THINGS TO DO AND NOT TO DO WHEN TRAVELLING

Stage 1

At least one day before the actual travel, make a mental recce of the arrangements of the travel and keep all the things aside.

Firstly, if travelling by Road, ensure that all your vehicle documents like Registration Certificate, Vehicle Insurance Certificate, Pollution under Control Certificate, and the Driving License of all the people who will be driving the vehicle are with you and in order. Check for the expiry dates and get them renewed, if necessary, especially the Pollution Certificate since it expires every six months.

Secondly, ensure that your vehicle is fit for the long journey that you will be undertaking and if necessary, get it serviced from a trusted Service Centre at least One Week prior to the date of travel so that minor repairs, if any, can be attended to well in advance. A day before the travel, ensure that you fill the fuel to the brim, and that the tyres are in good condition and the air is filled so that you have a smooth journey ahead.

Thirdly, check for brakes, wipers and that they are working properly. And yes, don’t forget to keep the tool kit and the telephone numbers of your insurance company/service centre for any roadside assistance during emergency. Ensure that at least you or one of the persons travelling with you is well versed in fixing the tyre, in case of a flat tyre, because in the middle of nowhere, you won’t find a mechanic ready to help you. And also ensure that the fast tag is loaded with sufficient balance so that you don’t have to shell out double the toll tax for want of sufficient balance in your fast tag account.

If travelling by air, train or by bus, ensure that your tickets are booked well in advance and that you also carry a physical copy (Print Out) of the tickets for the entire itinerary and keep soft copies in the email and also in the phone gallery of each and every one travelling with you.

One more rule to be followed as a safety and precautionary measure. Never land in an alien land neither late at night nor at the wee early hours, whether it is by flight, train or by Bus. It’s at as such odd hours, some really dangerous people in the form of Taxi drivers or others lurch around the Airports, Railway Stations or Bus Stations waiting for easy preys. And, per chance, if you happen to land at such odd hours, make sure you wait at the Airport, Railway Station or Bus Station till the people are up and about, and then proceed further into the city, especially if you are new to the place. Notorious people easily guess if you are a new comer to the place or you are a Tourist and easily con you with their sweet talk. Take a picture of the Auto/Taxi Driver and also jot down the Auto/Taxi number or better still a take a picture of it to lodge a complaint if necessary. Always play safe when you are alone or with your family in a new place. Their safety is in your hands and in your quick and informed decision you take during such tricky situations. If not sure, take public transport which is always the safest way to travel around. Don’t be in a hurry nor be panicky in a new place especially when opting for public transport like buses or metro trains. Always remember, if you miss one Bus/Train, there is always another one coming in a short while. So relax. Always carry less luggage. The saying is true, “Less Luggage, More Comfort”.

Another important thing is to keep a small telephone book with details of all the important people with their telephone numbers and email IDs so that they can be contacted during emergency. Especially, keep a separate note of immediate people of your family or relatives and also the important people in your office/workplace who can be contacted for any official or personal help needed during the travel period since you will be away from your city/town/place of usual residence.

Another important issue is to decide the place where you will be staying at your destination. In case of going to the house of any of your friend or relative, make sure that you along with one more person know the address and also jot down the address and phone number of the contact person. If staying at a hotel or home stay, ensure that you book in it in advance so that there is no last minute hitch after reaching the destination. Take a screenshot of the offline map of your destination so that you don’t face any issues if there is no network connectivity once you reach there and are not able to find your location of stay. Opt for a Hotel which is easily accessible.

Fourthly, keep your medicines which you normally take, if you are suffering from long term ailments like diabetics or thyroid etc. Keep the medicines handy and in a separate pouch for easy accessibility. Also jot down allergies if any, and the medicines which you are allergic to, so that, God forbid, the other person can handle any medical emergencies, if any. Also don’t forget to pack a few home remedy items for immediate relief like Cloves (for tooth ache), Cinnamon (as mouth freshener), Zandu Balm/Amrutanjan/Zinda Tilishmath (for common cold, cough and headaches), a strip of Paracetamol tablets (for body pain or a sudden bout of fever after a shower under the waterfall) and a First Aid Kit with some cotton, antiseptic cream and Band aid (for wounds) etc.

