Remote destinations in Greece to spice up your summer holidays

A Grecian holiday is the perfect definition of the Mediterranean charm, and in summer the magic is even further heightened by the sun ushering in all its generosity and warm grace.

You have it all here under the bright azure sky, be it the pristine sandy sea coast, the vineyards full and ripe, and the wineries to give you the tastiest of wines. The remote destinations in Greece offer virgin beauty and many of them are fresh and clean and not crowded much by travelers’ footprints.

Why Grecian islands in summer?

There are still many surprises to a Grecian summer holiday. The enchanting landscapes and its spectacular mountainous terrain will enthrall you as much as its gastronomic delights. Then you cannot write off its rich history and culture and an elaborate gallery of artworks and one of the most flamboyant architecture. The people are always merry and smiling and mean you a warm reception.

The hospitality comes straight from their core and all these incredibly wonderful features go a long way making this land washed by the sea on its southern part, a tourist’s dream destination. In fact, the quiet islands of Greece get you in a spell. They are a secret rendezvous with the god of beauty itself.

Summer confers upon the Grecian islands some added charm that is missed in other seasons. The right time to cherish the warm summer bliss starts from April and it runs for months until October when you would find the magic hasn’t faded a bit. Then of course with the winter approaching you have these islands bloom into a different definition of enchantment but certainly not what you get under a bright summer sky.

There is ample breeze fanning from the Mediterranean to cool off the sweat in case the hot summer sun wrings up a few beads. The secluded islands of Greece pack a lot of potentials and they are an ideal location for tourists desiring solitude and marvel combined.

Now we have had enough of the preamble, it is time to cut straight to the chase.

Catch the sun at its dying glory, Santorini

Santorini is stealing beauty by the Mediterranean sea. The beach sand is a long smooth carpet of black and red. It literally caresses your feet before you get a wash of the blue and foamy surf. The spectacular seascape from the beach itself gets you riveted with even bigger fun waiting once you get into the water. The bright and sunny sky above and the cool and pampering waters all around you give a feel that you recall for the rest of your life for its sheer rapture.

People have strong national pride and a unique character acquired from their classical heritage.

The hallmark of this exquisitely remote destination in Greece to visit this summer is the rows of whitewashed houses. This is an iconic architecture typically very Grecian and very Sartorinian to be precise. As if the sunshine and the white settlements are a perfect mix that gives the place a magic vibe.

There is more to Santorini than just the exotic beaches. Dormant volcanoes and pulsating nightlife are other attractions. That said, good food and the headiest of drinks add a whole new chapter to your summer Grecian holiday.

If the beaches and the sea and the silent white beachfront houses have fascinated you, a Santorini sunset is entirely a different story. It sets the sky in a surreal canvas! No, words aren’t enough, come along and see it for yourself !!

Captivating Crete

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This large Grecian island is one of the most pronouncedly bewitching secluded islands in Greece. It is a complete package by itself for travel aficionados. Quaint little hamlets with their traditional charms would beckon you over and over again as much as the lush green valleys. This is a mountainous terrain with deep gorges and rugged landscapes. Crete’s edifices are known throughout the globe among tourist circles for their romantic connotations.

They have a distinct design philosophy and can fire a passionate medieval nostalgia. Sometimes it is purely Greek and sometimes it is an intricate mix of Greco – Roman style, nevertheless whatever display of monuments you are looking at, they are an absolute pleasure. A piece of frozen melody! The relics of a rich and refined civilization make Crete one of the most sought-after tourist hot spots in a Mediterranean vacation. When it comes to culinary delicacies, seafood rules with all the generous spread of olive and cheese.

Acropolis, the whisper from the past

This is a sprawling acre, full of ancient ruins, and takes you through a sojourn into another time manned by another culture. It is silent, and yet the imposing presence of the grand monuments is intensely felt. While watching the mammoth structures such as the Parthenon on the Acropolis you are transported in time. The trance is powerful and alluring and it takes a bit of loud diversion to bring you back to the current time. It is an archaeological site mounted atop a majestic piece of cornerstone making it one of the most frequented tourist attractions. Acropolis is as popular with the laymen as it is with historians and archaeologists. It is sunny and serene. The huge statue of Goddess Athena is awe-inspiring and somehow its enormous size accentuates your feeling of being right in the middle of an ancient and one of the most celebrated civilizations ever.

The unforgettable Shipwreck bay, Zakynthos, a breathtaking scenery

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This is a marriage between the sea and the hills. High vertical cliffs overlook the Azure sea and a fall through a sheer drop of several hundred meters touching the white sand below. And finally rolling into the deep blue sea! From the top, it’s almost vertigo as it is a thrill as well as setting up your adrenaline on a wild race.

You name it, Zakynthos has it. From the mind-blowing beaches to exciting nightlife and from the sun, sea, and surf to its luxury cruises, it is truly a vacation planned in paradise. If you are looking for the most touristy remote destinations in Greece and if you have any appreciation for beauty, leave it to the amazing Zakynthos. It will do the rest. The place is madly popular but all of the travel is within sustainable tourism norms so that the nubile appeal is retained.

The Island of Mykonos

Also famed as the ‘ White Island ‘, Mykonos is one of the tiniest islands in the eastern Cyclades. Its cosmopolitan character makes it unique and much of the island’s revenue comes from tourism. Owing to the infertile ground and a dearth of irrigation water, there isn’t much choice left other than to depend heavily on the influx of travelers from abroad. A common sight typical to the island is the cruise ships moored at the pier just bordering the coastline. It has an efficient airways and ferry network with mainland Greece for its tourism significance.

Mykonos is the most happening and colorful island of Greece, a favorite haunt for young people looking for round-the-clock fun though older groups are as much welcome.

Some of the spellbinding tourist spots here on this beautiful island are the sunset from Little Venice and a wide-angled panorama from the windmills perched on the higher grounds.

Meteora Monasteries, hallowed ground of reverence

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It has all the elements to be one of the remote destinations in Greece to visit this summer. It is spiritual and quiet, miles away from the hustle and bustle. Meteora Monasteries are set in diversity. While the imposing structures are laid out along a high-altitude rocky bed, a view from the top gives you an astounding glimpse of the surrounding green belt. It is a rare setting where history, architecture, and divinity are all wonderfully blended in a crucible to invoke respect and spiritualism all of it directed towards a force supreme.

Epidaurus Theatre- a classic specimen of Greek architecture

This building is well conserved and well thought out while translating the blueprint to execution, maintaining harmony and aesthetics. The interiors are well laid out to give the best sound effects and to accommodate a large audience with the most fastidious having no room to grumble. The theatre has a splendid surrounding all thick with lush woods well-groomed. You can have a jaw-dropping glimpse of the valley far below which is another treat in its own right.

Summer shows are brilliant, the theatre stays packed staging a plethora of colorful stage shows many of which are from ancient Greek mythologies.

Kefalonia, the place of sandy coves and arid topography

If you are all out on a hunt for serenity and looking for some of the quieter islands in Greece, put Kefalonia in your bucket list without further delay or doubt. This beautiful destination sits on the Ionian sea and boasts of some of the most popular beaches. Its clear water washes the shores and landscapes offer a magnetic charm. The hamlets come straight out of a picture postcard. They throw a vibe of simple and unspoiled rustic life. The villages of Agia Efimia, Fiscardo and Assos are not to be missed. They are irresistible and in summer they bloom to their rustic best. The story of Kefalonia doesn’t end here unless the two cave lakes of Drogarati and Melissani are done. Their magic is incomparable.

Rhodes, an island for the lovers in arms

This tranquil island is marked for its medieval value. The setting is enchanting and the beaches are lovely. The island ensures some private space where you are not troubled by distractions. This is one of the primary reasons why it is a lovers’ paradise. No one interferes and still, everyone proffers their helping hand. The beaches are very clean and organized. They remind you of being far from the madding crowd.

Corfu, an island of flawless charm

This island is located on the Northern Ionian sea. It has been the first to recognize its tourism potential and has been milking the revenue from travel since then. The resorts are highly developed suiting the needs of an ever-expanding crowd. However, growing tourism has never been a nuisance. All fronts are managed efficiently and with enough foresight and dedication to give the travelers value for every dime they spend.

How safe is it to travel?

Sunny Greece has always been in a globetrotter’s head. Now that the Covid pandemic imposing worldwide travel restrictions, there is a lot of constrained demand. Lift the flood gate and it will rush into a surge in inflow of tourists crowding the beaches and the monuments.

How far is Greece prepared for this? Are its borders still shut down for the tourists?

The country has certainly weighed out outcomes for chances of further tourism-triggered spike against loss of business.

Tourism has been one of its mainstays and the nation just cannot afford to sit back. There must be some action. Some major effort to guarantee safe travel into the country with necessary precautions and protocols keeping the crowd insulated from coronavirus.

Remote destinations in Greece place you right in the middle of a culture and art seasoned by the summer sun. It has indeed been seasoned well!

The nation has already started to press vaccination passports into a strict mandate to be rolled out soon.

Tourists who have been vaccinated against Covid will have a hassle-free entry. This holds for travelers having antibodies or been tested negative.

The bar has been lifted for the bordering nation of Israel. It can’t just afford to keep off the crowd and lose the summer Euro. Sanitization is in full swing covering restaurants, hotels, spas and public places. Facilities are touchless so far as feasible, the tourists reach out for the services and get them without physical contact.

Lip Smacking Grecian cuisine

It is typically a Mediterranean spread with a lot of olive oil, meat, seafood, bread, and cheese. The most food-friendly wine and music will keep you company along your gourmet adventure.

A typical Grecian food draws on Persian and Turkish influence and a lot of herbs go with the ritual to give it its a basic flavor. Oregano, basil, thyme, and fennel to name only a few which give the Grecian food so delectable taste!

Greek summer cuisine packs a punch! For the food lovers, there is quite a lot to celebrate on the table. Shrimp saganaki, dolmadakia , gemista, Mpriam simply stay with you long after they have conquered your palate. Wash them down with your favorite mead and wine. They are healthy and have been farmed, prepared, and bottled from the best of vineyards nurtured under a Grecian summer sun.

How do I get there?

Accessibility isn’t an issue at all. Getting from one island to the other and even plying across to mainland Greece you may avail of ferry service. If you make it a little private you can even charter a yacht. Optional flight services exist as well for getting to and from the mainland. Ferries come cheap and book it online at your leisure. Main Greek islands like Crete, Rhodes, and Corfu have an international flight network.

Traveler’s changing behavior and preferences in near future

How safety threats impact travelers’ behavior and preferences? High time we think deep before our pent-up desire to travel gushes forth. Safe travel is the most important factor giving a firm mental support to the consumers that their trip is insulated from threats and they would come back home in one piece.

A nagging fear looms throughout the journey if there is even a hint of jeopardy in the course of travel. Each one of us is concerned with our dear lives and incited with the possible risk of travel, our anxiety multiplies no sooner we have taken a seat boarding the flight for a trip onward.

Much of the traveler’s changing behavior and preferences in the near future is viewed from the safety angle shaping their decisions and choices.

Identifying safety threats is more important

Just like travel protocols went more stringent in terms of security arrangements post terrorist assaults on 9/11 , health and sanitation requirements would be tighter after the Covid pandemic had shown it’s color.

The move is along a unilateral decision line not calling for consumer opinion. To put it in simple words travelers won’t like to go through these procedures that do not give a guarantee for safe travel. When they sniff troubled water they prefer to stay out altogether with the travel bug still biting. Testing the water for possible harms is not the traveler’s cup of tea. He is more occupied with the subtle flavor of the trip.

Simply, opting out of travel by flight and choosing a road trip instead is what they would likely do. The reigns are in consumer’s hands and they have enough options to workout a risk free hygienic travel mode without any menace lurking around.

Customer-centric travel packages to see a higher demand

The worth of travel is felt when you enjoy your trip. Safe travel is not enough, the experience with improved quality is what is sought after. It is imperative that the key players in this niche industry comprehend it.

