked a five-day Highland expedition with the company. Most of the people who would be travelling with us had arrived and were raring to go. It was a motley group comprising people from Colombia, Hong Kong, Australia, Germany, Russia and even Wales! Our guide-cumdriver Donald was a cheerful and enthusiastic fellow who carted our heavy suitcases and loaded them at the back of the bus.
    The bus went past the beautiful buildings of Edinburgh and over the Forth Road Bridge, which spans the Firth of Forth and connects Edinburgh to Fife. Our first stop was Dunkeld, a lovely village of largely whitewashed shops, cottages and hotels near Perth. We made our way to the fine cathedral, which has a superb setting on the north bank of the River Tay and must surely be one of the most beautifully sited cathedrals in the country. Half of it is still in use as a church, the rest is in ruins. The oldest part of the original church is the choir, completed in 1350.
    In the turbulent history of Scotland, Dunkeld Cathedral suffered desecration and devastation twice. Following the Reformation in the 1560s, the Privy Council issued instructions to local lairds to destroy 'images of idolatry'. They interpreted this order as an excuse for widespread destruction and caused much damage to the cathedral. The structure was again burnt during the Battle of Dunkeld in 1689.
    The adjoining village of Birnam lies just across the bridge from Dunkeld. Birnam is best known for its Shakespearean associations where, in the play Macbeth, the moving of Birnam Wood to Dunsinane, 12 miles to the south-east, heralded the death of Macbeth.
    The Cairngorms National Park is an outstanding location for exploring the rich fabric of the Highlands. The mountains that have shaped the people, culture, natural heritage, scenery and character of the area dominate the national park and give it its name. We were treated to breathtaking views of ancient pine forests, lochs, rivers and moorlands as the bus whizzed past some of the best wildlife habitats in the UK.
    Nestled in the straths and glens, tucked away in the forests or busy thoroughfares, the towns and villages in the area each have their own character and identity. There are traditional distilleries where we learnt the secrets of Scotland's national tipple and special centres where we got up close and personal with exotic creatures such as reindeer, snow monkeys and wolves. Whether we were indoors or outdoors, we were never be short of something to do!
    The Cairngorms is a natural larder. Fresh salmon and trout from the Spey and the Dee, venison from the many Red Deer that roam the hills and locally-reared lamb make it a paradise for foodies. Boats from the nearby Moray Firth deliver the freshest seafood – juicy scallops and fat mussels, lobster, langoustine, prawns and an impressive range of fish. The peaty soil produces peerless soft fruits – not just world-renowned Scottish raspberries, but strawberries, blackberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants!
    When eating out, we asked the restaurant staff where the food came from. By choosing local options where available, we not only got a real flavour of the Cairngorms but also supported local food producers.
    The clean, bracing Cairngorms air made us ravenous. We stopped for a quick bite at Loch Insh, which is popular with windsurfing and sailing enthusiasts. The restaurant was teeming with people and many of them had come on cycles. The national park has plenty of quiet country roads and there are opportunities for every kind of cycling – a gentle family ride or tough and punishing routes on tarmac, cycle path, tracks and trails.
    We then made our way to Loch Ness, famous the world over for its elusive resident. The loch itself is Scotland's largest and it is more than 600 ft deep for much of its 23-mile length. The reporting of something unexpected in the lake began to interest the world's media in the 1930s and it's been an attraction for tourists, explorers and Nessie hunters ever since.
    We stopped at Dores, a hamlet on the edge of the Loch. Dores boasts a pub, a few houses... and that's it. If you are looking for nightlife or even a shop, forget it. But sipping latte, we marvelled at our magnificent surroundings.
    Being in the centre of the Great Glen, Loch Ness and its camerashy monster draw their fair share of summer visitors, with the two main visitor centres being Urquhart Castle and the village of Drumnadrochit. However, we were glad that we had stopped at the quiet Dores instead of the more touristy Drumnadrochit.
    Our final destination was Inverness, where we halted for the night. Located at the top of the Great Glen, the city boasts a host of historic buildings in the Old Town to appreciate while we shopped. We enjoyed a pleasant stroll along the lovely riverside before returning to our delightful B&B. The owners were extremely friendly and helpful and we indulged in some craic – Gaelic for chat and light-hearted conversation.
    Few places in the world offer such a wealth and diversity of natural beauty and attractions as the Scottish Highlands. I was a long way off from my home in Leicester, but the combined rewards of beauty, peace and, above all, quiet, far outweighed any concerns over the length of the journey back home!

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WHITE RAJAHS’ LAND

2009-05-27T18:27:00.001-07:00

Hugh & Colleen Gantzer discovered that Sarawak is an amazing example of enlightened rule by one British family

FROM the moment we first drove through green and watered Kuching, we felt it. Harmony, sufficiency, a palpable blitheness of spirit as if all the abrasive edges had been smoothed down and meshed together seamlessly. And when we looked down from the seventh floor window of our hotel, we saw the conical roof of a pagoda-like restaurant at the edge of the slow flow of the Sarawak river. On the other side, nestling among spreading Malaysian trees, was a fishing village. It was a very idyllic and serenely peaceful scene.
    But it had not always been so. Surging down that river, pouring out of those forested villages, marauders had once spread: pirates, headhunters, cannibals and warring tribes. Desperate, the beleaguered governor had turned to an Englishman, a young man trained by the East India Company: James Brooke.
    If Brooke could restore law and order in this fertile land called Sarawak, he would gift him a sizeable chunk of it. Brooke prevailed, the Governor kept his promise and, later, made Brooke a Rajah.
    The White Rajhas of Sarawak ruled their kingdom for three generations till Rajah Vyner Brooke felt that a personal Asian kingdom owned by an English family was an anachronism. He abdicated in 1946 and the tsunami of the great freedom movement swept over the land.
    But the Brookes' even-handed treatment of all communities has left a lasting impact on Sarawak. In a pedestrian Mall there is a polished brass plaque saying that Rajah Vyner had renamed it India Street because a large number of shops on it were owned by traders from the sub-continent. A spice merchant told us that he was a Malaysian Tamil. A young vendor cooked adaptations of Kerala's appams using Malaysia's popular peanut paste. The maternal grandfather of one of the Malay Muslim tourism officials was a Sikh wearing the five Ks.
    The tribal people, too, had been particularly happy with the Brookes. While curbing their more violent customs, the White Rajahs had allowed them to retain their customs and traditions. In the Sarakraf Pavilion we saw tribal artisans weaving, carving and offering native cuisine: tapioca, chicken and rice baked on an open fire in a hollowed out bamboo.
    We were even entertained by a man playing on a traditional guitar called a sape, during an evening cruise on the river. High-rises and fishing villages, the Brooke Dockyard, and the Brooke's Astana manor which is now the residence of the governor, co-existed as if such crosscultural nodes were natural partners in Kuching's tolerantly blurred timelines.
    The Brookes, however, had not frozen Sarawak in its tribal past. In the Sarawak Museum we learnt that they had persuaded Charles Darwin's colleague, Alfred Wallace, to set up his superbly-mounted exhibits. So, the Theory of Evolution and a knowledge of English came early to the people of Kuching. In the same museum we also learnt of another evolutionary development. One of the Brookes had persuaded a former shell collecting company to prospect for oil in Sarawak and that black-gold still flows out of its wells. The petrochemical giant, however, retained the emblem of its first venture: Shell.
    We had now begun to accept the effortless age-bridging culture of Kuching. In the superb Sarawak Cultural Village we visited the re-created homes of various ethnic communities in their authentic settings, became part of their traditional festivities, even learnt how to fire a blowpipe : it calls for a very slight puff of breath. Malaysian blow-pipes are considered to be such lethal weapons that their import into neighbouring Singapore is banned!
    Much of the happily tolerant, unityin-diversity ethos, could be sustained by a deep-seated well-spring of belief. We visited two temples rich with gold icons against striking, scarlet, backgrounds. These were shrines of a very ancient faith: Taoism. This religion seeks harmony in all things: a balance of darkness and light, good and evil, active and passive.
    Sheng Fui and I Ching are disciplines seeking to tap into this essential flow of harmony: or so a Taoist fellow guest in our hotel explained to us. And then he added: "Look at the cat. It moves effortlessly with the flow of nature. Even when it is angered, its body is like a battery drawing power: back arched, hairs erect, and then, quick as a wink, it leaps out of danger. "
    Some people said that the large cat statues in the roundabouts, and Kuching's Cat Museum, were Public Relations gambits. Possibly. But it could be more significant than that. There is so much pervasive harmony in Kuching that when we had to fly out, our hearts ached.
    Even now, sitting in our cottage in the high oak woods of the Himalayas, we feel nostalgic about the warmly reassuring, purring, contentment of Kuching.