Don’t forget the keep the mobile chargers and power banks of all the mobile phones so that you don’t end up with a phone with a dead battery even before you reach your destination.

And don’t forget to carry sufficient cash along with your cards. Exclusively don’t depend too much on cards because not every where cards are accepted nor you will find ATMs everywhere you go. It’s always safer to carry some cash to meet exigencies. Who knows the roadside Dhaba where you had your sumptuous lunch might not accept a card and there is no ATM any where nearby.

Next, ensure that there is mobile connectivity of your service provider at the destination you travel. If not, then buy a new SIM card of the service provider of that area. Like, only BSNL SIM cards work in Andaman & Nicobar Islands as well as in Laksadweep Islands.

Pack your clothes according to the season and the destination. A trip to Goa is incomplete if you do not carry a swimsuit. Likewise, a trip to Shimla or Srinagar during the winter is ridiculous without the woollens. A T Shirt is a must during the summer whatever your destination is. So, don’t forget to pack your bags accordingly.

And, and, and, the evening before the day of your travel, buy sufficient snacks for the journey according to the number of people and their tastes so that, even if you don’t find a decent place to eat, on the way, you won’t end up with hungry pangs. Also, when travelling, one feels the urge to munch, whether you are young or old. Keep good amount of water both for drinking and freshening up and stock up with your favourite fruit juices/aerated drinks.

Now that the things are in place, if you are travelling by road, pack all the things and keep your luggage in the vehicle the night before the day of travel so that you don’t leave behind a suitcase or bag in the house and start your journey with half the luggage.

And before I forget to tell you, and, which we usually tend to forget, is, to keep the tooth brush/paste and soap or hand wash. Since these things are needed on the day of travel we usually tend to forget one or any of these things. Hence, always keep a separate sling bag or pouch with all these things so that once you are done with the morning rituals, you pack them and keep it for the travel.

Stage 2

The real drama unfolds on the day of travel. It is on this day, that you should be alert, and do things meticulously before you start the journey so that you don’t feel jittery in the middle of the journey thinking whether you switched off the gas/geyser or fans or AC etc. Ensure that you switch off and unplug all the essential electrical items like geyser, gas, AC etc so that you are free from such doubtful thoughts of having switched off or not. Let not your mind play the doubtful tunes of…have I or have I not….? It will spoil the whole journey/trip.

As you sit ensconced in the comfort of your vehicle filled with excitement of the trip, make sure that you leave behind all your worries of your everyday mundane happenings in life. Leave behind all the tensions of your workplace. After all, you are going on a trip to unwind and refresh so leave behind all your worries and tensions.

Save music of different genres and different languages to suit every taste of each one of you who is accompanying you in this trip. Let not the music dominate and emanate the taste of only one person. So let the music be a melange of tastes of all the occupants of the vehicle so that every now and then, the feet of each one taps to their favourite music being played. And mind you let the music not be so loud that you don’t hear the passing by vehicles and you end up in an accident because of your indulgence in loud music.

A trip is all about enjoyment. It is all about enjoying small little things which you usually ignore in your day to day life. So, at least, when you set out on a trip, enjoy the beauty of the world around you. Be a part of the world and play with it at least once in a while, when you are out on a trip. Let the breeze play with your mane, let the Sun rays play hiding behind the clouds, and let them peep on and off, teasingly at you. Appreciate the hidden abstract art of the clouds and its unique geometric shapes and sizes.