The strategy that will lure potential travelers would include more authority over travel from the customer’s standpoint, more of a legitimate and customer centered service and more of a dynamic and flexible travel module. In a nutshell, the customer should completely feel at home and draw the bliss of travel as well. The entire concept should be in one combined and appealing module.

Greater emphasis on hygiene and sanitization

Traveler’s changing behavior and preferences in the near future would be very sensitive towards health and sanitation norms that keep changing standards in the wake of pandemic. There would be obvious competition among laboratories in a bid to market the best available. At least claiming that they are the best would need a bit of marketing hype and not much of quality delivery. A likely confusion would impact the travelers as to the benchmark and it’s trustworthiness.

Enhancing travelers’ confidence on safety measures

A similar logic would hold in the case of airports claiming a foolproof security system. Claiming the best and safest travel plan is not enough for the service providers. Their customers should find themselves in a continuous interactive platform. Notifications should steadily and unfailingly stream and pass on to the travelers indicating the safety and hygiene status of their destinations. A dedicated network should see to all of it ensuring that extra shield which protects the travelers against all risk of travel.

Anticipation of customers’ preferences – the ultimate winner

Travel companies are making efforts reading the tourist’s mind , their choices and desires. A need to re-draft the travel experiences would be a basic requisite catering to the future travel trends. The flow is towards more digitised and personalised services. The dangers of an all out and open travel have shown their killer faces. Tourists moving from one continent to another and hopping from country to country in close contact have given a highway for Covid pandemic to cross over and take lives in matter of minutes. Lessons have been learnt the hardest way and measures re- designed and thoughts guiding an itinerary have been amended.

However the valued concepts of a greener ecology guiding travel norms have not lost their significance. Wellness and sustainability still rules and now they are viewed from a different perspective that includes social distancing and the need for sanitisation as the other important components.

Smooth and comfortable interactions

The consumers interact with an array of people and services in course of their travel including the airhostess, flight purser,customs people at airport, waiters at restaurants , store clerks and salesmen at shopping plazas. Last but not the least the logistics arrangements including cabs and local bus and steamer services do count a lot. It can impact the traveler’s experience.

A traveler may be unwilling to visit a country just because the cab driver wasn’t courteous the last time. A whole lot of factors are responsible which needs an appraisal so that the traveler’s changing behaviour and preferences in the near future can be read well in advance. A high level of proactive and pragmatic approach is what’s needed to make most of the changing scenario and leverage it towards the growth of the tourism industry. If we have lost anything we need to bounce back with enthusiasm and a well calculated endeavour.

The silver lining here is obvious as it calls for lesser investment for playing by the changed rules where the stakeholders need to get a view of travel trends putting on a traveler’s glass. What is required is a revised outlook.

Prioritisation of customer services to be worked out after a thorough and intimate study of the traveler’s response to different inputs supplied by the travel companies.

The need to tradeoff between availability of deliverables and traveler’s choices striking an optimum balance is what is thought would take over the tourism industry for days to come. A three pronged approach seemingly works well with customers winning their faith and likings :

Extend your customers a more liberal and authoritative platform :

Customer’s brand loyalty can be won by extending them the freedom to design their own itinerary. Here the valuable services of the digital tools play a significant role. The ease with which travelers can alter or cancel their travel plans go a long way making the entire exercise smooth, easy to operate and time saving. This element is more important than price bargain. Making travelers more liberal in matters of travel choice is something to do with the quality of travel that money often fails to buy.

The service to customers to be personalized and not to lose the human element :

An important approach that a travel agency should keep in view to keep in tune with the future travel trends is to push the perfunctory approach behind something genuine coming straight from the bottom of the heart.

Boutique hotels have made a phenomenal growth between 2018 and 2019 in the United States. Customers are attracted to these brands of hotels which ensure them some private space with a human touch and a level of unadulterated dedication that money cannot always buy. These subtle treatments often have powerful psychological appeal pulling tourists from all quarters. Services should be consistent and should be sustained with a long life.

Talk to your customers and hear what they have to say

Keeping a seamless contact with the customers is rewarding. Listening to the customers with patient ear and entertaining their suggestions go a long way in strengthening the seller- customer bonding. It eventually reaps benefit for the tourism industry. What is being talked about is a cross functional agile team that will continually assess the changing pattern of customer demands in the face of the new normal that the coronavirus pandemic had left in its wake. Those who wish to read the traveler’s changing behaviour and preferences need to take into account how the customer’ pulse feels when exposed to a changed socio environmental climate.

Considerations guiding future travel

Travel safety will be the topmost priority while working out a travel plan in future. The pandemic had set the travel industry in a major topsy turvy. Traveler’s will certainly test the waters before taking a dive. Factors affecting the safety angle would touch the following areas :

Efficacy of the control measures followed in tourist destinations that would render the virus harmless.
Covid-19 affected destinations would have to stand the test of customer clearance. For these places blotted by pandemic stigma, tourists would decide whether to visit or not. Even if the customer response is positive, they need to maintain a certain threshold safety parameters that the customer would agree to.
Tourist destinations and the players interested in the growth of the tourism industry would frame reliable strategies to win over traveler’s fears. That there is enough evidence of hygiene and safety and that the virus is completely tamed.

It will be a complex issue that will put these players before the million dollar questions. When would the rush of tourism resume and which way would the wind blow with respect to the popular destinations that would feature in the new scenario.

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Impulsive travel gaining steam

Traveler’s changing behaviour and preferences are increasingly being guided by impulse. They sought after instant and accurate information towards which the digital world has its immense contributions.

Surveys reveal almost two thirds of US travelers look for an impulse trip where a decent stay and the quality of flight and it’s corresponding price do matter a lot.

An information is not enough however accurate or fast it is, it should suit my preferences to be any worth of travel. Personalised service always demands a premium and travelers embrace it with open arms. Future preferences are built on past trends and the service providers are expected to deliver a continuous quality service keeping a close tab on customer feedback.

Travel rebound will take time

Even it will not be easy for the countries who have done well to control the spread of virus by social distancing and other means of sanitation and public awareness. Travellers won’t jump back resuming travel, it has been a bitter experience and many have burnt their fingers trying to travel. Travel safety will be a top priority target to build back confidence in potential customers.

Traveler’s changing behaviour and preferences is highly sensitive to the behaviour of the virus and it’s lethal bite into the population map. Players in the tourism industry need to workout solutions so that their customers have a seamless feel of security encapsulation while they travel.

Mapping the traveler’s needs under the changed scenario :

For many destinations the customers have been fed with the notion that the virus had been brought under control and the new normal demands they live with the virus, herd immunity would be achieved with time. However, travel mandates keep the practice of quarantine very much alive. Despite having put all these travel safety inducing strategies in place about 45 % of the travelers are afraid to deep their feet in untested waters.

A second picture that comes up for a few destinations ensures complete annihilation of the virus and availability of good enough medical treatment. In spite of the successful pandemic combat programs, 35% of the travelers preferred not to travel.

Digital world coming to the rescue of an uncertain tourism market driven by customer preferences :

Traveler’s changing behaviours are increasingly shifting towards a trend where past experiences and personalized service are meaningfully blended to achieve ultimate satisfaction.

To read the business climate, digital help would do a miracle given they are applied to the right business model. Artificial intelligence and machine learning would analyse new opportunities and explore untapped markets enabling the travel business entities to serve the customers better.

Digitised marketing exercises putting emphasis on the customer preferences built on past trends and customisation would take the tourism industry forward towards an expanding future. Digital technology could bring in line the customers needs and delivery of solutions to meet them through a simplified and comprehensive module.

A study reveals a bit of math showing the way the preferences of the travelers go.

57% of American travelers desire that the travel companies should customize their services to their personal preferences and precedence.
This would further lead to a spike in revenue to the tune of 36%.
Needless to say machine learning and artificial intelligence would locate the trends with comparative ease.

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Digital signals will find new respect among the customers

More and more travelers are feeling at home interacting with the computers when searching for reliable information on the travel domain. Research shows that a third of the travelers prefer using digital platforms for booking a trip. For that matter searching for the right accommodation or availability of a flight could be safely entrusted to digital assistance.

Exciting planning tips for visiting Northern Lights

A phenomenon typical to the Northernmost part of the Northern Hemisphere also known as Aurora Borealis, named after the Roman goddess of dawn gives a surreal ambiance to the sky and everything in the vicinity.

This is a must-see and should be included in the bucket list of nature aficionados.

The interaction between highly charged electrons and atmospheric particles triggered by solar winds causes a riot of colors. They stupefy you with a spectacular vision across the sky. It is the glimpse of the paradise that you see that is nowhere else visible.

Every year a global rush to see the Northern Lights sweeps across the continents. As if you are having a secret rendezvous with the god himself and getting the sublime feel is a lifetime experience that is guaranteed. So folks keep traveling and make up for the lost time surrendered to lockdown banishment:

The locations of the Northern Lights :

Although it is hard to pinpoint the exact coordinates of the Northern Lights, a few places faring better than others in terms of sightings are crowded by travel enthusiasts.

A lot of research goes on over the probable sites of visibility that prompts the hotels and resorts to arrange adequate tourist facilities promising a cosy stay. Besides Aurora Borealis forecasts come up and tourists are advised to keep in tune not to miss the heavenly glimpse.

•Best places to see Northern Lights :

Some of the classic Northern Lights viewing sites are right with a greater chance of sighting than other places in the far Northern latitudes :

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∆ Svalbard , Norway :

Northern Lights can be viewed way better in locations with higher latitudes and Svalbard, Norway is ideally situated for a great view.

This is one of the most pronounced spot for Northern Lights, Europe attracting a massive influx of tourists for getting a vista of another spellbinding cosmic phenomenon- the Polar Night. Truly a sky gazers paradise Svalbard is an island with freezing cold temperatures set in the middle of the Arctic circle. The ideal to visit is between the months of November and February.

Between the months of mid November until the end of January this place is completely devoid of daylight turning it into a high probability zone for Northern Lights to catch your eye.

∆ Kakslauttanen, Finland :

This is a really wild way of doing it, to see mystic lights from an Igloo with a see through roof . For a bonus you are lodged in a log cabin . Dream facilities include a sauna bath and a fire-place. The arrangement is very carefully conceived to give you a close to nature feel without foregoing even an iota of comfort level. Kakslauttanen Arctic resort is a head turner with plush amenities even here in remote habitat. Other fun- adventure includes skiing and reindeer safari amid the exotic Urho National Park. Russian border is close by and you can do it on a dog sled and get the traditional charm of the ride along the freezing cold terrain. You can even meet Santa at Koryatunturi and exchange greetings.

∆ Jukkasjarvi, Sweden :

This had been a famous place in Sweden for the first ice hotel in the country was opened here. The Northern Lights visible from this quaint little village take the entire sojourn to a whole new dimension. In case if by some misfortune the famed Aurora Borealis doesn’t show up, there isn’t a reason to despair.

You can have a spectacular view of Sweden’s star studded sky from Esrange Space Center. Snowmobiles are available on hire for you to get around the place and enjoy it’s surreal ambiance.

∆ Reykjavik, Iceland :

The capital of Iceland, Reykjavik is easy to travel and consequently a very favourable destination for Aurora Borealis viewing. Attractions are at galore here other than the mysterious light at dusk phenomenon.

This is a fairyland and features amazing lakes, roaring volcanoes and the exquisite blue Ice. The famed geothermal spa called the Blue Lagoon is just on the route between Reykjavik city and the airport. The sky offers a brilliant canvas in the backdrop of a very different twilight zone that you will recall for the rest of your life.

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∆ Northern Canada :

Northern Lights Canada is a sensational phenomenon that drives tourists crazy with its sheer beauty. A greater portion of Canada is encompassed by the Aurora Oval which is a ring of light over the geomagnetic field of the earth at the North Pole. Chance of viewing Aurora Borealis is greater as a result.

Canadian provinces eclipsed by the Oval includes Yukon, Northern Saskatchewan, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. A word of advice is to go for other attractions once you have viewed the Canadian Northern Lights. They include skiing while staying at fabulous skiing resorts, whale watching, braving the stiff mountains for the magnificent waterfalls and traveling the marvelous Canadian cities.