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Troglodyte village in IRAN 700 years old

2009-05-21T20:11:00.000-07:00

In the north east of Iran at the foot of Mount Sahand in Kandovan, the villagers live in cave homes carved out from the volcanic rock.

The age of some houses is more than 700 years.

Very impressive.

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A KIWI ODYSSEY

2009-05-21T02:14:00.001-07:00

Rrealised that stunning natural vistas and the thrill of adventure are as intrinsic to the charm of New Zealand as its friendly people, cosmopolitan cities and unique Maori culture

GOING halfway across the world for a holiday is not everyone's idea of fun, given the nightmare of air travel, jet lag and more. But when the almost-magical vales and hills of New Zealand beckon, nothing seems too much to overcome in order to get there. So, all aglow with eager anticipation, I set off for my odyssey....
    Auckland, the city of sails was our first stop. We reached by late afternoon and headed for the clean, neat, functional environs of Aspen House to dump our bags. Then it was off to Queen Street — the bustling central shopping district in Auckland. The first thing that struck me there — given the geographical location of the country — was the number of Asian faces on the street. The shops in Auckland are literally run by Chinese and Indians!
    Overall, the city had an extremely cosmopolitan feel to it. We walked by the Sky Tower — at 328 m, the tallest man-made structure in NZ —to the waterfront. The sunset this far south of the equator was fantastic and we watched the sky turn fiery red and yellow. A simple but delicious dinner out in the open followed, in the pleasant company of a lovely sea breeze. Finally jet-lag set in, so we walked back to our hotel and called it a day. An early start the next day saw us catch the efficient Magic Bus to Mt Eden to see volcanic craters and great vistas. The whole city rolled out like a lush green carpet below our feet. One of the craters, strangely enough, had a "Will you marry me?" carved out at the centre. A rather unique proposal in a country not known for grafitti in the wrong place...
    Next stop was in the valley of the stars, quite literally — in the depths of the Waitomo caves, known for their beautiful glow-worms. While the unique limestone formations left me marveling at Nature's artistic licence, I was saddened at the thought that the sparkly creatures have a rather tragic end — the adults don't have mouths to feed themselves. Still, this sinkhole wonderworld (a speciality of this tiny country) is unforgettable.
    After a quick lunch at a place which also had what our driver called the "American Embassy" —McDonald's — we were dropped off at the Youth Hostel in Roturua. The place vibrated with the easy laughter of young backpackers. They were an interesting phenomenon that we found everywhere we went in NZ- it seems this place is a heaven of sorts for youngsters who want a taste of adventure before settling into a routine job with no time to stand and stare... or dare.
    Evening found us at Mitai — a traditional Maori concert and a hangi dinner. A fascinating cultural performance with insights into the whole gamut of tribal life — warfare, pagan gods, indigenous music, along with a perfect rendition of the infamous Haka dance! The food was cooked beneath the ground in a 'hangi' which is sort of like a tandoor and the traditional way Maoris cook. The whole meal made me think of our Indian handi feasts. On the flip side, one of our backpacker friends likened the whole experience to a tourist theme park!
    After a satisfying self-made breakfast (at a very well-equipped YHA kitchen), we set off on Magic Bus again the next day. We stopped at Wai-o-tapu, land of geysers and hot springs, to be greeted by hissing, steaming mud-pools inviting us with all the treacherous shades of the rainbow. Champagne pools named aptly after the rose-pinkish colour of the water, to sulky sulphorous green coves to inscrutibly inky blue pools, they had distinct personalities. There were even cute oyster pools, rather like dimples, named after their pearly white waters. At this point I caved in and bought multiple thermal mud-packs for the extended family — Multani mitti from New Zealand!
    Right before Lake Taupo, we halted at Rocks n' Ropes- where Barun had his first taste of adrenaline. With his heart in his mouth, he went for the swing – a sort of semi-bungy wherein a person arcs across like a huge pendulum — while I happily video-recorded it for posterity. I think NZ coaxed out our best and bravest side !
    We had a dekko of the mighty Huka Falls, NZ's most visited natural attraction, and then proceeded to lunch and a lovely stroll by a lake which is slightly bigger then Singapore! We were captivated by the easy-going but stunning scenery and unbelievably blue waters at Lake Taupo, which is where the Waikato river drains into via the Huka Falls.
    The packed day ended back in Rotorua, where we washed away the aches in the natural thermal pools at Polynesian Spa. Soaking in the steaming hot, mineral-spring waters, we stared at the starry skies and sighed in sweet satisfaction! But there was not that much time to snooze as early morning found us on a flight to the adrenalin-capital of the world- Queenstown! WONDER LAND!
NESTLED snugly around Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown is a treat for the eyes. Postcard-perfect scenery was stuck over every nook and corner of the city. Appropriately enough, therefore, Aurum Hotel and Suites, where we stayed had big, airy rooms and beautiful views. Also, as a peaceful prelude to our adventure rush, we began with a long, lazy brunch.
    But an hour of intensive jet-boating on the Kawaru River followed — what a great way to get some thrills and yet check out the beautiful scenery in and around Queenstown! Later, shivering and wet from the sprays of cold water from the infamous 180^ospins in the boat, we sat and sipped sinful hot chocolate in a charming café which had free wi-fi.
    Next on the agenda was a steep ride on the sky gondola. The views from the deck once we were on top, however, was absolutely worth every last penny of the ticket. But what brought more bang for the buck was the luge ride. It's like an open sledge in which we slid down, with the wind whistling in our ears and spectacular scenery all around. It was an incredibly enjoyable and addictive experience. Once is never enough, I assure you!
    All the shopping places close really early almost everywhere in NZ but restaurants and souvenir shops are often open till late. We couldn't help being surprised by the wide choice in cuisines, everywhere in NZ,though I must point out the ubiquitous presence of a kind of sumptuous sweet potato called kumhara which we found everywhere! Dinner that night was a tasty middle-eastern platter beforewe opted for an early night.
