The ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic has left all the hodophile, lovers of the roads, and photography enthusiasts in the amiss. Undoubtedly, the current lockdown has all been safe but the tranquility of open spaces seems to be beckoning. Beyond the lockdown, working in closed walls is mentally draining. For a social animal, one can only feel the ardent desire to travel but taking action on those desires seems implausible. It seems implausible only because people are too concerned about their physical safety and not worrying about mental health. In these unprecedented times, one has to take care of their mental being and there is no better time than this to act upon the ardent desire to travel along with aged members of the family as well the children while taking all the health and safety into consideration. Yes, you read it right. Traveling in these times is safe if you do it right and with few monetary benefits.
DRIVECATION: Explore the rare areas around your vicinity!
As the name suggests, Drive to the nearby vicinity of residential areas and have a vacation or be a little more adventurous, drive slightly further and explore offbeat locations.
For instance, Alwar near Delhi has a waterfall and a lake by the old palace side or to Balh Valley, Kangra, a rare known place in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh. It has a beautiful waterfall with a freshwater stream gushing down amidst myriad clouds behind scenic beautiful mountains. One can trek and camp in much safer environments nearby the Rishikesh Ganges side and enjoy home-cooked local food served at the riverside. These are rare offbeat locations and unknown and untouched even by the people living in the same vicinity. From the safety point of view, no one is around these undiscovered scenic locations hence one can automatically distance themselves from the rest of the world. Not relying on Public Transport and using their own vehicles add another layer to safety.
Sanitization and hand hygiene are paramount and these are not dependent on external factors, which make it safer.
From a monetary perspective since September 2020, almost in every state, all kinds of resorts big or small are providing discounts for drivers and encouraging drive action; to promote tourism while keeping their staff safe.
WORKCATION: Working from home? Then make most of it.
Boring work from home in closed walls can be turned into refreshing work hours from a scenic beach, a mystic mountainside, or by the refreshing poolside. The whole idea is to strike a mental balance amid the rising urge to escape the four walls of the home and keep oneself rejuvenated from time to time. There is a journalist who is a Featured Editor with a reputed magazine. Since August 2020, she has been staying in the hills of Uttarakhand at various home stays and working from there. She works by the day behind the mystic views of hills and travels by the evening.
There is always a way out of a tricky situation, all we need is a vision. Individuals are reserving longer stays at lodgings to offset time with family and rouse an eruption of expert imagination.
STAYCATION: Can't travel solo, got your kids and parents to take care of? No worries! Pankaj has got you covered.
The last but not the least option is Staycation. For all those working from home with small kids or elderly who need constant care? Create a bio-bubble of friends, choose scenic spots in and around the city, and pack up the bags every weekend. Explore every nook and corner of the city you will be amazed how much there is to explore. It is a wonder to know what's at offer beyond the usual map of the city. A lot of places are now providing short-term stays and drivers for intra-city travel. Combined with the low resources required to travel, arranging time, cost, and carbon impression, staycations are ideal for avid travelers as well as those in need of a break.
For all the hodophile, answer your beckoning. Travel Safe!