∆ Scotland, United Kingdom :

For Brits this is an easy access Aurora Borealis visual treat taking hardly any travel time or expenses for that matter. In the northern part of the country finding the magic of Northern Lights against a dark sky is quite possible. Apart from the celestial bliss Cairngorms and Aviemore National Parks hold a breathtaking charm for the tourists. Glenshee is a great treat as well considering its snowy marvel. Hiking , biking or nature walking whatever you think of doing this part of Scotland has it ready for you to explore.

Recommended months

It is difficult to forecast even with the latest meteorological gadgets and data the precise time when Aurora Borealis will be visible. It defies a timetable. The magic light is ‘ alive’ all round the year. During the summer days starting from April till August it is hard to locate for the glaring summer sun . The ideal time to spot the surreal light is from September to March of which emphasis may be put on Autumn months for beautiful weather conditions. However if you can brave the freezing cold and withstand the dark winter nights you have a lifetime of happiness. Northern Lights are not as magical as the colder months.

Northern Lights Canada :

Since Canada is a vast nation in terms of area and located in very high latitudes, Northern Lights in this large country is a much discussed subject with romantic connotations among tourists, geographical societies and enthusiastic aurora hunters.

One element definitely goes in favour of visibility of the Canadian Aurora Borealis apart from a rise in the latitudes is its pollution free environment. The best sightings are between October and March .

The night sky turns into a brilliant palette of colours with a beautiful blend of yellow, green and pink giving an alien glare to the even more mysterious sky. Here are some of the remarkable Canadian sites for viewing the Northern lights :

∆ Takhini Hot Pools, Whitehorse, Yukon :

Come here during the winter and feel the extreme of the darkest and coldest of cold nights. That Northern Lights here is magical would be too weak a word to describe its charm. It is divinity glorified. As a bonus you can dip yourself in the Takhini hot pools and unwind. Whitehorse is a marvelous city , unique in its own charisma.

∆ Athabasca, Alberta ( near Edmonton )

An observatory exists here called the Athabasca University Geographical Observatory which is a study centre exploring if Aurora Borealis generates a magnetic field. However this centre is not for public access. Take a trip around the boreal forest in snowshoe or cross country skis. It’s worth a visit . Even the south bank of the Athabasca river and Muskeg Creek trail have a powerful tourist appeal.

∆ Lake Superior, Ontario ( near Thunder Bay ) :

This super lake is wedged between the Canadian shield and vast water body, it’s Northern shore offering a stunning setting for gazing at the Northern Lights for hours with dumbfounded bewitchment. The Sleeping Giant Provincial Park is a strong temptation you are bound to yield to. From here you can get a mesmerising view of the night sky and it’s enthralling reflection caught in the crystal waters of Lake Superior directly below.

∆ Yellow knife, Northwest Territories :

This is simply the axial point directly below the Northern lights visibility in North America. A vast table land running along long stretches makes an uninterrupted viewing of the mystic lights . Moreover the precipitation is low on atmosphere making the sky crisp and clear. It lies in the auroral zone striking the maximum probability of viewing the aurora borealis. There are arrangements of jacuzzi in resorts , a lounge chair with temperature control or you can even see them while riding on a dog pulled sledge from Beck’s Kennels.

∆ Churchill, Manitoba :

Locational advantage of just beneath the Auroral Oval makes it a splendid Aurora Borealis viewing site. More surprises await your itinerary and the most commendable one is the Tundra Buggy which is a multi terrain transport that takes you across an amazing journey along Churchill’s Northern terrain . It is a once in a lifetime experience that offers a terrific view of the Northern lights. The trip may cross you paths with Canadian wildlife of which the chance of bumping into a polar bear is highly possible.

Northern Lights Alaska :

The renowned Northern Lights viewing spot in Alaska is the Fairbanks. The mode of viewing this miracle in the sky ranges from Yurt staying, heated aurorium cabin , dome or lodge . On the mobile mode you can have a glimpse of this great celestial phenomenon while riding a dog sledge or even while ice fishing or a snow cat tour. While sitting on a plane flying over the Arctic circle can also get you this million dollar spectacle.

The freezing winter chill and the clear sky is an ideal mix for the visibility of these lights and Alaska is very popular with the American tourists for the simple reason of its easy access and some great viewing.

The best time is March for viewing Northern Lights Alaska for those who are in a mood for an immediate visit. Have patience and wait till Spring, it’s hardly two months away !

Here goes the scientific reason :

Northern lights are at their dramatic best during the equinox months of March and September. The earth’s inclination at equinox relative to the sun brings up a condition where the earth’s magnetic field and the solar winds are in perfect concord.

This celestial effect together with the clear autumn and spring sky makes March and September the ideal months .

Dark and crystal sky at dusk is an indication for the tourists to see the Northern lights at this side of the world. Best sightings come by around midnight a study at the Geographical Institute has inferred this.

∆ Fairbanks :

Fairbanks which had been a sort of a legendary town in the days of gold-rush is the cynosure of frequent chance of Aurora Borealis viewing in Alaska.

Interesting destinations for the tourists are not far off. Cleary Summit is one place where you have enough car parking space and a brilliant view of the sky magic. Similar good Alaskan Northern Lights viewing sites are the Haystack mountain, Ester, Wickersham and Murphy Domes.

You can get reflections on the still waters of the Chena Lakes Recreation Area . The captivating sky with even more captivating riot of colours simply gets their image mirrored on the lake. There is a spacious wharf where you station your vehicle.

Other recreational activities include ice fishing and cross country skiing that sets your adrenaline racing with thrill. Some of the other places worth mentioning for the Alaskan Northern lights goes here :

∆ Coldfoot :

This was once a settlement for gold miners now turned into a very prominent Northern Lights viewing site hugely popular among Aurora hunters. This is a wild country in the Brook’s Mountain range area with spectacular panoramic views.

∆ Utqiagvik :

Northern Lights viewing has made this place popular as has the Inupiat Alaska Native culture. A visit to Inupiat Heritage Centre is worth taking for its educational value. The thrill and adventure of hunting the bowhead whales can be literally felt as it is vividly demonstrated by the staff.

∆ Wrangell- St Elias National Park :

This sprawling park covering about 13.2 million hectares is the largest protected reserve forest in the US.

Excellent lodges exist with comfortable staying arrangements. Northern Lights here are a dance of a myriad of colours that will take your breath away.

Outdoor adventure opportunities are plenty including white water rafting, glacier trekking and angling in Lake Tebay. It’s truly a wild and exciting fun chasing the heavenly lights.

•Prediction of Northern Lights spotting in Alaska :

Short term prediction of Northern Lights visibility is done at The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . The bureau has a facility, Space Weather Prediction Centre which is engaged in the job.

There are forecast apps too for travelers guiding them on the precise chance of viewing. A three day geomagnetic prediction is delivered by Solar Ham which gives a trustworthy data and direction to Aurora hunters.

•Northern Lights Europe :

The northern latitudes of the continent of Europe is the most coveted place on earth for viewing the greatest show on Earth in terms of natural sunlight and it’s brilliant hues that dance across a dark sky. Legend goes back to a conviction held by the sea faring Vikings that these mystic brilliance was sunlight mirrored off in captivating shades from the armour of Gods.

The age of the Vikings have been lost in history but the glorious sheen of the Northern Lights is very much alive. They can be seen, felt and absorbed with a lot of bliss preserved for us till this day.

Pitch black nights that don’t seem to end is typical to Northern European winters. In some European locations still over higher latitudes, there is no sunrise. The phenomenon is known as ‘ Polar Nights’

It is a very weird celestial feature that gets you spellbound and yet it’s lure is irresistible that Aurora Borealis hunters make a rush in the Nordic countries in Northern Europe between December and February.

Besides the Northern Lights, other activities that keep the crowd in hyperdrive are snowmobiling and dog sledding.

As to the timing of sightings, Aurora Borealis is hard to forecast, they can happen anytime.

The reason why people prefer the colder months is that the winter sky is darker, offering a better background for the colorful display of Northern Lights compared to other seasons when the sky is not so dark . Hence the contrasting background is absent to catch a better view .

Best North European countries offering fabulous Aurora Borealis

•Iceland :

The amazing country is within the Northern Lights belts being located at 65°N latitude.

The play of lights across the sky and above a spectacular landscape horizon would leave you agape. The scene is absolutely mind blowing ! The entire spectacle becomes even more betwitching owing to minimum light pollution and presence of a dark sky to give the effective contrast.

The Icelandic plains are vast helping you get an uninterrupted viewing of the eruption of colours against an inky sky.

The capital Reykjavik is a modern city with amenities and tourist friendly. Fjords and dark sand beaches are an added bonus.

Norway :

This Nordic nation makes for an excellent aurora borealis spotting zone in winter against a dark sky. Now this magic does happen in all the parts of Norway given its vast area. You need to know the exact location of viewing before leaving for Norway.

Various options exist, you can traverse the Norwegian villages to have a satisfying glimpse of the show. An alternate is to take a cruise in the sea and view the coveted greatest light show on earth.

Tromso is a place that gets a long stretch of polar nights in winter and consequently a prolonged dark sky to bring the Aurora Borealis glory in vivid colours.

Other notable Aurora sighting locations in the country are Lofoten Islands, Kirkenes, Svalbard and Nordkapp. They all hold you taut with the mind-blowing colour show against a dark sky.

•Lapland :

This Northern Lights viewing zone in Europe spreads across a part of Finland and a part of Sweden bounded by the Arctic circle.

Primary conditions are all set for you to achieve an amazing view of the Northern lights here. Light pollution is minimal, winter sky is dark enough and solar activity is at its best. All these factors blend together to bring out the best display in the sky .

•The Isle of the Skye, Scotland:

Now that the North Pole is in its immediate vicinity, Scotland offers a great location for having an enchanting view of the Northern Lights. It is worth mentioning the Isle of the Skye offers nine dark sky discovery spots for stargazing buffs together with the dance of the mystic lights. Put Glendale beach in your top priority bucket list. Between December and February it could be one of the best places on earth you have made. Wrap up in linens and mugs of English tea could do the rest. You can get some terrific Scotch Whisky from Talisker, the oldest functioning distillery in Skye. Lot more surprises await you as you bump into archeological finds. Dinosaur footprints are carefully conserved for you to see in An Corran beach in Staffin.

Digital nomadism giving way to wellness sabbaticals

Wonderful are the ways the fast-growing world of digitization works. Working from the office concept is likely to become a thing of the past in the future. We can literally work from anywhere and everywhere if dedicated lines are at our service. Moving fast on the electronic highway enables quicker delivery, but still not fast enough to bring the entire gamut of industries to run at the touch of a button. Manufacturing, mining, construction, and a lot more are still outside the purview of work from the anywhere digital approach. Now that with industrial automation coming up rapidly, we could someday break the barrier, robots doing the physical work, command switches hit by human fingers sitting back home.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Leveraging ‘Work from anywhere’

Major industrial houses are putting extra effort and depending less on human capital. They are moving ahead with mechanized labor to avoid a second pandemic that’s now pretty much going to be a routine. Working shoulder to shoulder has other demerits as well.

Working from a distance you can avoid stress built upon a man to man interface at a workplace, avoid arguments flaring up every minute, think and plan in a tension-free environment. Needless to say, it is not a one-point solution, your boss would cuss whenever you fall from his grace over work mistakes. You will get it over the phone. Still, that’s better than getting a piece of his mind being called in the chamber. It is a lesser of a rough ride on your health front.

Tightening up a knot in your belly and a rising heartbeat are bad enough experiences. Even if you have bright ideas they slam shut inside if you are yelled at point-blank. Work from distance and an improved sense of wellbeing came closer, there is a chance for productivity scaling up.

More hobby projects and naturescaping are growing and if you have the right adept just tap into it! Consequently, digital nomadism and wellness found a market leading to the rising popularity of the trend.