    The weather turned a little chilly the next day but that couldn't drag down our spirits for the farm stay at Chartlea Park - a sheep, cattle, deer and Boer goat farm run by Ken and Trish. It was very different from any typical Indian farm experience, mainly because it was spread over 550 acres! Second, it was amazing to see how much technology now pervades a farm that dates back to 1896.... Ken was running a sophisticated computer program to determine how many lambs to have on his farm at any point of time, depending on their weight and the amount of grass in the pastures!
    After a hearty lunch of bread and soup, we went for a tour of the farm. It was the first time I saw sheep dogs in action — and boy did they remind me of my ex-boss! I also understood for the first time the meaning of the phrase "flock together like sheep": the woolly creatures all ran together, and were very tame, shy and extremely cute! I fed some of the deer and marveled at how the couple managed such a huge farm on their own, without any hired labour. Dinner was a massive spread with fresh veggies, quiche and home baked muffins. Trish, in fact, reminded me of my mother — like a desi mom she insisted on double and triple helpings of everything! I guess mothers are the same the world over!
    Their daughter Jenna, we learnt, was an accomplished markswoman, having represented NZ proudly in many shooting tournaments. The day was wrapped up by watching the highlights of the India-NZ match. That's how we found out that Trish was as passionate about cricket as about the food she cooked! The farm was a lovely sojourn indeed, apart from the time I was locked in to the wash-room for 30 minutes as I couldn't figure out how to open it!
    A day to remember for the "vacant and pensive days on the couch" was the drive to Milford Sound , which is as beautiful as the place itself. It left me quite speechless. Words are simply inadequate to describe the scenery; I felt dwarfed by the magnificent cliffs, the serene blue waters and the thundering, foaming waterfalls. We even saw some lazy seals basking in the golden sunshine, a rare treat in itself as it rains there two out of every three days! After a light lunch on the boat, we spent most of the cruise on the upper-deck, spell bound by nature's treasures. We chatted with an interesting, young Irishman who'd lost his job and was taking the break to travel around the world. Talk about the credit crunch having some fringe benefits! Time flew by, and before we knew it, it was time to head back to Queenstown. The drive back was a tiring 4 hours but a happy one, nonetheless!
    OUR next stop was the glaciers of Franz Josef and Fox in Westland National Park on South Island and the drive there took us past fantastic views of the Tasman Sea. In fact, fantastic views seem pretty normal all over NZ! As the miles went by, we watched the sun play on the snow-capped peaks of Mt Cook and Mt Tasman. Fox Glacier, where we stayed, is one of the few advancing glaciers in the world and ends among lush rain-forests, barely 300 m from the sea. We stayed at the romantically named Misty Peaks, a lovely cottage surrounded by vines and creepers and our hosts David and Lea were extremely warm, friendly and helpful.
    We began with a hike around Lake Matheson, and spent the whole afternoon intrigued by the shadowy reflections on the clear water. It was quite narcissistic as the water was so mirror-like that I kept taking photographs of our reflection, and the beautiful scenery too, of course! The rest of the evening was spent in splendid company as a couple recounted stories of how they backpacked through Iran and Afghanistan in the days of the Shah.
    Fortified by an early but wholesome breakfast, we started off on our half-day glacier walk the next morning. It was an incredible experience. The glacier rose like a beautiful but icy-cold temptress, ever-changing with new crevices and faces. Our guide was a young and dashing lad —a former rock-climbing instructor — and with his help we managed the 800 steps to reach the river of ice.
    Once again we were lucky to have a clear, sunny day and we were surrounded by infinite, white splendour. The glacier had a Jekyll and Hyde kind of a personality...There were areas of soft ice and breaks and we had to be careful around them but they were demarcated clearly by ropes and chains. The tons of ice certainly bought out the Alice in me and I felt I had slipped down the tunnel to reach a wonderland!
    This was followed by the highlight of the whole trip: the sky dive. We deliberately chose Fox Glacier for our sky-dive because of the beautiful views we would get of the sea, mountains and glaciers. In spite of all the planning, I found my throat drying up as we went through the initial training with my Brazilian instructor CJ, and by the time the plane took off I was literally praying .
    The stunning views from above did little to calm me and it was only after we actually jumped that I found myself enjoying the free-fall so much, I just couldn't be scared anymore. It was an amazing adrenalin rush and I literally felt my body was like a knife- cutting through the clean crisp air — we were falling at more then 200 km/hr! After the parachute opened, I turned around and saw Barun fly like a bird and felt a small leap in my heart. NZ, much like life, tends to throw in some challenges on the way and the reward if you take them up is always, unlike life, heart-achingly beautiful and exciting.
    With the realisation that our vacation was coming to an end, we took the Tranz-Alpine train from Greymouth to Christchurch. We sat back quietly and were charmed with the views, as usual. The fourhour trip was filled with alternating scenes of lushgreen rainforests, gorges, river-valleys and farmlands. The whole atmosphere was suffused with joie de vivre and romance, certainly two honeymooning couples seated around us added to the fervor!
    We reached Christchurch by late afternoon and spent a charming evening in the garden-city. The city certainly deserved the name- it was filled with pretty flowers of all hues and colours everywhere and the Botanical Gardens were a treat for the eye. What struck us the most was unlike most modern cities, Christchurch had a very relaxed and laidback feel. There were no hordes of people walking impatiently across subways, for example.
    By this time we were craving for Indian food, so we had a huge Indian meal at Saffron — their Gujarati thali, which was authentic and delicious. What a perfect way to wrap up our perfect NZ odyssey!

