“I cannot rest from travel: I will drink life to lees.”
(lines from ‘ULYSSES’, by Alfred Lord Tennyson)
Who does not like to travel to new places, meet new faces, and explore new cultures? All of us do. After a hectic schedule, we all look forward to a getaway from the daily monotonous routines, so that we can spend some time with our families, our close ones and sometimes with ourselves.
But , the Corona Virus Pandemic has certainly affected all our lives adversely. Thus, many people had to cancel their long, awaited trips in the year 2020. Though the lockdown period gave us ample amount of time to spend with our families, a traveller’s soul remained insatiated.
Now, after the lockdown being released, many of us are ready to breathe some fresh air and go for a trip. But, being responsible citizens, it is our duty to abide by the new codes of conduct while travelling.
Some New Guidelines To Be Considered Before/While Travelling:
- Try to avoid popular tourist destinations, fairs like Ganga Sagar Mela, Pushkar Mela, Poush Mela etc. religious places like temples, churches, mosques etc. to avoid crowd. Instead, try to find out off-beat places to visit.
- Instead of using public transports like buses, trains or flights, travel by your own car or bike. It will be a great time for road trips and solo trips.
- Try to avoid international trips. If it is unavoidable, follow the guidelines of the airline strictly. Also get all the required information and data (like number of active cases, preventive measures taken etc.) about the present situation of the country you are travelling.
- Make pre-booking of tickets and hotels to avoid queues or any unnecessary external contact. Also enquire about the sanitization process.
- Pack enough home-made food for travelling to avoid eating anything outside.
- Pack the add-on essentials of today like masks, sanitizers, soaps, and maintain personal hygiene.
Here are some off-beat tourist destinations in India which will mesmerize you with their uniqueness and picaresque beauty:
- MEGHALAYA: Mawlynnong, in the north-eastern state of Meghalaya, has been awarded as the cleanest village in Asia in the year 2003.
Places of Interest: Cherrapunji or Sohra (The place to record the second highest rainfall in the world), Seven Sisters Falls, Elephant Falls, the Dawki River, the double-decker living root bridge, Nartiang Monoliths, Arwah cave etc.
2. SIKKIM: It is another beautiful north-eastern state and the second smallest state in India. It is noted for its rich biodiversity with the moderate sub-tropical climate.
Places of Interest: Gangtok, Nathu La Pass, Tsomgo Lake, Gurudongmar Lake, Lachung, Lachen, Pelling, Rumtek Monastery, Namchi, Zuluk, Yumthang Valley etc.
3. KHAJJIAR: It is a small hill- station in Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh. It is also named as ‘Mini Switzerland’. It has dense forest of deodar and cedar trees with lush green meadows. It is truly an unexplored beauty.
Tourist’s Attraction: Great for relaxation in the calm and serene atmosphere, long walks, adventure sports like paragliding, horse riding, zorbing etc.
4. DAMAN & DIU: Located in the he western sea-coast, it is one of the Union Territories of India. It is known for its beautiful beaches. The architecture of the churches and the buildings have Portuguese influence.
Places of Interest: Nagoa Beach, the Diu Fort, INS Khukri Memorial, Jetty Garden. St. Paul’s Church, Naida Caves etc.
5. GANDIKOTA: It is a small village in the Kadapa district in Andhra Pradesh. It is a place of historical importance as it has the ancient ruins of the Vijayanagara Dynasty. It is also known as ‘the Grand Canyon of India’ due to the gorges and canyons, the landscape of which is ideal for trekking and camping.
Places of Interest: Penna River, Gandikota Fort, Jamia Masjid, Madhvarayaswami Temple, Char Minar etc.
#With the advent of the pandemic, the tourism industry has witnessed the worst backlash. It may take a little longer time to recover the losses. But the tourists, who are slowly turning up, can help to promote domestic and regional tourism.
