When a Backpacker Turns "Sanskari" #FamilyAndMe

Travelling with one's family and travelling solo/with friends are never the same experience. So here's a quick look at how the hippie backpacker in me turns into a "sanskari" version of herself when travelling with family.

Food: Gorge as You Like!

The most important part of a trip, apart from the people and the places we explore, is the local cuisine. I always make it a point to taste some of the local delicacies wherever I go. However, when I travel with my family (or with my mom, to be more specific), I have to struggle to explore the local food joints, not because my mom isn't a foodie, but because she is scared some unknown ingredient in a local delicacy might trigger an allergy in me. I always sneak out and have something or the other though, even when I have my mom in tow.

Stay: Comfort or Affordability?

Travelling alone and with friends (not the married ones) has one more perk. We can save on the lodging costs and spend it on experiences and actual travel. So, when I travel solo or with friends, I have the liberty to choose a low-cost staying option, such as a hostel or a cheap hotel (albeit safe). 

However, when I travel with mom, I have to keep in mind several factors: a) facilities in case there is a medical emergency, b) hygiene and hospitality, c) room amenities (balcony, window view, how spacious the room is). So, basically, I end up spending a lot of time in the hotel when I travel with my mom, whereas I am always up to some outdoor activity when I travel alone or with friends.

Agents: Schedules or Free-Flow Travel?

I usually avoid agents when I travel solo or with friends. However, when I have my mom tagging along, I prefer travelling with reputed agents and a group of at least 10 people. There is strength in numbers, as they say. Also, it helps because I end up finding people of my age and my mom finds other people of her age to talk to (mostly).

Adventure: How Much Do We Explore?

I am not an avid adventure lover. Given a choice, I would opt for a long walk through an unknown town than a trek up a hill. However, when I travel with mom, even this puny streak of "exploration" has to be toned down. I can only walk around in places that are well-lit and crowded when mom is travelling with me. Also, while mom prefers museums and touristy sites, I would rather relax at a rooftop café in the hills or just "chill" at the beach, without any plans (at least for a day or half a day). Thankfully, in my case, my mom hates crowded temples just as much as I do.

Mode of Travel: Sleepless Nights over Travelling in a Jiffy

When I travel alone or with friends, I tend to choose the cheapest option of travel (which also turns out to be the most time-consuming). I have been to places such as Goa, Kodaikanal, and Pondicherry by bus (albeit with AC sleeper coaches) and to Varkala by train (all from Bangalore). I can ignore midnight halts and washroom issues. However, my mom needs her comfort when she travels, so we mostly opt for the best train tickets (and flights where possible) for her.

Who Checks the Time When We Travel?

Time-tracking goes for a toss when I am with my friends or solo. Be it partying all night in Goa or sharing secrets late in the night with two buddies in Pondicherry, we don't keep track of time (unless it can affect the travel plans for the next day). Also, we are mostly open to mid-travel changes and modifications (unless it is too difficult to accommodate). However, things are different when I travel with mom. We usually stick to the travel agent's schedule. These days, we are lucky to have agencies that also "allow" us to have some personal travel experiences and thus "let us" walk about the market etc. on our own for an evening or so. However, even then, I usually tend to hurry and end up at the hotel before dinner.

Shop till You Drop

Surprisingly, though most parents love shopping when they are travelling, my mother is exactly the opposite. She has never liked the cacophony of the bazaars in most of our travel destinations. She hates haggling with the sellers, too. On the other hand, I enjoy shopping, bargaining, and stocking up on souvenirs and collectibles when I travel alone or with friends. I actually loved haggling in Singapore and even in the lanes of Varanasi. As a result, I have a lot of cute physical memories (in the shape of souvenirs and accessories) from all my trips.

I Have Nothing to Wear

Lastly, when it comes to clothes, nothing keeps me happier than a tank top and shorts. I do experiment with quirky accessories, too, such as flashy messages on my tees, feather hair accessories, and shoulder-length danglers. However, when I have my mom around with me on my trips, I am not "supposed" to draw attention of locals by wearing anything "provocative." ☹