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Swinging summer for fliers as airlines rush into low-cost zone

2009-05-13T20:02:00.001-07:00

JET, KINGFISHER ADD MORE FLIGHTS ON BUDGET ROUTES, BET ON VOLUMES FOR HIGHER REVENUES

AIR travellers could be treated with another round of fare cuts, as the country's leading full-service carriers take a fresh aim at the budget-airline space amid worries about the deteriorating financials of the industry.
    The country's oldest private carrier Jet Airways, which already operates a wholly-owned low-cost airline JetLite, has launched another low-cost service JetKonnect, while Kingfisher Airlines is increasing the number of flights on low-cost Kingfisher Red routes. There are early indications that the country's largest budget airlines — IndiGo and SpiceJet — will respond aggressively to the development.
    "Given our cost structure, we can go down even further. Our assessment is that the introduction of this low-cost airline by Jet will increase the gap between revenue and cost further," said an IndiGo official, requesting anonymity. The cost difference of operating a low-cost carrier and a fullservice carrier is to the tune of 30%. While Jet has started offering low fares, it has not reduced its cost except that of free meals on board. Their distribution cost, manpower cost and expenses of maintaining the aircraft are still the same, the IndiGo official said.
    Jet, however, disagrees. The cost difference of operating low-cost and fullservice airlines is not more than 10-15%. It hopes to play on the volume game and maximise its revenue by increasing the number of passengers and seats. An all-economy class configuration gives airlines more seats on each flight, Jet Airways vice-president (revenue management), Raj Sivakumar, said. SpiceJet chief commercial officer Samyukta Sridharan said it's too early to react to the development. "They (JetKonnect) are still selling tickets at higher rates than ours. We have to wait before taking any step," he said.
    Domestic airlines are suffering huge losses on account of excess capacity, irrational pricing and underutilisation of resources. The losses for the industry for 2008-09 are estimated to be about Rs 10,000 crore.
    While a JetKonnect ticket from Mumbai to Ahmedabad for May 20 can be booked at Rs 3,128 (inclusive of taxes and surcharge) through its website, SpiceJet and Indigo offer tickets for the same date and sector for Rs 2,479. "We are doing what we believe is right for customer and shareholders. We believe that LCCs would not engage in a fare war that would go against the interests of the industry... We will take appropriate measure to keep our revenue flow intact," Mr Rajkumar said.
    Jet Airways last week introduced an all economy service JetKonnect in the budget segment. The new service is being offered with two B737 and six ATRs on routes, such as Chennai-Coimbatore, Chennai-Madurai, Chennai-Kochi, Mumbai-Ahmedabad, Mumbai-Bhopal and Mumbai-Udaipur. According to a company official, the airline is in the process of identifying more routes where lowfare service can be introduced.
    Meanwhile, Kingfisher will provide meal on board without charging additional cost. "We are shifting single-class configuration aircraft to Kingfisher Red routes. As these planes have in-flight entertainment systems even low-cost travellers would enjoy the service," a Kingfisher Airlines spokesman said.
    nirbhay .kumar 1 @timesgroup .com

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OPENING SESSION OF 9TH GLOBAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM SUMMIT

2009-05-13T19:46:00.001-07:00

OPENING SESSION OF 9TH GLOBAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM SUMMIT TO ADDRESS THE SUBJECT OF SWINE–FLU THAT IS AFFECTING GLOBAL TOURISM

After bird flu and the global economic slump, now swine flu is set to damage this years' tourism business .Already several countries have issued travel notices warning tourists from going to swine flu affected countries and urging people to undergo screening at all airports. This has caused alarm among travellers who have planned trips to the several European Union countries, Mexico and United States of America. Described by the World Health Organisation (WHO )as influenza A (H1N1), swine flu has created havoc in the western world, with 11 affected countries establishing the fact.
    To prevent the infection from entering India, the authorities have started screening tourists coming from fluaffected countries like the US, Canada, Spain, New Zealand, Mexico, France and Britain, Austria and Israel.
    Although WHO has not established restriction on regular travel or prohibited entry at country borders, Indian travelers are now preferring to visit foreign locales untouched by the flu, mainly south-east asia. Indians are thinking twice before traveling to the western countries. Many of them are opting for domestic travel.
    World over, tourism organisations are planning to attend the The Global Travel and Tourism Summit which is bieng held in Brazil. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has confirmed its lineup of discussions for the opening session of its 9th Global Travel and Tourism Summit on 'Preparing for the Inevitable – Pandemics' today.
    To be held in Florianópolis, the state capital of Santa Catarina in Southern Brazil on 14-16 May, the Global Travel and Tourism Summit has assumed even greater significance than usual this year as it is the first global meeting of leaders from government and the private sector to be condcuted since the outbreak of swine flu. This important session will focus on the following questions.
    What is the latest prognosis on the possibility of a swine flu pandemic?
    What measures have been taken by governments and the industry to address the issue so far, to try to mitigate its impact?
    How effective are current crisis management plans likely to be if the threat of a pandemic materialises?
    If this were to happen, what are the estimated losses that the industry would likely suffer?
    How can the industry working in partnership with governments ensure a rapid recovery of travel and tourism demand, particularly for those destinations most affected?

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BLOWIN’ IN THE WIND

2009-05-13T19:44:00.001-07:00

Narayani Ganesh was fascinated by the flora, fauna and fixations of these islands so close to Antarctica. But when it comes to which country has better claim to the gusty but gorgeous Falkland Islands, she says the answer is ...