Reshaping the work-life balance

What was thought to be a luxury turned into a survival strategy when Covid 19 pandemic struck. Life and livelihood were both at stake and there was no assurance both would end well. The tourism industry was on the brink of closure. Wonderful destinations, ones that were dream paradises found hardly any tourists to bank on. Earnings fell and the local economy got almost ruined.

Wellness sabbaticals – the long-term workstations

The silver lining finally was seen, why can’t these tourist destinations cater to the needs of tourists, not just for short fun vacations but as long time workstations? These breezier and greener places are ideal for wellness, way better than the cramming offices in congested cities susceptible to a spike in Covid infection spread.

Work and wellness can merge well keeping you healthy and happy. You are insulated from Covid in serenity and you get your wallet overflowing from the digital office work. Life and livelihood are both saved which were once put down by the pandemic. Just some innovative marketing strategy has changed the entire ball game in the favor of digital nomads, the people who are looking for working from a health-friendly destination.

However, this is a new kind of long term vacation requiring long term visas and indeed your working kits: Your laptop and smartphones surviving on an effective net connection.

Light on your wallet, light on your mind

Bermuda’s ‘ work from paradise’ marketing efforts puts it this way ” leave your claustrophobic apartments in a crowded city, come sit by our breezy beaches, earn a living from our healthy workstations “

Both the expensive and moderately priced travel destinations are working out programs for attracting potential customers who are on a work and wellness lookout. With the pandemic outbreak, these resorts were facing a low season. Now with work from anywhere opportunity, the interest of the customers and the resort owners suddenly seem forged in heaven.

Customers worldwide adjusted to working in their own homes like they did staying hours in their offices. With lockdown closing in from all angles the need to escape went rife than ever before. For the affluent, the choice to escape to sunnier and quieter neighborhoods was more feasible.

With their present offices closed down for an indefinite period, those greener and less crowded work stations looked more and more like permanent settlements. Latching on to the scope of loss recovery for the pandemic affected the tourism industry, hotels and resorts overhauled themselves as semi-permanent home offices.

Easing visa norms to facilitate wellness sabbatical

On 2nd July ‘2020, the Barbados govt had launched an offer for around the year Visa in the hope of curing the harmed tourism industry. Tourists here can spend a vacation and work remotely together. It is expensive but you are guaranteed a steady earning throughout the year that you lost back home. You are to do the math and work out a viable trade off working in your favor. Furthermore, investment in health and happiness here in Barbados is something beyond that little bit of accounting fail to reckon.

The workplace wellness program that fits your needs

Digital nomadism is wandering carefully into the wellness space and fusion with sabbaticals, in the long run, looks inevitable. The key to success in a wellness sabbatical is the perfect balance between wellness and the work environment. Spending a stress-free holiday in a remote location not threatened by the crowd or Coronavirus with a steady earning is anybody’s dream. One thing is certain you got to connect with your workplace through digital media. You got to make a living and survive, so there is no hurry that you spend the vacation in a rush. Here you feel fully secure that Coronavirus is miles away.

Why sabbatical?

Sabbatical has a history ,it is a concept as old as the Bible. Sabbath or the day of rest is a time marked by taking time off from the regular chores. Take a journey within, explore the world of academics and write a diary taking a break from orthodox work environment for a change. Currently the pandemic has made this change an enforced acceptance rather than a choice that eventually pays off. Technology has sped up this change and helped the process adapt to a modified environment.

Banking on the remote work culture

A study by IWG Plc , a Swiss company reveals 70 % professionals are into remote working once a week and 53 % half a week. The possibility of remote working and evolution of digital workstations are fast changing the concept of work, travel and wellness. The opportunity to merge them all in one productive and fun space is there for you to grab.

Best selling wellness sabbaticals have an unstructured schedule of work suited to individual requirements. The work environment will be set in the backdrop of nature, where you have enough fresh air to breathe and unwind.

Healthy nutrition, yoga and meditation,fitness sessions, quality sleep and de stressing tutorials are fitted into a holistic program. Nature walks and open air workouts are very thoughtfully designed to give a unique work – life balance. High speed net connectivity will never fail you and so would access to different time zones across the world and have a seminar with your client or a word with your collaborator.

Customers taste life here, a complete serenity that improves your thinking process. But certain prerequisites come along. The mental calm is felt when you are here for at least a month. Brief vacation won’t deliver goods. And you got to bring with you a bag full of money, your investments will be rewarded eventually. Nothing much to scare.

Wellness sabbatical – setting boundaries

Digital nomadism closes its doors to overwork. Studies show overworking can kill. To stay ahead in competition companies strive hard in a bid to survive in a highly challenging business scenario. Work pressure builds up, tension brews and stress flows down the rank. Late stay at office and over work is inevitable. But employee health doesn’t understand the cause and effect relationship. It takes the hit. Researches reveal more than 55 hours of work a week can lead to stroke and coronary disease. It can shorten life span and away from home, work sabbaticals take this into account. They set your work schedule not to get you bogged down under work pressure.

Trend of company top brass showing concern about the mental and physical health of human capital is gaining momentum. Besides medical compensations and health insurance packages, employers are going a proactive way taking steps forward that their employees’ chances of getting sick are minimized. Gyms are becoming a part of organizational infrastructure .

Break between work and meditation sessions are finding a place in offices. Wellness sabbaticals is now another addition to the employee welfare schemes. A quarter of the top notch Fortune 100 companies are putting sabbaticals on offer for valued employees . Certainly, those running that extra mile investing blood, sweat and tears to contribute to their employers wealth pool , deserve it.

Lower healthcare burden

Cost of healthcare is steeply mounting and will irrevocably continue so. Studies show 69% of deaths around the world are from preventable chronic ailments. Cardiovascular diseases, tumor malignancies, chronic respiratory diseases and mental disorders could run into USD 47 trillion in terms of treatment costs by 2030. What an enormous wastage of money on health disorders that could be avoided and wellness sabbaticals neatly fit into space as an answer.

An important insight into reasons for prolonged lifespans was found by Dan Buettner of Blue Zone books who authored ‘ secrets of living longer ‘. Rather than striving for a healthy lifestyle, desired results would flow in easier if you stay in the right environment. To put it in simple words, following a disciplined approach to life while living amid city grind would bring lesser benefits than what a stress free surroundings would bring you. The purpose of a wellness sabbatical is to offer the digital nomads the right environment to work in.

Flexible work-life balance

At present many tourist destinations are offering wellness sabbaticals. These are very flexible concepts of rest and work where customers themselves design their long stay schedules. They can mix their wellness and work for a living program in line with their choices.

The sabbatical resorts appreciate that putting a divide between work/business and wellness is not viable. In the pursuit of happiness, you can’t stay away from work and invite a block in your earnings. With this in mind, their sabbatical holidays don’t follow a rigid pattern. The guests have ample time and space tolerance to pursue work as well as wellness therapies that don’t clash with each other. Kamalalaya wellness sabbatical, Koh Samui, Thailand, and Vana in India have been doing very well in this respect. A minimum of three weeks’ stay would bring in desired results.

Milan, Italy is opening up sunny, seafront workstations for digital nomads. Inexpensive long vacations and a guaranteed infection-free space here has baited the new breed of remote workers. It’s a symbiotic relationship between the tourists and the destinations. Milan to make up for the past tourist revenue decline and the visitors to sustain a livelihood.

Still and all a long stay at a destination away from home can burn a big hole. Even then digital nomadism embraces a wide spectrum of people. They are worked out that way to accommodate millennials just graduating from colleges to those into salaried employment. From a white-collar decent salaried guy to an average blue-collar wage earner. The rise in demand for a work and wellness program can morph into sabbaticals that are easy on the pocket. Many crowdfunded startups have custom-built sabbaticals for efficient professionals across the US. At a meager price, sabbaticals offer a cozy stay and food. Guests spend 18 hours a week on different constructive ventures and participate in nature walks and hikes.

What goes out from your pocket is replenished by earnings from work, that’s the best part of it.

Wellness sabbaticals are now available in many locations throughout the world. Five-star hotels, yoga retreats, and basic campsites all have them with different price tags and aimed at people from a range of socio-economic standings. The objective is to drive a fine-tuning between work and wellness and the idea is going to reschedule the future of work, travel, and wellbeing.

Digital nomadism has been in trend for specific classes of freelancers, entrepreneurs and writers as well. They traveled on a special passport to places away from the bustle depending only on WIFI for work. This trend was, however, a slow process and picked up pace when the pandemic made it compelling. Within months the scenario changed. A changeover which normally took years to evolve into a niche model for many professionals happened much faster. Need to work from office lost significance and working from home wasn’t any great idea either.

If working from anywhere is possible why not go for dream vacations?

This time the brief stay will be displaced by a long vacation. Check-in here, get yourself through the covid testing procedures, get quarantined, and embark upon your new work platform. Earn a living, cultivate a productive lifestyle, invest in health, put as much distance between yourself and Coronavirus, and continue for months until the pandemic threat is completely eradicated.

Tracing the recovery path

Many tourist destinations suffering from revenue loss caused by pandemic are offering work certificate programs for a year. This is not exactly a Visa, rather a modification of current residency programs. In these destinations, airports are turning busier with rising visitors a chunk of them are digital nomads. These travelers have enough health insurance to cover in case infection strikes. Affordability for a long stay package is a criterion for getting a work sabbatical Visa too.

Estonia lures digital nomads with the kind of stride the nation has made turning into a major tech and start-up nerve center. It is a strong beacon for top tech brains. Estonia offers them a niche right into the digital nomad mold and it is exactly here the sabbatical walks into the scene.

They facilitate the startups for a hassle-free immigration process of those hired talents. No wonder an easy digital nomad Visa for techies to live and work in this Baltic country was a major foot forward. The already booming IT sector – based economy of Estonia is guaranteed for a big take off! The pandemic has been the new fuel driving the digital nomad Visa craze.

The potential for remote working is dawning on both the workers and employers faster than ever before under current circumstances. Digital nomadism will not be confined to a specific class of freelancers, millions of salaried people will crowd around the idea too.

It will be a great opportunity foregone for tourism-based destinations not to wake up to this new rush of digital nomadism. If revenue from tourism has declined for the pandemic, the same reason could go a long way boosting their economy, now from a work-based perspective. Contribution from the talent pool of visiting nomads under a work Visa is never discounted.

The system will be more like people living a big part of their year in a different location for reasons of livelihood. One may draw a parallel between a Canadian couple spending December Down Under to escape the biting cold. Living elsewhere under a prolonged self-initiated work Visa cannot rule out legal troubles. Then indeed solutions are underway to take care of the issue.

The founder of the Nomad list, Peter Levels in 2014 indexed in his popular website the best destinations available for digital nomadism. He went further saying that remote working would gain steam faster than we thought. By 2035, the world would see over one billion people joining the fold.

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Wherever there is a green pasture there will be more and more sheep going for it. To avoid overcrowding in private island work platforms, customers may choose to board a yacht. Yachts themselves are moving destinations.

You can charter a yacht, go fishing , work from your yacht and spend quality family time. It is an extension of your home cum office pressed into one wonderful module right under the blue sky. Pandemic has reshuffled the concepts of work, travel and wellness. All of these could be done in a single effort and service providers are ready to welcome your presence with open arms.

Things to consider while on wellness sabbatical

For a successful wellness sabbatical certain important features to be considered.

Separation from the world you knew is critical to creating a niche for the expression of self-identity. You hate to be lost in the crowd, rather want the crowd to listen to what you say and do. Once you are away from the grind you start feeling and seeing the world around you in clearer terms. More importantly, you know yourself better.

Sabbaticals ensure experimentation with one’s oneself and discovering your flow of passions that were clogged by heaps of stereotyped routine work. Pursue your hobbies with a little bit of social promoting you will make a tidy living, off something you love.

Contemplating over experiences and the merger of directions drawn from life is an integral part of a successful sabbatical. Here you take leverage on life separated from the crowd, subsist on bare minimums, and anticipate relationship issues. The underlying theory is to get cut off from society and its residual wastes, barricade off distractions and put your mind in all that really matters to open up your creative side. It is not escapism mind it, just that bit of focus necessary to chase your dreams. Are we moving closer to conditions that helped great thinkers attain wisdom?

