Views & Interviews

Q&A: In conversation with holiday seekers & travel enthusiasts

January 2019

Our message from Mr B.S. Rathor this month underlines the need to plan ahead and early in the year – to firm up on a week (or two) for your annual vacation. Read that piece if you can find a little more time to get a fair idea about the need to plan well in time. (You’ll find a link at the end of this story.)

So what we have here on Q&A is feedback and tips on planning a vacation, from five regular travelers and vacation seekers. They also talk about challenges associated with making that happen.

Now let’s see what some of these young holiday seekers have to say . . .

Prabhakar Sivakumar, Bank Teller

What I have learnt over the past few years is the need to give your family a nice vacation, at least once in the year.  My job as a bank teller can be so monotonous and boring, that even a weekend break is welcome. Longer breaks are essential, because everybody needs time out to spend quality time with the family.

At the end of the day, you need to look beyond work and other daily routines, to get down to some serious planning. You also need some commitment to go along with that, to make things happen. So according to me, COMMITMENT is the key word.

Jyotisankaran, Accounts Associate

The way I’m made, I just love the good times I can manage in life. And I love taking a break for a holiday. Give me the smallest window of opportunity and I’ll pack my bags. But a vacation you really want to enjoy needs to be planned well and you need to do things on time.

I am better than my husband at these things and I make sure every little detail is looked into. Right from confirmed (not waitlisted) bookings, individual vacation needs of the family, comfortable clothing, activity accessories, and YES, all the meds that we might need in case of a problem.

Krishna Kumar, Insurance Advisor

In my line of business, I sell my insurance products on the basis of careful planning that a customer needs to do for long-term milestones. But the same logic holds good for smaller milestones as well – like an annual holiday.

I’m serious - you won’t enjoy your holiday unless you put some effort into the planning (Where? When? How?). All these questions need to be answered along with planning around school vacations and the breaks you can manage from office. (Believe me, it’s easier said than done.)

Keshava Murthy, Auto Consultant

Looking back at my own life over the years, I often visualize how times have changed. When I was young – around the time I was in school, we rarely went on a holiday. All those “fantastic vacations” happened with other children in school – not in my little world.

The only time we went “out of station” was when we travelled to another city for a wedding. I didn’t want that to happen to our children. I now work hard to make sure that I allocate money and the time to enable a vacation for the family at least once in the year.

Murali Dhara, Restaurant Owner

If you’re a customer at my restaurant, you’ll want me to remain open every single day. (Well, we are open seven days of the week.) And if you’re running the restaurant like I am, it’s passion for work that slowly touches burnout every three months. That’s because it’s difficult running the kitchen, managing your employees and making sure everyone’s happy. With the kind of food that makes customers come back for more.

So if you don’t have a second line of supervisors (I don’t) you’re eventually going to be running around in circles – also weary and tired. Luckily I have a bunch of cousins in the food business, who volunteer to look after my place for a week. (I return the favor when they need to head out.)

The point I’m making here is simple, because you will definitely need to plan escape routes. (To get away from routine tasks at the work place.) You’ll see what we mean when you spend that time with your family.

Going on a holiday, is the only way to check out what I’m saying :)

• Message of the Month / January 2019