WHEN a cruise ship arrives at Stanley, the capital town of the Falkland Islands, the population of the island doubles! The islands have 6 million sheep and 3,000 residents — the same number of passengers and crew on the ship that took us there! Of course, one can also fly down from South America to the a small airport that handles two daily flights.
    The moment I set foot on what the Argentineans still insist on calling Islas Malvinas, what struck me is the cultivated oh-so-British ambience, complete with a red telephone booth in front of the Jetty Visitors' Centre, a very English pub named Victory Bar (what else?) and many 18th century stone structures.
    Further ahead, the Christ Church Cathedral—the southernmost cathedral in the world — has a huge whale bone arch propped up right in front of its entrance, framing the stone church. An indicator, as it were, of the rich aquatic life we were to soon see as we cruised the Antarctic for the next five days. If stood on its head, the blue whale would be as tall as the church spire, we were told. But first, Islas Malvinas, which is what you should say on your itinerary if you hope to get a visa to travel to these islands. They hogged international attention when war broke out here in 1982 between Argentina and Great Britain, each claiming them as their own. Margaret Thatcher steered the Brits to victory, but to this day, in the main square at Buenos Aires, there are a few sloganeers and a stall plastered with newspaper clippings of the 1982 Falklands War, to keep the ownership issue alive!
    The Falkland Islands have since been governed by the UK as an overseas territory through a governor-in-council, with locals elected to the executive council. The British established a colony in 1833 though it was probably discovered in 1592 by the British Captain John Davis. Later, French settlers sold their assets to the Spanish in Argentina. Currently, the Falkland Islands enjoy a kind of revival, the main revenue coming from sheep farming, fishing permits and tourism.
    While approaching Stanley by ship, what caught my eye first was the array of brightly coloured corrugated iron roofs on the new, little, prefabricated houses dotting the shoreline, and the large painted sign at the jetty saying 'The Falkland Islands'.
    And Stanleyhas an Alice in Wonderland quality: the police constantly reminded me to walk on the pavement even as I looked in vain for any sign of vehicular traffic on the road! It isn't at all unusual to spot a bird or two hop along the Ross Road — the only main road — on which are located the Britannia House museum, gift shops and post office. It is very difficult, indeed, to get run over, or lost here!
    Whatever you mail at the post office at Falklands gets routed through the UK. The US dollar and the British pound are the favoured units of currency, and don't be surprised to discover that the remote outpost does indeed have a few interesting souvenir stores where you can pick up mugs and other items with penguins as decorative motifs and books by Charles Darwin. The Falklands Brasserie even offers "modern Falkland cuisine" that includes ploughman's lunch, lamb casserole and chocolate fudge brownies. Sounds Brit to me!
    The landscape is rugged, hewn by the fierce, sweeping winds, and it's a tug of war to both keep my hair on my head and my clothes about me as I negotiate the naturally sculpted rocks and rolling greens and peat bogs! The moorlands are overrun with the Tussock grass and the Diddle-Dee plant.
    Interesting, almost everything we saw was private property, leaving us with little room for exploring; even some of the battlefields are private property! And beware; there are still landmines around, and these areas being cordoned off by fences and warning signs with skull and bones. There are two main community clusters here, one at Stanley and the other, at what is called Camp. A third has come up too, where the military garrison is stationed along with their families.
    The Islands are a treasure trove for bird watchers, as they boast more than a 120 species including geese, ducks, terns, gulls, oystercatchers, albatross and giant petrels — many of who are natural inhabitants with large nesting areas. The Falklands earn £5 million a year from tourism, the second largest industry after sheep!
    We made a half-day excursion trip by jeep to Sparrow Cove, where we saw not sparrows but scores of cuddly Gentoo penguins, with a couple of King penguins, too! In total there are at least four species of penguin on the Islands, including the Gentoo, Jackass, Rockhopper and King penguins.
    And what a ride that was! We first had to take a boat to the island, where we were greeted by the blue-eyed Carol who transported us on her Land Rover from ferryboat to the Penguins' Cove, a 30-minute drive over peat bogs. A bumpy ride indeed, over the rugged landscape moor and dale that had so many ups and downs that we had to cling to the seat in front of us, for dear life! Carol pointed out to us a barn where wool was stored in 1982 and which remains untouched to this day as the building is booby-trapped! The area around is cordoned off as a dangerous minefield. After having taken our fill of photographs, we walked away from the penguins and turned around for one last look...And what did we see?
    The entire penguin population lined up along the rope barrier, staring at us as if saying; "Goodbye and good luck!" Nextstop, a teahouse managed by a lady with a toddler pottering around with toys, and we gratefully sipped the delicious hot chocolate and tucked into homemade cakes generously smeared with Diddle-Dee berry jam. We gazed at the landscape of jagged quartzite rocks dappled with moss; the windswept skies added to the wild but beautiful ambience of this remote outpost and gateway to the South Pole. "We don't need tumble dryers here!" joked Carol when I remarked on how windy it was.
    Next on our list was the conducted Stanley In Focus bus tour, and we stop for a while to admire the vessel made in Sunderland that sailed with a Norwegian flag but hit rocks in 1913, claiming many lives. Used as a warehouse till 1936, it's now part of the sightseeing stopovers as are the couple of war memorials and other sunken vessels.
    I turned over the pages of the local newspaper, Penguin News, a weekly that gives the lowdown on all that's happening on the islands and lookedout in interest as we pass a very tall military signpost pillar. That's where homesick soldiers put their hometowns' name and distances on colourful wooden boards. Like a totem pole, it's a reminder (and remainder) of a conflict past…
    We pass by the home of a gentleman who collects whale and shark bones and fossils. He's even got a reindeer he calls Georgia, tethered to fence and helps injured whales get back to sea.
    Having spent a day on the Islands, our time was up and we reluctantly wound our way toward the jetty, to take the boat out to the cruise ship anchored in deep waters. It's a small place but there's so much to experience. Soaking in the feeling of having visited what we come across only in media reports and history books, we bade Stanley goodbye…

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Tourism shrugs off slowdown blues

2009-05-11T18:05:00.001-07:00

While Foreign Exchange Earnings Grew 7.6% In April After Three Consecutive Months Of Decline, Tourist Arrivals Improved, Compared With Sharp Fall In Previous Months

THE Indian tourism industry seems to be on recovery path. The sector saw a 7.6% positive growth in foreign exchange earnings in April this year compared to the same period previous year. The growth has been positive after three consecutive months of negative growth, as per government data.
The month also saw a significant improvement in foreign tourist inflows, though it registered a negative growth in foreign tourist arrivals compared with the same period last year. The country registered only a 3% decline in foreign visitors in April 2009 compared to a sharp decline of 18% in January. Besides economic slowdown, tourism was hit by the Mumbai terror attacks in November last year.
As per an official in the tourism ministry, a slew of measures taken by the government to attract foreign tourists helped in "arresting the declining trend."
The promotional activities also helped in getting more revenue per visitors that augmented the inflow of foreign exchange, said the official, who didn't wish to be named. The promotional activities include free air ticket for companion of a foreign tourist, travel to additional places and extended stay at hotels. Road shows organised by the ministry in major markets such as the UK, Australia, Canada, Singapore and Malaysia bore desired results, he added.
The government has also finalised a proposal that would offer free treatment for any additional ailments to a person visiting India for any major surgery. For sight seeing, the ministry has finalised a package that would offer a luxury tour to southern India on the Deccan Odyssey. The government has declared 2009 as Visit India Year' to promote the country as one of the top foreign tourist destination.
Nirbhay .kumar 1 @timesgroup .com

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Flying to Kullu? Thailand trip will cost the same