Is it that comfortable?

Sabbaticals have their share of challenges too. The initial phases of the new normal could be difficult. You are in seclusion with no people around for a face to face interaction that you were used to. It is like living a life in a bubble where the flow of inputs for survival may turn uncertain if not scarce. Then again restorative experiences of life can come out from difficult and unusual spaces we encounter in isolation. All in all, we pivot around distance from our recent past and modify the future.

Staycation, the new normal for vacationing in pandemic

Prolonged lockdown sucks and you feel something isn’t working right. It keeps affecting the overall general health. The D’Souza family has started to feel sick staying indoors. They did not venture out, lest the Corona virus takes over.

The racing spell of doom :

News of infection and death is pouring in. The digital Covid-19 monitoring app is sending scary feedback on rising cases as days passed by. They have cancelled an Italian vacation this summer and that was the worst thing to do, but then inviting Covid-19 was a stubborn suicidal choice. Sanitization and six-feet social distancing sound okay but the sense of safety does little to outweigh the foregone bliss from the touch of green outdoors.

Nature has had enough of it, silently bearing with the assault, time to exact a counter-blow has come.But science is not sitting quiet either and battle lines are drawn, this virus shouldn’t be allowed any elbow space. The concept of lockdown is a convincing war strategy bringing life to a halt and putting as much space as feasible between men. But there is a limit beyond which you cannot accept a growing void, complete isolation from the natural habitat is unpleasant. The home is not your natural habitat it offers you immediate shelter at the best. It makes for a cozy living, its feel is absorbed in your bones. But you need something more to function and respond . Your true connection lies in the free elements of air, earth, rain and sun, the cosmic matter that make you whole.

On a lookout for a break within the realms of safe travel :

Peter, the younger son of the D’ Souza’s has been hitting the console that set him on an instant cruise on the chalky waters of river Apurimac, falling into the mighty Amazon. The tide was licking the forested banks , a part of the forest fed to a recent man made bush fire though. Civilization never stops , it’s appetite for expansion is hardwired to a future. A future that holds prospects hiding commercial exploits that goes with it. Concrete and steel based progress is conventionally an indicator of power and wealth. Here minor difficulties of the plant and animal kingdom could be written off as a negligible collateral damage. Losses necessary to fuel a swift modernization.

Existence of primitive cultures within geographical boundaries is still a cause of embarrassment to be expunged. The forest goes and together with it goes all stone age stuff.

Peter has adjusted the virtual reality headset for a better response to a simulated world of jaguars,caimans and boas . They ruled the land and water. Paths sometimes crossed and in whose favor the end of food chain points is an open game.

A mist hung blurring visibility. It was vaporized by the sun that was getting stronger by the hours . Stubs of vegetation bobbed in water and decaying leaves spun in eddies and got washed away to the muddy banks. Stubs sometimes cheated, it confused you between a dead wood and a caiman head. But the mistake can be expensive when panic and pain strike together and it is too late. It is a mysterious world of towering palms and hardwoods, of ferns and creepers, of curare and poisonous tree frogs.

Amazon had been famous for these and Peter had always been fascinated by the rainforest inspired movies. Navigation along unexplored waters has kept his nerves taut to a vicious world of survival of the fittest. Here loss of touch with reality could mean death. The best part of it is : Peter is surfing through his world of fantasy from within the safe confines of a staycation hardly a few hours drive from his neighborhood. The boy is glued to the screen , elated and going on a high drive that showered him with an adrenaline wash. The virtual world in front of him was dynamic and thrilling. It was beautiful and dangerous and looked barely different from the real forest. The computer created virtual cruise was every inch an exact replica of his coveted world .

Online travel and rising popularity of staycations :

Globetrotters are now going online, booking a trip and doing all of it without risking human contact. Staycations aren’t really a new version of travel option but incidentally they provide Covid-19 free vacations. Virtual travel fitments inside a staycation is a bonus that you need to see with your own eyes. Flight of fancy takes you places from your backyard to the Eiffel Tower. From Madagascar to Moscow and from Brazil to Bulawayo, the thrill of travel is as good as real without having to do the physical act of traveling ! The entire exercise is digitized for which you need not be a tech savvy. Weird it may sound this is the most trendy travel option and particularly suits a travel buff in these trying times !

The need to unwind and recharge your batteries :

Leisure and well-being have a linear relationship. You need to take breaks between intervals of work and life. A fortnight off doesn’t make good working half the year non stop . You do not make an inventory of composure by doing that. Rather, hard work alternated by restorative chilling out keeps you fit and fighting.

Are virtual tours the probable solution?

Virtually guided tours are available on the net with wonderful experiences of domestic and international travel. They are the spoilers and pretty much entertaining, you literally get addicted . The span of the trips lasts for an hour and beyond. They are fairly pocket friendly costing around few dollars per guest per hour with the obvious logic of rental being a function of pleasure time spent. On the domestic travel plans you get to visit iconic monuments and architectural masterpieces. The choices are wide and you can even go surfing unique landscapes and ocean front beaches. International travel choices are pricier. Then again, what more to expect, shouldn’t guaranteed safety come at a price? Time spent and grey cells engaged designing a real life travel model on a virtual mode are deserving endeavors . They are the new route to globetrotting keeping a safe distance from human contact.

The D’ Souza family has opted for a brief staycation experience. The lost Italian vacation was an upset that should be restored and staycation was a possible substitute.

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With pandemic let loose , popularity of staycations and virtual travel have peaked. Internet based players have jumped in bringing safe travel to your doorstep. Online travel portals have introduced exciting photos and video uploads and you have a ball on the web. Together with interactive sessions , virtual tours are a replacement for real ones eliminating infection risk. Many staycations have made changes in room distribution, the concept of sharing common space is becoming obsolete. Furniture are sanitized and lounge and restaurants never left crowded. Sincere effort is visible to contain transmission and keep guests secured by social isolation. You are physically marooned but your preferences are heard and answered.

Stacaytions finding an edge over vacations :

While we talk about picking up our backpacks under current circumstances, vacations seem too expensive. Deciding between staycation and vacations, the weight would shift towards the former. Vacations are normally faraway places and no one is ready to take a chance. They are lavish indulgences in the face of pandemic induced financial landslides. Staycations are way cheaper, you find them close to your neighborhood saving you car and aviation fuel. The exciting features of a trip abroad are replicated here and staycations are well researched. Handpicked talents from the landscaping and wellness industry make staycations a dream holiday. The journey is more on an inner plane, recharging your system that has turned logy from lockdown fatigue.

Airbnb all set to expand service :

Currently a good news from Airbnb India is doing the rounds. Pandemic has automatically forced a break from existing tourist arrangements to offset the feel of social quarantine. Guests share moments with celebrities online. They include movie stars and public figures. You get an opportunity to interact with them, learn about their personal experiences, participate in workout sessions and get a tutorial on creative spaces they have a say in. Airbnb bookings have seen over 50 % rise in May compared to what it had been in February this year. The badly damaged tourism industry is holding on to this silver lining to bounce back with some hope.

Can you compare virtual travel with real joys of actual travel ? The entire concept may look like a trickery. Laboratory meat trying to outsmart taste of lambs fattened on pastures ! On the first go this is the impression no doubt.

Mental and physical wellness is born inside your core. Meditation is a case in point, you can achieve it right at your terrace taking sometime to explore inside. You need not travel to the Himalayas . Your garden can be that place, especially in times when venturing out together with a team is fatal. The concept of staycation is modeled on this, your inner sojourn along a known platform with some great space .

Staycation ideas had been in vogue for quite sometime . It saves travel expenses without compromising with the benefits . Spike in infection has pushed its appeal further to a point where people reach a dead heat. Travel desire is not discounted as is the dread of the virus. But long distance travel is still a far cry. Setting up a camp in your garden and spending quality time in the lap of nature can even be the holy grail. A change of scene from custody of your residence.

Traveling back in memory can be therapeutic . Revisiting beautiful places that you have already been brings in a rush of ‘ feel good ‘ hormone. The concept of virtual travel is founded on this premise. It has also gone lengths helping people learn skills and turn productive. Culinary art is brought online and you are coached in mastering tricks of gourmet delicacies. Virtual reading clubs , art and craft projects, bonsai gardening and a host of tutorials are available . They pump your creative juice.

Staycation destinations are normally close by. A search on the internet can help you locate one. The pandemic cycle has brought in a new breed of travelers who look for going short distances to safe destinations. Here they have a significant hold on the reins of environment. Places with small crowds and accessible by cars are ideal tour sites. This should revive the local economy which has taken a hit by Covid19 caused unemployment.

You can have a campfire or a backyard barbecue . You spend a part of the day setting up your tent in the most fanciful way you can think of. Staycation tips include touring with responsibility and causing minimal environmental impact. Pictures of a dream vacation may find a different canvas each time but certain mandates remain stable. Staycation tips emphasize on the topmost priorities of health and sanitation: that you wear a mask, observe man to man distancing and embalm yourself with a thorough wash of sanitizer. There is no compromise here !

You need a break from the daily grind , from regular work pressure and commitments. Here lies the access to mental wellness and exactly where this stress buster shows its face is not known. The mechanism works within your system .

Location of your physical presence is not important. Being in Timbouctou or at your balcony hardly make a difference. It is all in that little space inside your head serving as a highway along which the feel-good juices work . To make a long story short, pandemic is never an issue in case you are genuinely driven by a quest . A desire to explore the rim of your fancy that is tailored to offering an escape. A virtual flight from long confinement to realms of mental happiness that is very real and rewarding.

The virtual trips are real enough to play with emotions :

Meanwhile Peter’s virtual steamer navigated a narrow channel. They sailed past a village. Folks were busy in manioc fields, both men and women were working hard and some of the females carried babies on their back. The emerald forest loomed in the background and all on a sudden the peaceful atmosphere had an intruder. A logging harvester had pulled up, the crew jumped out of the equipment. They came up to the village chief and shouted orders to vacate. The machine was set rolling,feed rollers held the trunks in grip and long blades scythed through . Trees fell like fallen soldiers. A tree crashed right on a pig pen, there was wail and death. The chief watched helplessly. Tears rolled and tears dried . Kids ran in fright and adults had already resigned to fate. Timbers will be stockpiled, sold and stumps set on fire. The last traces of their civilization would soon be in ash . Concrete and steel would be the possible replacements, the new normal for the survivors of the inferno.

A drop of tear fell on the console button, the monitor screen went hazy and there was a call for dinner. Peter rubbed his eyes and unwillingly answered. He was no longer feeling hungry.

Mandatory Coronavirus-free certificate for travel – How countries are aligning?

The world is going through a nightmare it hasn’t dreamt of ever. Covid 19 is going on a rampage across the world. Social distancing, lockdowns, tests for positivity, herd immunity and sanitization methods are novel terms. Some of them throw light on tentative solutions too. If all of us were programmed robots, the solutions may have worked better. Some element of imperfections are inherent when it comes to immediate response to safety instructions coming from the authority.

Getting adapted to a virus-combat strategy takes time but the virus doesn’t allow you that. To make matters worse, the possibility of invention of an anti-viral or a vaccine is still far fetched. But the situation can’t be allowed to roll like that. If we manage somehow to keep the virus at bay, death would come in some other form.

Documentations endorsing corona virus free travel

Extended lockdown would not allow workplaces to function stopping bread to reach hungry mouths. Among other industries hit hard by the Covid 19 wave, tourism industry is panicking, its existence may get wiped out. In the light of above threats, some sort of valid documentation should vouch for you that you are free from the disease.

With the fresh spike of positive cases in India, the government has put emphasis on covid – 19 free certificates. For people moving in from China, South Korea and Italy, carrying this paper is a compulsory obligation. The documents would say that these travelers have tested negative for covid -19. Only listed laboratories approved by the ministry of health of these countries would be qualified to carry out such examinations. This new enforcement has already come into existence from 10th of March this year. Even so this is only a provisional course of action until situations normalize.

