As I sipped the hot brew relaxing on my tenth floor verandah, I could see our neighbours leaving for their annual summer vacay nee vacation. Needless to say, the destinations are no more within the country. Burning of the pocket hurts lesser than not being able to keep with the times of going off-shore. The concept of holidays has indeed undergone a sea-change.
Few decades back sweetness of the long vacation would often mean going back to one’s roots. Lazily waking up with cousins to spend a few good hours nourishing modest hobbies like painting, singing and dancing would be the order of the day. Some would engage in updating the treasured stamp albums while improving their general knowledge and also participate enthusiastically in ‘antakshari’ comprising not only songs but also names of countries, eatables and personalities. Giggles of laughter and knocks of the fist were not rare too, as one team tried to overpower the other through unfair means. The presence of the seniors was also cheerfully accepted. Repeatedly attempting to pluck guavas, mangoes and ripe jamuns at the garden back-door only added to the fun-time.
Vacations also included plans by parents to experience the unknown by travelling within the country. To visit a place of tourist interest involved a lot of planning. The entire process of buying railway tickets (air travel was considered a luxury, only few could afford) from the railway counters, reserving of the guest houses with the postal departments aids, studying about the destination involving the in-between travels were indeed cumbersome. But along with these inconvenient steps was the gift of endless joy.
The modern vacay-life is impossible without the summer camps. Every parent wants the child to be engaged outside the house. Honing various skills happens only during these camps. Spending time with relatives and cousins are not worth the time involved. Instead a quick trip to a foreign destination is not only worth the time and value, but also with the modern trend. At the click of a button the entire trip can be organised. The destination, the fares, the reservation of resorts all are easily accessible. At the destinations too, the local ‘Olas/Ubers’ arrive on a single call. After an exhaustive sight-seeing if one doesn’t want to venture out of the guest rooms or B&Bs for dining , the local ‘Swiggy and its cousins ’are ever-ready to serve the regional or continental cuisines. Furthermore, no trip can be considered successful without the selfies and group photographs on a narrow ridge, the ski-boards on ‘Swiss’ snow and forks full of sushi in the all so very model look.
On second thoughts can such holidays be truly enriching? Of course! They are well planned, safe, time-saving and luxurious .But is that all? The mystery within the learning the unknown, the excitement within unveiling the concealed Nature’s gifts, the enthusiasm in facing the challenges on the rough path – don’t they enrich life much more? Vacations at ancestral home giving a patient ear to granny’s woes while she caresses us, sharing a mango with cousins under the shade of a tree –don’t they add to the sweetness of life? A feeling of vacay well spent?