2009-05-10T18:32:00.001-07:00

Mumbai: If you plan to book a holiday within the country and hope to get some good low-fare deals, then be prepared for a rather unpleasant reality check and a Plan B.
    The promises made by airlines about offering low fares seem to have evaporated as airfares soar to a new high, bringing domestic travel on a par with a trip to southeast Asia. This trend is making more and more Indian tourists opt for an international holiday this summer, say travel experts.
    Travel agents, who usually do brisk business with domestic sector tickets during the summer, have booked up to 50% more on international routes this time. Though travel has been less compared to last season due to the slowdown, international holidays are fast emerging as an economically viable option vis-avis domestic travel, say the experts.
    For instance, the price of a oneway journey to Kullu can fetch one a trip to Thailand. Similarly, while a round trip to Goa will cost around Rs 8,000-9,000, Jet Airways and Air India are offering a Bangkok return trip for Rs 11,000. A round trip to Bagdogra (closest airport to Darjeeling, West Bengal) will cost Rs 25,000 even as Gulf carriers are offering a Mumbai-London trip at Rs 27,000.
    "We are selling tickets to Manali for Rs 9,000. This is enough for a person to visit Thailand, Malaysia or Bangkok,'' said Vasuki Sundaram, chairperson, Travel Agents' Federation of India (TAFI). "Though flights to cooler places like Leh and Ladakh will still fly packed, the number of passengers for these places will not rise now due to the jump in fares. The high fares on domestic sectors are a major deterrent, and many people are therefore going for international travel. Along with competitive fares, the cost of lodging in southeast Asia is also cheaper.''
    European countries like Greece and Turkey, too, are emerging as favoured holiday destinations. "The Turkish tourism board has generated considerable hype in the market. As part of a short promotion, return air tickets were provided for Rs 23,000. Apart from this, one can also combine a Greece-Turkey trip for a similar price,'' said Rajesh Rateria, managing director of Cirrus Travels, who has booked at least 20% more on international sectors then domestic.
    Anup Kanuga, chairman of Travel Agents' Association of India (TAAI), said bookings on international sectors were as much as 50% higher than on domestic routes.
    So, what is the reason behind this trend? Travel experts believe that the clout of Indian carriers in the domestic skies is dictating higher prices for air travel within the country. To add to this, the capacity remains limited as not all carriers operate on all routes.
    "Mostly, the big airlines in India jointly freeze the fare on most routes. This helps them peg the fare according to their mathematics. On the other hand, when it comes to international travel, we have Gulf, US, German carriers operating on the same route, which boosts competition,'' said Kanuga. "This is why you have KLM offering a Rs 9,000-plustaxes fare for London.''
    Airline officials, on the condition of anonymity, said the cost of operations on the domestic sector was quite high. This, along with the passenger rush during summer and limited capacity on many routes, jacks up airfares.
    Experts believe that the brief drop in domestic fares came when most airlines did not have enough advance bookings. "The December-January period was not particularly great for airlines. Seeing no advance bookings happening, many of them dropped fares to get their clientele back. Now, with summer holidays round the corner, the situation has changed once again,'' said Rateria.
    chinmayi .shalya @timesgroup .com

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THE COOLEST ONES! to TRAVEL

2009-05-06T20:26:00.001-07:00

Medieval Indians had a far more aesthetic way of dealing with the heat than we do, as demonstrated by the six places Arjun Kumar lists below

IT'S THAT time of the year
    when air conditioners are
    being tested to their
    fullest, coolers of all sorts
    being put in place, and
    various brands of heatbeating solutions present in the marketplace being evaluated. But long, long ago — even before South Korean cooling companies were even a glimmer in their marketers' eye! — there was a time when people managed to survive the sun at its bad-tempered worst.
    Come to think of it, they managed to do a bit better than merely survive. Just how did they manage that? The answer to that would come automatically if one were to check out certain heritage sites that were specially created to beat the heat. That they found time to also incorporate aethetics into their masterplan shows that they were more evolved then than we are now. After all, can you seriously state that prettiness is a consideration when making or setting up a desert cooler?
    The masters at creating such structures were the Mughals, who via skillful engineering using water, managed to create an atmosphere conducive to their lifestyle and to the pursuit of their pleasures. Among other dynasties to create such places were the Khiljis of Malwa, to name just one. Indeed, all too often we travel around India looking at structures either for their majesty or for their divinity, never thinking of those that were also built as a utility, without forsaking beauty.
    Given that north India is at present reeling under a scorching May, I thought back about all the monumental remnants I had come across in my travels that were bespoke to weather the Sun god at his relentless best. And here I chronicle for you just half a dozen such places, which I have chosen as much for their setting as for their obscurity. It should go to show that India has always had the answer to the heat....

JAL MAHAL, NARNAUL, HARYANA
Given that Narnaul is a yet-to-be-discovered heritage town, the presence of this delightful water palace does not come as a surprise. A simple, but well-preserved structure, the Jal Mahal is set in the middle of a large water tank with a broad walkway linking it to the edge. Appearances can be deceptive for what looks like a plain building from the outside would make a visitor gape if he were to walk in and look up.
On the ceiling of entrance arches to the palace still remain brilliant paintings of geometric and floral patterns, all in colours of gold. The tank defies Narnaul's dropping water table by filling up each monsoon and is an excellent setting for a sound-and-light show, if only someone could put it together. Where: 140 km from Delhi, in Mahendragarh district of Haryana and accessible via NH 8 turning off it towards Rewari.

LAL MAHAL, BARI, RAJASTHAN
Located in a back-of-beyond place, the massive hunting lodge there come as a surprise. Built to suit Shah Jahan, a keen hunter, this lodge gave the royals easy access to the imperial game reserve in this area. While Mughal hunting lodges are elsewhere too, the one at Bari was the biggest with the red colour of its stone giving it a name. Built in an L-shape on the banks of a large lake that still exists — which would have been even more expansive then — the hunting lodge comprises a series of pavilions. One side of the 'L' has three large pavilions, each of which has within it a courtyard following the charbagh pattern.
Where:Lies in Dhaulpur district of Rajasthan and can be accessed via Agra, which lies approximately 93 km to the north-east.

SARAI AAM KHAS BAGH, SIRHIND, PUNJAB
The Sarai was one of many built along the old Grand Trunk Road connecting Agra to Lahore and with Sirhind. As it fell roughly just over the halfway mark on that route, the Emperor also broke journey here. Thus the Daulat Khana there is a two-storeyed apartment made for Shah Jahan and facing it is a Sheesh Mahal.
The Mughals used their favourite heat-beating ploy, the intelligent channeling of cooling water — using covered waterways. These went into sarad khanas in summer and hamams in the winter, to make it an alleviating break in an otherwise tiring journey. Even today, the place remains a picnic spot for people from neighbouring towns. Where: In Fatehgarh Sahib district of Punjab, 52 km north of Patiala.

WATER PALACE, ETMADPUR, UP
Etmadpur is merely the formal name for this place and one which most people don't recollect! They prefer to call it 'Burhia ka taal' which is also the name of the village it lies in. The 'taal' at its prime must have been a pristine water body contained in a square tank, for in its middle is an octagonal pavilion with a domed roof.
The water s w i r l i n g around eff e c t i v e l y made the pavilion a cool island, perfect for a sojourn from the midday heat. Its builders also gave it a narrow causeway linking it to the edge of the tank. Even the British found the place conducive as is evident from the wall markings done by their troops, stationed here during the late 19th century.
Where: 24 km northeast of Agra, on NH 2.