See how the varied colours of nature entice you with every mile you travel. Let the tall trees and its swaying branches sing poetic notes. Let the lush green carpeted mountains flirt with you daringly even in the presence of your wife. Be daring enough to have an affair with the blowing wind whose notes carry luscious tales. For once, let her be draped in the golden rays of the evening setting Sun. Let her simmer and shine under the golden rays of the Summer/Winter Sun. Be a little inquisitive and with every mile you travel, try to unravel the mystery of the winds, from whence they come, and whither they go.

Stop by suddenly, when you spot a little Tea Stall and let your taste buds be treated to the explosion of unexpected tastes every now and then. And don’t forget to taste the local cuisine. Do everything that your hearts yearns for.

Start early, reach safely. It is not the destination, but the road that leads to the destination that gives you happiness. So plan your trip accordingly. Know how far your destination is, how much time it will take to reach there, ensure sufficient fuel in your vehicle, carry all the documents and follow the road rules for a happy journey.

Ask Google Aunty about the best routes. Download offline maps of the destination with the road maps so that even if you lost with no internet connectivity, you don’t face any issues. Follow the safer route even if it is a little longer. Find out if there are any places to visit on the way, find out if there is any place or food to explore on the way, and keep your journey filled with such new avenues and new cuisines. Eat, drink and be merry. By “drink”, I don’t mean that you get intoxicated and end up with the cops or a crash.

Take turns to drive, if more than one person knows driving so that only one person doesn’t end up driving all the way and feels tired. Moreover, who doesn’t love driving on long journeys? So let all enjoy the thrill of being behind the wheels. One word of caution though. If you feel sleepy, after driving for long hours, and you don’t have a substitute, ensure that you stop by the road side and take a short nap and feel refreshed. Splash cold water on your face, have a cuppa refreshing Coffee or Tea and then resume your journey. Or else even one small wink can land you into a serious accident. Especially, driving during the afternoons after lunch or during the early wee hours between 3 AM to 5 AM is more risky to drive. So avoid driving during these timings. And whenever you feel like taking a stop, don’t do it in very secluded places.

And one golden rule of travel. Don’t lavish and splurge loads of money on the entire trip. At the same time, I don’t mean don’t be too frugal too. You are on a trip. So, use your money and time wisely. Invest on experiences, not on materialistic things. How posh is the Hotel bed you sleep on, is not what counts. Anyways you wake up and go out to explore the wide world outside and not to ensconce or snug inside the cosy bed of your Hotel. Do you?

The same rule applies for food. But don’t over indulge in it too. Who wants to end up stirring glasses and glasses of Eno? Or who wants to end up with back to back washroom visits once you are back to the Hotel? And one more thing, try to avoid eating in the Hotel you stay because mostly, the food is repetitive and monotonous in such places. Walk a little further into the heart of the city and explore the local cuisine and taste it. Believe me, you won’t regret it. The real flavours are found in eateries tucked in the lanes and by lanes of any city. They dish out authentic local flavours. They are not fancy, but surely are far more economical and are real taste bud enticers.

Stage 3

And while you are returning back from the trip, prefer to take a different route so that you can end up exploring a few more places on the way back home and your return journey is not laced with monotony of travelling the same route you took earlier. It may be a little longer, but it’s worth every mile you travel and every extra hour and every extra penny you spent.

No doubt, God has given unlimited hard disk space in our brains to remember everything. But how do you flaunt before your friends and relatives where you had been and what you had seen. So always carry a good camera or sufficient memory in your mobile phones or carry an extra memory card to take umpteen numbers of photos for keeps sake. Don’t you want to relive those moments again and again by seeing those pictures? If you can afford and invest, buying a good drone camera can be the best bet for aerial 360 degree shots or videos. Don’t you want to see oodles and oodles of jealousy on your friends’ faces? Then, what are you waiting for…? Pout your lips and get into that groovy Selfie Mood…!

So, in what mood or you…? Want to be a trekker and explore the Mountains?, Or do you want to be a Beach Babe?, or is it the Desert Sand Dunes that is calling you for a Camel ride?

Follow the rules, be safe and enjoy your trip. Come back refreshed and full of memories…!