The first reported case from Wuhan in China should find a place in world records. So would this invincible virus, being the most formidable threat to mankind in this century. Currently, almost all the countries are affected and symptoms are dry cough and cold, lung inflammation and shortness of breath. Sufferings culminate in death in absence of proper treatment.

Tourism opens in Turkey

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Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister for Tourism and Culture in Turkey has reported an added drive to validate tourist spots in his country as corona – virus free, once this pandemic subsides. Endorsement is of course subject to necessary tests.

The tourism department people feel the virus won’t go until next few months. The Minister is however optimistic that normalisation turn around would hopefully be in the horizon in mid – May. The entire country including its people, hoteliers, tour agents, industry top brass and ministry have joined hands together.

The resolution is firm enough to make the tourism sector rolling by the close of holy month of Ramadan.Being one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world, a lot of tourist money is at stake for Turkey. The Agean beaches, Anatalaya and historical monuments crawl with tourists round the year.

The virus, if allowed to gnaw into the financial wound causing damage further, scale of loss would be scary. The virus free certification procedure would be in line with the global standard covering three segments : Tourists, transportation and facilities. Every medium of contact gives the virus a highway to spread around.

Good news! Turkey has opened for tourism with specific safety protocols in place. It has also introduced Covid-free certification for tourism hot spots to ensure 100% safety for travelers.

Special sanitization protocols released

Sterilization of every point of contact is crucial.Hotels,vehicles, travel agency offices, airports, restaurants needs to be practically bathed frequently with disinfectants. Places of tourist attractions like museums and historical sites need a similar treatment.

It is mandatory for manpower supporting the tourism industry to earn immunity certificate and training in pandemic management. Social distancing is the watchword and to be ensured by crowd administration frontliners. Thermal control devices employed by safety staffs at tourist spots to keep a tab on crowd temperature, an indicator of virus infection.

Call has been given to NGOs as well to offer their valuable and voluntary involvement. In 2019, Turkey’s tourist visit touched 51.8 million people. By 2023, the number is projected to climb further to 75 million tourists, and that is big money ! The country cannot afford to lose it.

Would you be allowed to travel to places you like?

Lockdown and social distancing are slowly paying off, the nature reclaiming back spaces once denied. The earth is at its greenest, skies look brighter and bird calls a little louder. This is the right time to go places and explore nature.How different the world seems today all sweet melody is so augmented. Rising bird twitter is a bliss just to show what a massive cover of noise pollution we had been living with.

Meanwhile river banks and sea shores are seeing more and more aquatic birds and animals basking. Flamengoes have been seen in Navi Mumbai creeks. Deer, lemurs and civets have started exploring city interiors amid lockdown. They seem quite content unaware of the viral siege. Ignorance is bliss, animals are devoid of extinction worries as a species . They live on a day to day basis and have no significant retentive memory and no futuristic expansion plans. They had always been better off until we started intervening in their lives.

Immunity passports

Covid-free health papers enable tourists to prove they are not infected although currently UK is not granting any such document . A tourist from the UK will have to be tested for antibodies. An alternate arrangement for tourists leaving UK are immunity passports that say the holder once had corona virus but presently free from infection.

As announced by Euro News weekly, the Madrid Association of Hoteliers are making a scrutiny into covid free hotel certification. This would ensure that boarders and staffs are virus free. Mechanism of this security check is not clear but hotel guests look capable of proving they don’t carry the virus.

Many countries have gone a step further to shut their borders and that was a move taken after finding many travelers into those countries didn’t have covid free documents. In the events of lockdowns being gradually taken off, desire to travel may soar when vacationers would start feeling the significance of these documents.

Can corona-free certificate provide the right solution?

The covid free documents are no permanent answers, the virus being known too little. Its behavior is unpredictable and none could guarantee it won’t make a come back even after a patient is cured.In the words of Claire Stanley, assistant professor at Georgetown University’s Centre for Global Health Science and Security ‘ not just could tests identify antibodies not connected with coronavirus, they aren’t reliable enough’.

She further went saying ‘ High pseudo – negative rates ( lack of sensitivity ) of tests imply that those presently at hand are not prescribed for patient level clinical diagnosis ‘. Now all these complications are mirroring our mistakes, past actions back firing on us. We have been cheating ourselves fiddling with nature too long.

We tend to forget that in nature everything is connected. That mistaken notion that our species is the only supreme one and the rest are either for decoration or consumption or for other forms of entertainment has brought us where we are today: facing the lethal virus in a dark tunnel with hardly any silver lining streaming in.

Just a short time back, the Emirates has proposed a required blood test for passengers on plane. The proposal is likely to be introduced to other flights too. The test would give reports in ten minutes. But whether the unwilling passengers would be denied boarding has not been confirmed.

Germany has also been buying the concept of immunity passports and have started testing 100000 people a day. Application of antibodies test will be initiated to find out if a passenger has earlier had covid -19. They will get necessary papers showing their position.

The Thai government is going for stringent regulations on international travel. Thai airports would check corona – free certificates as well as medical insurance to cover treatment expenses. The country is very careful in weighing risks of infection against loss of enormous tourism business. Plan and implementation of safe travel directives are yet to see a smooth roll out. The civil aviation authority of Thailand is still getting ready to execute the government protocols.

These measures do not appear to reconcile with ground realities because many countries will not test people for the virus. Unless symptoms exist and other criteria are met testing necessities look unimportant. The judgment follows a couple of days after the government states that medical and insurance papers would not be required for all.

Only people arriving from ‘ disease outbreak ‘ zones like South Korea, China, Macao, Hong Kong, Italy and Iran would need to comply with these directives. Further ‘on going local transmission ‘ areas have also been identified to follow the mandate. Parts of Japan, US, Britain and eight other countries are included in this group.

Health certificates should come in hand within 3 days from boarding flight. Insurance cover must take care of USD 100000 in medical expenses. Even for Thai citizens, medical certificates are compulsory but not the insurance policy. But they should stay in self quarantine for two weeks although quarantine orders for visiting foreigners are vague.

As covid – 19 combat policy, major holidays of the country like Songkran have been deferred. Schools, massage parlors and other places of community entertainment have been shut down. All major tourist attractions like Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya have come together in enforcing these constraints. Public gatherings are discouraged and social distancing have become the new survival strategy.

Can tourism spring back soon?

The issue is when would we go off to the deepest end with current rate of backslide? The employment scenario is already a bad dream of doom and state of sustaining inputs for survival is no better. But it is also likely if the infection graph gets flattened or even lowered in near future, the tourism market will spring back sharply on cushioned investor faith .

Month-long lockdowns and banishment indoors have been tiring for many. They would certainly get their hands on to any reliable platform supplying hopes for safe travel. Still there are a lot of unexplored and grey areas concerning travel safety and the way virus behaves in coming days is not visible.

Any trusted and seriously researched program for enhancing tourism throughput may not end in social rejection. Particularly for people who like to see the world around. It is quite probable that people would desire short haul trips once the lockdown is lifted. The backbone of tourism industry is the efficient communication channels.

Big players in the industry are trying hard to fan the fire in the belly of travel hungry consumers. Their desire to visit places should not die. This is the right time to expose people to as much media feedback as is feasible considering they are spending most of the idle time before the internet.

Social media and coordination with travel agents is a potent tool and it is evident since people are stuck up at home digital communication has soared. These players are focusing on their homework hard training manpower effectively.

Successfully handling customers after about four months from now would be the key to recovering losses incurred from business stagnation. Various training programs are in the pipeline to prepare the staffs on insights of tourist destinations. Hopefully tourism business would bounce back given the plans work well.

Our journey to understand you better

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Covid cannot hold you from exploring…..

Simplyroam promises to take you through exciting journeys to much-heard of destinations as well as the lesser-known spots giving you the opportunity to rediscover and reform your likes and preferences.

What is liked by all may not be liked by you. Simplyroam allows your mind a free exploration to different forms of travel that you may have desired but not dared. It may have stirred your curiosity but could not be fulfilled. You may have longed for a choicest destination visit but could not make it owing to many reasons told and untold.

Simplyroam reads you better. Your preferences and distastes dwelling deep within. So stay tuned for our latest updates in travel trends, destination updates and easy travel tips to make your sojourn the most memorable events; events that you won’t stop talking…

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Discover the making of exotic coffee flavors around the world with coffee tourism

Dalgona coffee rocked in lock-down, a hot-spiked revelation amid testing times. How about getting further insights into exotic and top quality brews through coffee tourism where every sip instills fresh vigor? Yes, coffee addicts care a darn paying $35-$100 for a cup worth a sip!

You enjoy coffee while on a trip but not the other way round , perhaps you don’t travel for coffee! It might have never struck your mind. Beaches, mountains and other exotic landscapes beckon but yes coffee tourism destinations arrest as well. Just reset your mind and your travel lens and you can be in another world demanding a revisit to your idea of holidaying .

It is no wonder people drink a few billion cups of this beverage everyday! Amazing is the worldwide demand of those tiny brown beans and awesome is the power they pack in. Cappuccino, mocha, latte whichever name you call, the flavor is captivating and hard to get over.

Well, it was a very humble start for coffee to make it to new heights of farming and processing as of now. Take it with milk or without it, sip it raw and sugar-free or add a spoonful, frothing hot or iced, the impact unfolds new surprises every time. The beans had been through an ever-expanding market cornering major shares in consumer preference. Its appeal has been immense cutting across cultural and language barriers.

Coffee tourism – A first rate expedition

Do you know coffee is linked with the volcano? Volcanic soil is ideal for growth. Coffee being a mountain plant, the elevation of volcanic terrain helps it survive well . Heavy rain is essential yet the plant shouldn’t get waterlogged. Conical summits interact with moisture-laden passing clouds. The rock and cloud contact brings in heavy precipitation.

Mountain slopes (the ideal gradient is around 15°) drain off the water. Drainage is an important condition for coffee plants to thrive. A mountain slope assures that. Coffee also grows in other terrains but volcanic soil suits it the best. The irony here is the best farming areas keep the plants under constant threat from eruptions and flowing hot lava.

Zeroing in on the best coffee growing regions, they are all located in areas prone to volcanic eruptions. This list is however not exhaustive:

Country Volcanoes

Ethiopia Erte Ale, Nabro, Tat Ali

Japan Fuji, Asama, Ontake

Indonesia Krakatoa, Merapi, Sinabung

Costa Rica Arenal, Irazu, Poas

Brazil Nova Iguacu, Trindade

Colombia Nevado Del Ruiz, Galeras

Sweden Rallate, Gallabjar, Knosen

Turkey Ararat, Hasan Dagi, Nemrut

Tanzania Kilimanjaro, Ol Doinyo Lengai

India Deccan plateau made up of

volcanic soil

People are into coffee tourism, you might be missing it

The term is elaborated in the Collins Dictionary as a “Tourism which involves visiting countries where coffee is grown and tasting different types of coffee or just concentrating on consuming different coffees in countries renowned for its production and consumption”.

Coffee tourism is gaining popularity especially in Asia and Latin America with coffee farm hotels and home-stays churning up good business. Many coffee farms are offering tourism with a dual-pronged intent : assure a source of size-able revenue earnings and to build a brand.

Since modern-day travelers are taking interest in authentic tourism experience, coffee tourism is a great way into the lush coffee country. Coffee tourism goes beyond the buyer and seller relationship. The guest feedback and suggestions are important tools to improve quality that ultimately cements the bonding with customers improving the brand image.

Whether all these tourism ingredients add to the sustainability of coffee farms is debatable. But well-managed coffee farm tourism can create jobs and contribute to community development.

The journey from volcanic Ethiopian soil is a great history; the route had not been exactly a unilateral win-win channel of consumer acceptance. Coffee, the black beverage has collected assorted opinions from occasional consumers to connoisseurs.

Unfortunately, it earned negative marks too. Accusations come from medics that it causes a spike in blood pressure.