WATER PAVILION, SADALPUR, MP
Possibly the most obscure of this half-dozen, the abandoned water palace at Sadalpur village does not find a mention even in books on the architecture of Malwa, to which kingdom the palace belonged. This is possibly because of the proliferation of heritage places like Mandu, Chanderi and Dhar, which have not left the scholar any mind-space to examine tiny places like this. That the place must have been significant once is apparent from its size, which is almost as big as that of the Jahaz Mahal complex in Mandu. I went there on a dry April day when there was no trace of the lake that must have surrounded this palace once. But walking through the place, there were enough traces to indicate its past glory.
Water channels artistically carved into the stone of the floor and spaces for tanks were clearly visible. The thick walls made it amazingly cool from within and on a day when the sun blazed at 45^oC, the villagers took shelter within the palace, as if in testimony to the engineering skill of the forgotten builders. Where: About 47 km from Indore, in MP's Dhar district. Turn right off NH 59, just after Gunawad.

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BEING DUTCH...

2009-05-06T20:23:00.001-07:00

...Is all about neatness, order and politeness and pleasing symmetry as Bhuwan Bhaskar found out

THEY TOLD me I was lucky to visit Amsterdam on my first foreign trip. "It's the perfect world we Indians are often in awe of while talking about Western countries," said a friend. So I read up before starting out!
    The excitement stayed right through the eight-and-a-half hour KLM flight from Delhi and the chill in the air at Schiphol airport was a reminder that I was now 7,000km away from India's scorching shores! Of course, Schiphol itself was an eye opener with its huge duty-free shops, museum, massage centre, baby-sitting hall and even a casino!
    The roads leading to the city were as clean and wide as I had imagined. But being a Delhi-ite, and thus familiar with road rage, I wanted to see how traffic worked. And one thing stood out: bicycles! There are 20 million bicycles for a population of 16.3 million, so all across Amsterdam, there are parallel cycle tracks, like along Delhi's BRT. The best part is, the Dutch don't cycle for fashion or exercise; it's in their DNA, so all kinds of people-cycle to work. I'm not sure what exactly those cyclists thought of jaywalkers but whenever I crossed over —by mistake, of course—I was invariably met with a baleful stare.
    The traffic is amazingly smooth and in spite of busy streets, I never saw rash driving or anything remotely like road rage. In fact many a time drivers stopped and signaled me to cross the zebra line first! Can you imagine that in India? And be they trams, buses or taxis, the drivers of public transport were all dressed smartly and extremely courteous, quite the opposite of DTC and Blueline drivers!
    Staying at the Hotel Museum Quarter at Museum Plein was a treat as it was so close to the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum. I've always been mesmerised by the Van Gogh but realised the extent of his greatness and popularity when I saw 200 people in the queue before the museum opened at 10am! The three-storied building even had a special section on Van Gogh's night paintings. And the audio tour was amazing in its attention to detail and information. I also figured why Amsterdam is called a walking city — it's small and the weather makes perambulation a pleasure! I could easily walk the entire city in 3 hours. The Dutch clearly love beauty and symmetry — even their houses are mostly of the same height, all in a row with brick-red walls and small windows.
    I strolled around a lot to see the architecture more closely. The Dutch seem to lay special stress on decorating their windows. Each of them was pretty distinct, and the drapes framed them rather than obscuring them! I lunched in Amstelveen at a nice restaurant called De Jonge Dikkert, housed in a 300-year-old windmill. From the lush lawn, I could see the four blades of the windmill chained to stay put. Inside the restaurant, there was a bar below and tables upstairs. My host, from the Indian embassy, showcased the menu with great enthusiasm but I noticed there were only two dishes for the main course. But neither the home-smoked salmon with herring caviar, avocado mousse and parsley jelly nor the roasted guinea fowl with beet, chicory and aceto balsamico gravy tempted me. I struggled to find something familiar and then left it to my host!
    Later, I learnt that in almost every good Dutch restaurant, there are only two or three options on the menu daily. But I must confess, like a typical desi, I did not find Dutch cuisine very exciting as much of it seemed to be semi-cooked or raw! Oh well, just because the roads, houses, museums and weather interested me, that didn't mean I had to love the food too!
    But the best thing about Amsterdam is that there are alternatives to the local fare — from all over the world! So the next couple of days saw me experimenting with other cuisines as varied as Argentinean and Lebanese! I couldn't leave the Netherlands without a trip to Keukenhof. I made it there on the last day and was soon joyously lost in the vast expanse of eye-poppingly vibrant daffodils and tulips! Keukenhof is open from March 19 to May 21 every year and is said to be the world's biggest flower garden with 7 million flower bulbs.
    Keukenhof was the perfect finale for my trip to Amsterdam and reminded me of the poet's famous evocation of our own Kashmir: "If the heaven is somewhere on this earth, it is here, only here, only here...."

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Flight cancellations jump on flu fears

2009-04-29T22:45:00.001-07:00

New Delhi: The swine flu scare is set to dwarf the dramatic turnaround in air travel caused by the SARS epidemic in 2002. In two days since news of the disease broke in India, the rate of cancellation for international travel —both in and out of India—has jumped. Airlines said it's too early to comment, but Amadeus—one of the biggest technology providers for ticketing—said there's been a 2-4% increase in cancellations and it could rise further in the coming days.
"Because of this flu, we have seen a jump in cancellations for international travel transactions made in India over the past two days. The overall picture could get worse in May,'' said Amadeus MD Ankur Bhatia. This comes on top of a 5% decline in bookings this April over the same period last year.
This is the worst news that the travel and hospitality sector could have got at this time. Thanks to the global slowdown, hotels in Delhi and other metros are reporting very low occupancy levels. In Delhi, for instance, big hotels with 400 and more rooms are seeing a 30-25% dip in occupancy while the smaller ones with half that capacity are just about half full. Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation CEO Kapil Kaul said while it was difficult to estimate the damage to the travel industry, the impact on outbound travel would be "significant''. TNN

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2009-04-15T18:52:00.000-07:00

A TIME TO TRAVEL

Reshmi R Dasgupta

FOR the first time in quite a while, the traveller is truly king. As summer approaches, the chill of recession is still making the tourism, airline and hospitality industries shiver; the result is betterthan-ever-before deals for you and me.
    Five star hotels have toned down their astronomical rates , and are offering — along with budget hotels — a slew of extras in the form of meals, excursions and activities for families. Airline companies are following suit with some of the lowest deals in recent memory, for both domestic and overseas destinations. It’s only logocla, given that both western and eastern places of tourist interest, are pitching for the elusive traveller!And Indians have the natural advantage of a choice of local destinations!
    The wise should check out all the travel information available and attend the fairs which have begun — ET Travel’s fair just concluded — to get an idea of the best possible deals. Indeed, one of the trends being noticed by the industry is that people downsized by the current crisis, are actually using their new free time in judicious travel. Nothing extravagant, of course, as any money has to be very carefully spent now, but it is the best way to de-stress!
    With the general elections scheduled to get over just as schools get into the summer break in May, this is the time to book those tickets and rooms for the lowest rates.

