Views & Interviews

In conversation with Revathi Krishna – writer, blogger and avid traveler

Aug 2019

With over two decades of experience in the IT, Business, Consulting and Entrepreneurship space, Revathi has delivered solutions to businesses including Universities, Automotive Suppliers, PR and Marketing Firms, IT Solutions, and Insurance. As an IT consultant, she has also been a preferred vendor to Fortune 500 clients like Charles Schwab, Conseco, Allison Transmissions and Eli Lilly.

Revathi is Director/Chief Communication Officer at Suyati Technologies where her role is to create content solutions that stick. When not browbeating the marketing team to create the mother of all content calendars, she is crazily busy with one husband, two teenagers, and three brands. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a Master’s Degree in Business.

What does travel mean to you? Seeing new places? Discovering the world?

For me, travel is all about new experiences. I get so involved in my daily routine – home, work, kids, family– that I want a different experience. It gets me out of my comfort zone, it relaxes and it creates great memories too.

Can you recall vacations with the family in your growing years?

Yes. I was fortunate enough to be part of a huge extended family both on my mother’s and father’s side. So during the year, it was not uncommon to visit my father’s family in Karnataka (a small village called Chamarajanagar) and my mom’s family in Trivandrum multiple times. Some of the best memories of my childhood were spent in a car, climbing the Western Ghats, and eagerly looking forward to the quaint village at the bottom of the mountains. Or getting off a train and taking an auto to my mother’s home near the PadmanabhaSwamy temple.

What gets you packing your bags and heading off somewhere?

Because I had a great childhood where we travelled extensively, my husband and I want to create great memories for my daughters too. All four of us love traveling. We travel at least 3-4 times a year, together - though that has come down since my older daughter started college. Even then, we make it a point to hit one major vacation as a family every year.

What travel formats have you explored over the years?

We have been very conventional travelers so far. We have usually gone to the traditional places outside and inside India where tourists tend to flock to. This year, we hope to hit 2 European countries – Croatia and Italy. But we have also earmarked vacations for purely spiritual rejuvenations. My husband and I try to get a yoga vacation or a pilgrimage at least once a year. Obviously, the girls don’t come along for this!

Do you add on a travel segment when you travel on work?

Yes, absolutely. Since my younger daughter is still in high school, I personally do not travel outside the country for work, but do travel to Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad for work. Next year, once she also heads to college, I will start to travel abroad, primarily to the US, where most of our business and clients are. And whenever we travel, we do add segments wherever possible. For instance, this year Croatia is work, but Rome is personal travel.

What does your vacation bucket list look like?

Phew! I do not see the bucket list ending any time soon!! There are way too many places to see and things to do. We have barely touched the tip of the iceberg.

Do you enjoy travelling alone, or do you prefer to travel in a group?

I love to travel and have traveled alone, as family, as extended family, and in a group. All forms excite me and brings its own experiences and memories. Any chance to travel, with or without company, I will grab!

What are your thoughts on a nice vacation with a large extended family?

We try to do an extended family trip whenever we can, though the logistics can get mind-boggling. Certainly need to do more of these – we have done only a couple of those in the last few years.

Any advice for young professionals who can’t find the time for a vacation?

Plan, plan and plan. Time and money are constraints, but there is a vacation out there for every constraint. While there is nothing like a quick and impromptu trip to a local hill station for a weekend break, planning in advance helps you get the best out of every vacation.

What do you think of vacation ownership as a holiday format?

I think vacation ownership is a great concept, though we have never been a member of a resort in this holiday format. We have taken advantage of our friends’ timeshare vacations and have always enjoyed it. The biggest obstacle to becoming a member in one is the fear that we may not be able to take advantage of it due to our time constraints. Getting all four of us together for a vacation can get a bit crazy. But if you can plan ahead and get organized, you’re good to go.

Revathi’s website & Twitter links
Website
Twitter