The anti-doping watchdogs from the world of sports level another set of allegations. Brewed beans are latent performance boosters. It can finish an athlete’s career! For a coffee addict, these slurs are not enough to kick the habit. The system won’t simply respond for the day without downing a cup of the bitter drink, the least to go with. Defamation of the beans has been far outweighed by its huge esteem and each cup of joy it brings.

Drinking coffee socially can reach you lengths in the discussion, drifting from politics to world economic policies. From weather to soccer and from nuances of art to wonders of modern hi-tech gizmos, the beverage helps you fight your arguments and deliver your judgment. Crafting the perfect cup from perfectly roasted beans is a treat before you. It can fetch you all the bliss you can think of.

Coffee culture and the destinations

Coffee and its consumption have a substantial cultural involvement manifested in diverse expressions and ruling memes driving nations crazy. It has gone deep into traditional values across the world and coffee tourism could take you places of origin of these magic beans. Destinations known for cultivation are themselves known for exquisite scenic appeal.

Here we go with a virtual exploration of coffee countries:

Bonga Coffee town, Ethiopia

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The first country to farm coffee, the homeland of Arabica strain the beans have a unique flavor. In fact, if you travel in Ethiopia, the volcanic plateaus would enthrall you. The country is mostly land locked within the Great Rift Valley. Here lies a coffee town called Bonga, a quaint little place with beautiful coffee gardens. Bonga is also known for its wild honey and wonderful panorama.

An enchanting place is the hamlet of Sidano perched atop an elevation of 1900 meters above sea level that would fascinate you. The Ethiopian countryside has its own charm very distinct from the rest of the world. It is very African in its own way although much of it is hot and arid.

Encounter with wildlife is possible, Ethiopian wolfs, wild dogs and elephants are a source of tourist attraction. Hamars and Mursis are the chief ethnic tribes among others. They have a strangely appealing culture in which body art and lip piercing is an important feature. How about watching a Mursi dance over a mug of locally brewed coffee? Take a flight to Addis Ababa and then into the interior exploring the country with a licensed travel guide. You won’t regret the trip even if it appears treacherous at any point.

Kopi Luwak, Indonesia producing the most expensive coffee, 5^th largest exporter of coffee in the world

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You enjoy resplendent beaches, infinity pools, cruise flanked by rain-forests , the magnificent Borobudur Stupa and also get to taste the most expensive coffee, $35-$100 a cup. The eastern corner of Java is noted for wet-hulled coffee estates. These are vast and photographic. In fact today Java is a universal term for coffee and those farmed in the Island have a rich and strong aroma.

Heavy bodied beans come with a sweet chocolaty taste, the specialty Indonesian coffee known as ‘ Kopi Luwak ‘ is one of the most expensive breeds in the world. What is more interesting is, it is the defecated output of the Asian palm civet. This makes it more expensive than others. Kopi Luwak is also known as ‘civet coffee’.

The ingested and partially digested coffee cherries come out with civet poop. While passing through the digestive canal, the cherries are fermented by specific enzymes that add to its flavor. The defecated cherries are picked, processed and marketed worldwide. Be ready to shell out $100-$600 for a pound. Coffee producers here have been claiming for generations that this process creates the best coffee flavor in the world!

Set out for a coffee trek in Sumatra, Bali and Sulawesi. The landscape would enthrall you as would the fuming brew. The yummy combination of skewered satay and coffee would do well to get along with a live show of Serimpi, the signature Javanese dance ritual.

Other notable coffee tourism destinations in Indonesia are Takengon, Lampung, Ambarawa (Banaran Kopi Village), Bali, Toraja, Manggarai, Wamena, etc. Indonesia has been putting in its best foot forward to promote indigenous coffee culture in different tourism fairs all over the world.

Vietnam

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Vietnam has recently made her presence strongly felt in the global coffee market. Coffee with condensed milk is a Vietnamese treat you would remember for the rest of your life. Most of the coffee is grown in the Central Highlands contributing to the inflow of foreign exchange. Coffee culture in Vietnam revolves around the bold Robusta flavor.

Take a trip to Da Lat, it is a mountain retreat with breathtaking scenic spots and cool climate. Spectacular lakes, dense greenery, thrilling treks, splendid waterfalls, beautiful flower gardens and last but not the least the roof top and train cafes will keep you absorbed in the hot frothing cuppa you were looking for.

Da Lat is known for coffee gardens. You can have an educational coffee tour here, sample coffee and learn farming methods. Strains are countless and they taste delicious. Vietnamese iced coffee called Ca’phe’ da’ is thoroughly worth sipping.

Though coffee was introduced in Vietnam by the French, the country has earned the fame of creating some specialist Vietnamese coffee like egg coffee prepared with egg yolks, smoothie coffee with bananas and avocados, yoghurt coffee, coconut coffee and the classic Vietnamese drip.

Brazil

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Brazilian coffee has earned a dominant position in the global market. Brazilians are regular coffee drinkers and consume coffee any time of the day. Cafezinho is the most common type consumed and people prefer drinking it very hot in small cups.

A trip to Brazil is always a highly desired tourist preference. Not only the seductive beaches and the daring Amazon navigation, but the Brazilian cuppa would add to the sweeping Latin charm. Passion for soccer and week-long carnivals are equaled by the nation’s wild penchant for music and some top-grade coffee.

The frenzy is viral and it infects the tourists who happily yield to the craze. If you are looking for premium coffee don’t miss visiting Sul de Minas and Cerrado de Minas, only a 5 hours car ride from Sao Paulo or Rio De Janeiro. All along, the ride takes you through a verdant outdoor landscape.

The local plantations offer sampling freshly brewed Brazilian coffee. Guides are on deck for you to give you a clear and detailed picture on the history of coffee grown here. You get to know about means of farming and tricks of handling a complex supply chain making it hassle-free . The endeavor is channeled along a route in which future of the beans is bound. They will guide you to the best coffee picks at cut back prices.

Costa Rica

You name it, Costa Rica has it. From rolling beaches of white sand to tropical jungles and from yoga sanctums to organized mountain treks, Costa Rica is endowed with all the bounties of nature making it a tourist’s paradise. If you are a true blue cafephile, the Costa Rican trip would offer you the much-coveted cup full of fire-roasted beverage.

Some of the ruling coffee bowls include Valle Central and Tres Rios hardly any distance away from International San Jose Airport. It is strongly recommended you go adventurous exploring the farms in Brunca, Orosi, Guancaste, Valle Occidental, Turrialba and Tarrazu.

Produce from these estates have a universally trendy flavor with a coffee house classic lemony tang. Beans pass through an acid test making selection process passionate and fastidious. The country has a broad spectrum of weather and terrain profiles. Each is capable of producing coffee with characters diverse and sharp cut. Costa Rican coffee tours are tailored and quite easy to reserve.

India

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Indian coffee estates are located in the southern half of the peninsula known as the Deccan plateau. Particularly Coorg, in the state of Karnataka is the hub of coffee production. It features scenic places, lush forests, waterfalls and rolling acres of coffee plantations. Coffee farms and homestays and the unmatched Coorgi hospitality make a unique blend.

Roughly four hours drive from Bangaluru International Airport, you cross Madikeri to reach the splendid coffee farms spread over several kilometres. If you are lucky, you will enjoy the soothing aroma of blooming coffee flowers all along the drive to coffee farms.

Coorg gets heavy showers and it is green with rain-forests. Coffee grows here under cool and green shade. A visit to coffee estate called Flying Squirrel owned by Indian professional tennis player Rohan Bopanna would be a good idea. His estate’s master blend coffee processed from smooth beans tastes delicious.

Turkey

This country bordering on a mix of Middle Eastern and European customs has been a great admirer of coffee. Coffee house culture and backgammon boards keep the Turkish souks live with high energy. Spirited conversation over nargile (smoking Hookas )and coffee is an important part of the Turkish way of life, relaxed and complacent.

Turks love to talk and that can go to great lengths even in the most unpredictable callings. Coffee fuels conversation and cupfulls are consumed with undiminished gusto.

The long tradition of Turkish coffee culture has bred countless customs traced back to the elegant functions of the Ottoman courts. Amazing facts come up ,it takes forty coffee makers to make a brew for the Sultan. Little does it surprise us to learn that a Turkish female is selected as a bride based on her coffee-making skills. Failure to brew a perfect cup would lead to a break up as well.

Turkish coffee is not a drink to be sipped slowly rather it is gulped down in a few short slurps. Later the thick dark slimy leftover is put on the plate to draw fate lines of co drinkers. Which way their wheel of fortune turns could be as sweet or bitter as the beverage itself .

Turkish coffee tasting tours and learning the tricks of a perfect Turkish brew are popular among overseas travelers. The guided tours are highly interesting and educative. They take you to famous Turkish coffee houses.

Japan

When the Japanese refer to the first wave, in the instant coffee era, Kissatens were what they usually meant. Those were local coffee bars introduced much before the western Cafe culture had started growing roots into the nation’s beverage consumption profile. Coffee helped people get social connect.

In the early 20^th century, the launch of Kissatens in Japan was a route to an outlandish cult seen with suspicion. Hanging around geisha houses or tipping a waiter would receive a similar social response. Today, however, cafe culture has won a new height of respect in the country. It is considered a habit in good taste and creative values that predates the influx of commercial networks.

Amid the exotic origami or mingei decor, coffee is prepared cup by cup with carefully studied pour over (frequently a funnel is applied). The domestic concoction (buendo kohli) is a deep roast, offered in a frail-looking tiny cup, invariably with a cute little saucer to go with, teaspoon and a pint-sized pitcher of cream that precisely takes in enough to make your single-serving match the exact tone of deep buff.

Jun Kissa, a unique style of having coffee in special places (cafes) evolved after the war and still appeals the young generation. The added nostalgic flavor perhaps enhances the coffee drinking experience. Coffee may not be the traditional beverage in this country, but it has gained more acceptances leading to innovations in the drink.

Columbia

There is more to this beautiful country than narcotic bosses and underworld warlords.

Columbia produces some of the finest coffee in the world and traveling to this country is absolutely safe. No big cheese would ever poke his nose they are far too busy tied up in their own business. Regions of Caldas, Risaralda and Quindio known as coffee triangle presents guided tours to coffee plantations.

Sampling and exploring the farms are definitely value-adding and you can take an extended ramble to the picturesque Valle Cocora. Cloud forests ending in sheer drops into the Pacific Ocean and wax palm plantation are intensely gripping. Hot springs of Santa Rosa del Cabal and the city of Salento with a clear outline of majestic mountains are fascinating in one word! Good hotels are around and it takes a rough 5 hours ride from Medellin to make it to the triangle.

Sweden

Did you know Swedes are the heaviest coffee drinkers only to be beaten by the caffeine freaks, the Finnish consumers? Drinking coffee is favorite pastime among Swedes and coffee time is a compulsory break. They have a name to it and call it ‘ Fika ‘ which connotes relaxed hours relished over coffee in the company of friends and close acquaintances. Usually, sweet cinnamon bread rolls go with coffee.

This was a beverage, a prerogative of the elite society back in the late 18^th century. Coffee and pastry houses called Kaffeehus and Konditon were in vogue. Stockholm, Gotenburg and Malmo are dotted with coffee houses. Some of the top-notch Scandinavian coffee joints are here. Swedes are as proud as punch about their top grade coffee shops and state of the art brewing methods. Drinking coffee is a big time socialization among Swedes.

Dos and don’ts in coffee tourism

Whether you visit a coffee farm or enjoy the special coffee drinking culture in cafes and bistros, you need to be aware of specifically permitted practices to make your coffee tourism memorable.

Study about the coffee culture of a particular coffee tourism destination before the visit. Know the etiquettes like how to hold the cup and drinking process and follow it accordingly.
Check the weather condition of the place and coffee harvesting season.
Know the details beforehand from your travel booking agency or the guide before setting out for the trip.
Strictly follow the rules and regulations while you are on the trail.
Take interest in every detail right from coffee bean harvesting, picking, packaging and grounding.
Take part in coffee-making classes wherever possible. You will enjoy it more.
Put on suitable clothing while venturing into the farm to prevent insect bites.
Buy local produce to support the local community.
Do not touch coffee beans or pluck flowers without any permission
Take care not to spoil the natural environment by littering it with plastics and other garbage. You may end up paying heavy fines.
Do not disturb the locals busy plucking. If you want to be a part of the bean plucking process, take necessary permission.

