Empty suitcases waiting to be packed, passports yearning for stamps and cameras longing to go snap. As we wait for the Covid-19 lockdown to ease and to be able to travel once again without too many restrictions, iGlobal’s new Travel Tales offers a means of a different kind of getaway through the eyes of Global Indian wanderers out exploring some known and some not-so-known corners of the UK.
Passionate voyager Trisha Patel was born and brought up in the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. She pursued her BBA and LLB and worked in the education sector, managing the marketing and admissions at a law college. On getting married, she moved to London and it was only then that she got to explore her adventurous side.
“I have always been an avid reader; writing is something I pursued when I moved to London,” says the travel blogger.
In the UK, like many travel lovers, she has traversed many of the favourites – Cambridge, Durdle Door, Manchester, Stonehenge, Bath, Windsor and the Scottish Highlands. Her travelling shoes have also walked the streets of Rome, Florence, Tenerife in Spain, Prague, Vienna, Budapest and the Netherlands.
With family, friends or even a solo trip can make your travel a memorable one. Who would have thought that a tiny cottage with just a bed and a bath, locked in the foothills of the Himalayas could make for an unforgettable trip? Trisha flashbacks to her backpacking trip with her best friend.
“It was a very impromptu three to four days holiday. We were on a strict budget as we used our own earnings and made the most out of it. We relaxed and went river rafting.”
In her most recent trip, 20 minutes away from the mainland of the Netherlands on a tiny island called Texel, Trisha biked for 48 kms along the length entire coast of the island.
As a reader of intensive stories, Trisha tends to dive deep into the place she is visiting. “I feel like I am a part of the city and I try to integrate myself with the stories around me. It doesn’t have to be a museum per se but just walking down the street. Especially in this part of the world, Europe, it is so ancient and they have preserved their history so well, that you might be walking on a road that was paved centuries ago.”
Travelling for her is about walking, breathing, living and learning. It is not solely about sitting in the hotel room or by the pool the entire day.
“I try to be there in that moment rather than thinking what I am going to do the next day.”
A lover of the flawless blue oceans and serene mountains, she adds: “When I am in the water, it washes my worries away and I feel mentally relaxed. In the mountains, it’s more about closure, like a hug, surrounded by greenery.”
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Trisha has discovered several gems while aimlessly walking around East London. “How often does one find a Banksy among other wonderful street arts,” she exclaims. Besides taking the street art walking tour, Trisha’s top suggestion for travellers is to tour the Cotswolds – in southern England.
Trisha and her husband spent three nights in the tiny town Broadway and stayed in a beautiful cottage owned by the popular painter named Jeremy Huyton.
“When you live in a city like London, you are constantly surrounded by people and it gets too much after a while.”
The calmness enveloped in the surroundings of quiet towns is what city slickers need from time to time. Trisha encourages fellow travellers to go to a tiny town and do nothing but relax.
The town houses the famous Broadway Tower on the hill and has a fairly easy hiking way to get to top. The region has a number of other points of interest like Woodstock, Winchcombe, Witney that can be visited during the day.
Away from the sky-scrappers, you can live in Georgian stone cottages, grab your cycles and dine at old country pubs.
Trisha and her husband go about planning their trips months in advance. “We aren’t amongst those who just pack their bags and leave.” They go about selecting their hotels, booking their tickets and planning their course of action keeping individual preferences in mind.
“There are days when we go with the flow, but its best to have a plan.”
She reflects: “Luckily we both have the same sense and style of travelling. We are people who walk all day, 25000 steps a day. We don’t prefer leisure trips because we are people who are up by 8 in the morning and out of the hotel by 9am.”
The wide train connectivity and beautiful topography of the UK facilitate travelling. For other international travels, they often opt for budgeted tickets from Ryan Air and EasyJet. “We rely on booking.com as I like how they have everything in one place. They do give discounts when you book in advance.”
While visiting the countryside, Trisha suggests trying out the local holiday homes that give a cosy feel to your stay.
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Trisha’s top tip is to ask yourself what you want to do. “Ask yourself: why do we want to go there, what do we want to do and how do we want to move around?” With a schedule, you can avoid last minute bookings and make you trip cost effective.
And, walking is a must. “Don’t take a cab, don’t use an Uber; when you walk that’s when you feel the essence of the place. Unless you do that, you will never feel complete when you come back. You never know when you might just come across a beautiful café or a bar.”
A perfect plan is when you have balanced the leisure time to unwind yourself with discovering the place.
“Don’t plan a trip like it’s the end of the world.”
Lastly, Trisha has a note of caution for any traveller: “Don’t go for cheap thrills because you will get mugged for sure.”