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Travel bookings for IPL take off

2009-04-14T18:02:00.001-07:00

WITH four days left for the Indian Premier League (IPL) to kick off, travel bookings for South Africa, which were initially slow, seem to have picked up. Bookings are largely being driven by corporate travellers, according to travel companies, even as tour operators lock horns to garner volumes through a price war. “Nearly 70% of the bookings have come from corporates that are either sponsoring the teams or looking to combine IPL with business meetings or offsites for their employees,” said SOTC senior vice president (special tours) P Srinivas. There are some bookings from individual cricket buffs and their families, he added. SOTC is one of the tour operators offering special packages for the IPL series.
    The price war between various tour operators has ensured that a three-night trip to Johannesburg ranges from Rs 44,900 - 49,000 per person and includes accommodation, match tickets, visa charges, breakfast, air fare and match venue transfers. The same trip would have earlier cost anywhere between Rs 65,000 and Rs 90,000.
    “Nearly 10,000 Indians travelled to South Africa for the World Cup in 2003. Even with such a short time to arrange a trip, we expect at least 6,000-7,000 Indians to travel and watch the IPL matches. We anticipate demand to peak before the semi-finals and final in late May,” said Thomas Cook India president (marketing) Nalini Gupta. She added that the demand for Johannesburg packages is much higher as matches would be held largely in the city.
    Most travellers are opting for 3 night/4 day trips, with some individual travellers even choosing a single-day package to watch the final. The demand for semi-finals and finals is the highest. Tour operators believe there could be a last-minute rush for tickets as IPL frenzy gains momentum. A cricket buff wishing to watch the semi-finals and final (May 22-24) will have to shell out at least Rs 63,500 per person, including match tickets, accommodation, transport, breakfast, air tickets and visa processing charges.
    South African Airways (SAA) is flying the bigger Airbus 340 aircraft especially for IPL and is providing direct connectivity between the two countries.

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HOTELS SLASH TARIFFS BY 30%

2009-04-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

IF YOU’RE planning vacations in India this summer, you will be getting the bang for your buck. Following a big drop in occupancy levels, major hotel chains across the country are planning to reduce room tariffs by 25-30%, reports Raja Awasthi from New Delhi. Hotels in all metros have had just about 35-40% occupancy in the last one quarter.

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Buy-1-get-1-free booster shot for medical tourism

2009-04-11T05:07:00.001-07:00

THE tourism ministry is finalising a scheme wherein a tourist visiting India for a particular medical treatment will be offered an additional treatment free of cost for a smaller ailment. The scheme will be part of the schemes implemented by the government to increase foreign tourist arrivals in the backdrop of the global slowdown, a senior official in the tourism ministry said.
    The ministry is
in advance discussion with all major hospital chains such as Apollo, Manipal, Moolchand, Fortis and Wockhardt to offer the complementary treatment.
    “Now, foreign medical tourists would be offered one additional treatment for free. Almost all major hospitals have expressed their interest in partnering with us,” tourism secretary Sujit Banerjee told ET.
    As per the plan, medical tourists coming for a surgery or any other major treatment in the country would be offered a smaller additional treatment for free. For example, a patient coming for a bypass surgery could be offered a complementary skin treatment or something similar according to the patient’s preference.
    Foreign tourist arrivals in the country has been hit hard by the recessionary trend all across the world. The number of foreign tourists visiting India has been in the negative territory since November last year. Tourist arrivals picked up slightly in February, thanks to various promotional schemes launched by the government along with airlines, tour operators and hoteliers.
    Under the existing promotional scheme, a companion of a foreign tourist gets free air passage provided they fly with Jet Airways, Kingfisher and Air India. The tour package also provides extended stay in hotels across the country and complimentary sightseeing tours to rural eco-holiday destinations. The tourism ministry has also roped in spa centre operators into the scheme. The measures are part of the government’s ‘Visit India 2009’ plan. The bookings under the proposed scheme beginning this month will continue till the end of the year.
    The tourism ministry has set a target of doubling the number of foreign tourists arrivals to the country by the end of 2010. It has launched road shows in various source countries such as the US, the UK, Canada and Australia to increase the number of visitors.
    nirbhay .kumar 1 @timesgroup .com

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Hotels may feel the heat this summer

2009-04-10T05:13:00.001-07:00

THE gloom in the tourism industry is likely to continue with holiday traffic expected to be down 30% this summer season. This is despite the fact that most hotels have reduced prices for leisure destinations by 30-40%.
    Sarovar Hotels executive director Ajay Bakaya said Indians are still not warming up to the idea of a holiday due to the economic environment. "Occupancies across locations have dropped by 20-25%. The summer vacations are also not expected to see many families make their travel plans," he added. Sarovar Hotels is the franchisee for Carlson Hotels' brands in India such as the Park Inn and Park Plaza and has its own branded hotels.
    An executive with a travel company, who didn't wish to be named, said the advance bookings for the summer season have been lower than anticipated.
    With tourists putting their India travel plans on the backburner, most hotels are trying to woo Indian families. For instance, the Leela Kempinski Hotels and Resorts has slashed rates for destinations such as Kovalam and Goa by 15-20%, with room only (meal excluded) packages starting at Rs 8,970 - 9,270 for two nights.
    Others such as the Trident Hotels are offering value-added holiday packages. Trident has low-priced packages for cities such as Agra, Kochi, Jaipur and Udaipur priced between Rs 14,000 and Rs 18,500 for a two-night stay. Oberoi Group president Rattan Keswani said the hotel group anticipates a 10-12% increase in contribution from domestic travellers this season.
    A senior executive with the Leela said that despite discounted packages for foreign destinations, Indians are preferring to go for short breaks to domestic destinations. "If one chooses to go for foreign destinations, it requires more time and one ends up spending more money. Domestic destinations means one can travel over a long weekend at discounted rates," he said.
    Added Thomas Cook managing director Madhavan Menon: "The number of Indians opting for foreign packages for the industry this year, over last year, is anticipated to see a marginal growth." The travel company recently floated packages as cheap as Rs 49,999 to woo Indians to go to South Africa to watch the upcoming India Premier League matches.

Traveling to Europe with your Digital Camera?

2007-07-23T02:24:00.001-07:00

clipped from globalinformationcentre.com

The Vacation Season is fast approaching and naturally you will be taking your
digital camera along for the journey. After all your vacations are far and few
between and it is nice to look back on those memories as you slave away at your
job. However, when you travel with a digital camera, it is a completely
different experience from that of traveling with a film camera. This is a lesson
that far too many travelers seem to be learning the hard way, especially if
you’re traveling to Europe. After a couples years of relying solely on digital
for taking photos when I travel, there are things you should consider before you
head off on your next trip.

How to Pick a Travel Agency

2007-07-20T02:37:00.001-07:00

clipped from globalinformationcentre.com

How
to Pick a Travel Agency

"How To Pick A Travel Agency"

The trip of a lifetime can take a
lifetime to plan unless you know how to pick a travel agency.

A common
misconception is that travel agencies add to the cost of your trip. In truth,
finding and using a good travel agency to plan your trip usually saves you time,
money, and frustration. So how do you pick a travel agency?