Shifting sands of Jodhpur

The sands of Rajasthan must have something special, the rugged countryside and hostile climate in some way have a role in toughening up Rajput mettle.

No other Indian state features a desert, the eastern most extension of the world’s largest arid region stops here. No- where else palaces are so elegant, a lot of them have been turned into star hotels though. Contacted a travel agent and planned a trip to Jodhpur .

The impressive Mehrangarh , its towers looming over the Blue City of Jodhpur offered a fine view . Around Mehrangarh’s base , the old city a clutter of blue cubes , extends to 10 km . It is the 16th century city wall. The name Blue city looks appropriate ! Most of the buildings here are painted blue. The city has a web of winding old streets.

They are the most mysterious walkways ever and beat your wit so much as to put you at places you have never imagined to be. Drift of aromas good and bad included fresh flowers, burning incense sticks and stopped up drains. Shops sell everything from trumpets and temple decorations to snuff and brocade.

Antiques are in plenty, the range of smoking hookas alone would leave you agape. The modern part of Jodhpur is just a fraction of a medieval city where high walled forts echo life connected with valor and legends born to be remembered by generations.

The city is a blend of history , art and cultural milestones impressing the visiting tourists. A popular hub,vibrant with life that would continue to be a source of making a living out of tourism for some .And a place of cultural passage for many . The western part of the city like Navchokiya, is more scenic . Rubble-strewn landscape seamlessly meeting limits of vision and relatively scanty crowd set you in a detachment from the mundane world.

We traveled through the Jodhpur city over a 4 day vacation covering the following:

Mehrangarh

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The construction materials were mined from the rock quarries close by. Administration of Mehrangarh is with the Royal family and the fort is rich in history. We entered the fort , spellbound by its sheer size and splendor. Very few trips can be as informative probing into the lives of Rajput kings.

Our guide spoke with authority and held us in rapt attention. From the Fort itself, the Blue City was clearly visible, a vista unparalleled and enchanting .Moving sea of tourists moved in and out. Plainly amazed at the architectural excellence echoed off every pillar and stone their cameras clicked non stop .

Mehrangarh Museum

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Moving on, I stopped at the Fort museum enclosed within the palace. The muddle of courtyards and halls had delicately carved stone work with stunning symmetry ending at sharp edges.The artwork was more like done in soft wood than in sandstone.

The exhibition centers at Srinagar Chowk (Anointment Courtyard) offered exquisite collection of ” Howdahs”(the seat on an elephant’s back ) and Jodhpur’s royal palanquin collection. The mode of transport was in tune with the status of people they carried. Those with blue blood lineage enjoyed luxury rides.

Mandore Gardens:

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Mandore, located 10 km north was the capital of Marwar before its strategic importance shifted to Jodhpur. Rock terraces and sacred edifices added to the beauty of the garden where troops of langurs went monkeying around. The garden is a graceful combination of patches of green and temples were chiseled with intricate design.

Dark red monoliths of Jodhpur rulers were installed. They watch in silence, their glance held the posterity who stared back at the statues with awe. Sometimes words aimed at statues come with a hint of ridicule as it was a mixed crowd of tourists with diverse taste and humor. A rickshaw ride to the Mandore gardens from Jodhpur center takes around ₹ 300. The ornate temples carry statues of human and animals in congress. What is obscene could be interpreted as a valuable piece of art. Strange are the ways the human mind works and stranger are the benchmark for a fair evaluation. The garden features a museum too; it is unique in its own way so far Rajput cultural sides are in spotlight.

Guides explained heirlooms and images in a non stop litany, keeping the visitors engrossed. It is a habit, turned resident in their streak,they can recite it anytime anywhere blindfolded.Continuous rehearsals never fail them in their profession.

Waterways along parts of the garden have been turned into morass of synthetic reeds making them favorite haunt of water birds, glowing bee eaters and buzzing dragon flies.

Umaid Bhawan Palace

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Umaid Bhawan palace had received a major coverage in my travel agents recommendation, so it is not to be missed. But the tourist’s access is restricted to only a part of the palace, a portion of it is the residence of the Royal family. A part has been converted into a hotel. We visited the palace and were bemused by its luxury.Fleet of vintage cars used by the Royal family was nice to watch. Machines from yesteryear’s stood in silence only to roar and take off at the turn of an ignition key.

Gaj Singh II resides in part of the hilltop palace, erected in 1929 for Maharaja Umaid Singh. Designed by the British architect Henry Lanchester, 3000 workers toiled for 15 years to finish the project. Project cost ran into ₹11 million. This magnificent edifice has more than 300 living rooms. A museum adjacent to the site looked interesting. It was an elucidating trip around a photo and artwork gallery.

What fascinated me most was an amazing collection of antique clocks. They have stopped breathing but continue to enchant the visitors with precision design details.

Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park:

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This 72 hectare open land, ideal for ecotourism and perched in the slope of Mehrangarh is a nice example of conservation of flora and fauna. Rich in biodiversity, the park carries numerous trails made by travelers and animals. Devkund Lake, a prime spot in the park is very popular, crowded with tourists for bird watching.

Besides migratory birds, a variety of reptiles and butterflies keep wildlife buffs occupied. We made it to the park when the sunlight was still soft. Our local guide was resourceful with good credentials. But we could not spot any animal. Otherwise, the park safari was exciting.

Absence of animal encounter was not frustrating at all as the guide kept us occupied with equally riveting eerie tales bordering on the supernatural. His stories were real and in desolate sands of Jodha Desert Rock as was claimed by him, you face strange incidents that do not offer an explanation.

Here stones whisper and winds throw up fire, air turns thick and uncanny feelings take over. To an atheist, the validity of such stories is open to question. But his tone of delivery at the fall of dusk,separated the spectral and the natural world by only a weak barrier. The region is a bed of 600 million years old volcanic rocks; it is all barren although not entirely void of life.

Jaswant Thada :
Overlooking a lake stands a marble tomb in tribute to Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. Just 1 km northeast of Mehrangarh, it is a showy masterpiece. A peaceful deviation from the bustling city rush that offered a fabulous glimpse of Rajput art. The monument was built back in 1899 featuring sculpted marble fretwork. The interior displays a row of oil on canvas. Portraits of Rathore Kings stare at you whatever angle you stand. You cannot escape their gaze.

This feeling mounts whenever you are alone in a one to one eye lock. The inside is immaculately conserved as you probe deeper into design, the magic turns more fascinating. It was unfolding slowly. The building is complete with antiquity and allows a breathtaking vista of the city through arched windows.

But something was amiss I could not figure out what it was. Then it popped in a wink. It was the portrait of Queens. There wasn’t a single female portrait. Was the route to Sati pyre easier than making it to the photo frame through a bureaucracy of male approvals?

Clock Tower
The famous Clock Tower had come a long way over a century since it was built. It is a unique location and talked about so often by pedestrians, cab drivers and two wheeler riders making it an important reference point in the city’s map.

Located close to the Sardar Market, the Clock Tower is a meeting place, its air a mixture of whiff, sound and glimpses of life pouring in and out of the market itself. On the way to clock tower, a line of sweet shops drew men and animals. While men paid, the cows were fed free as a token of charity.

Milk, the main ingredient can turn so tasty you won’t believe. Churned for hours in large cauldrons sitting on low fire frothy hot milk turns light saffron giving off sweetened rich flavor. Milk and sweets were sold on a frenetic pace. Sellers were happy with cash flow and buyers were happy as if they have just had ambrosia straight from heaven.

The market had gateways forming an arch, another signature design motif of Rajput architecture. From here, the twisty and broken roads radiate out in all directions reaching most of the landmarks of the Blue City. We moved west and reached a trading hub featuring separate sections for vegetables, spices, tobacco, utensils, wood , brass crafts and jewelry.

People young and old were busy in a potpourri of engagements. Some were too young, toddlers on an apprenticeship to the skills of walking. Some were way too old, wrinkles around eyebrows marking the number of years they have lived past. Strange flavor of water filtered tobacco smoke from hookkas filled the air. Long leisurely pull on the pipe and the facial wrinkles folded deeper into flesh !

Toorji Ka Jhalra
Located within a walking distance from the Clock Tower lies an ancient step well locally known as Baori or Jalra. Communal bathing formed a part of social custom as revealed by archaeological digs in many ancient civilizations.

Toorji Ka Jhalra however met irrigation needs here, fed by water aided by gravity along stone launders. Legend goes the ruler had decided to move the capital to higher altitude on hills fearing enemy attack. A curse fell warning famine, following shifting of capital. The need for a water reservoir to water the crops seemed necessary.

This architectural wonder had been a site of sheer neglect and used as a garbage disposal yard for years. Only recently it has received attention, renovated and turned into a tourist attraction. Toor ji ki Jalra is a visual treat today, we spent long hours in a cafe here gaping at the geometry. What a gifted mind can think of such a design and what hard toil can execute the physical part with meticulous wrap ! The coordination within the team must be perfect.

Fateh Pol
This super gate stands south-western side of Mehrangar Fort. It was erected by Maharaja Ajit Singh to celebrate victory over the Mughals. We approached Fateh Pol from Navchokiya side to avoid crowd. Once elephants stood guard at the gate.

They were the trusted giants who you cannot bribe to make an entry. Fateh Pol gate is impregnable, a reliable protection to residents inside. Here we had delicious paranthas and saabzi to sustain further travel for the day.

Chamundaji Temple

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A temple of goddess Durga Maa enclosed Her idol, the image is in all wrath , here the feminine force of shakti is immensely revered . It becomes a little hard to accept the same cult promoting burning of sati with her dead man on pyre. May be there are higher truths in life that make physical pain look insignificant ! However, life is more complex and its equations often contradict with what is apparently logical.

The temple yard was thick with tourists, Indians and foreigners enchanted by sublime overtones. Participation in chants obsessed the enthusiastic foreign tourists and entrance to the temple had a male – female divide for darshan.

Jodhpur camp sites

The best part was the last part and it was the popular Jodpur desert safari. We did it in Osian desert campsite, a night spent in a tent. It was a different kind of feeling in general and calling it just amazing won’t be a fair description.

Call it touching a congruence where exploring self finds an extension into wandering the vast ocean of barren nature. It is so vast that you and your pad are only a small micron of existence.

The evening camel ride in the dunes added to a new kind of feel. Had no previous experience of riding humped transporters fueled by super endurance. Unfortunately most of the dunes were gone, still whatever remained could hold you back for eternity.

Camps were complete with communal kitchen, toilet and a reception desk, tourist’s needs were answered well. Cabins and caravans were other staying options. Facilities included wifi connection too.

Sunset was spectacular and even stronger was the spell of folk music played under a starry night. Traditional musical instruments and the passion-driven high pitched tune were a source of bread in the backdrop of terrain, challenging and sterile.

Ambiance somewhat resembled a stage set from the Thuggee days except for the horrible curtain drop. It was just a thought in a flash. Nothing serious and nothing threatening. Folk singers performed late into night followed by candlelight sumptuous Rajasthani dinner .

Train bragging – Can this growing travel trend help in sustainable tourism

Karin waited at Goteborg train station deep in thought over the current publication of European Geographical Studies. She was trying to concentrate but a vein on her temple throbbed with fury. Not after a row with hubby Jan for overdone veal. Not even little Oliver’s poor grade in mathematics bothered her much. It was aimed at those dopes traveling by air. Could people be so irresponsible to environment!

Every flight leaves behind a trail of filth gently settling down over the city. Each whit of carbon finds a way into lungs making pulmonary disorders a Swedish household malady. People should be traveling by train for a reason and it is strong enough to offset their craving for air travel. In fact, brief flights are more injurious to environment than the long haul ones. Emission of 250 gm of Co2 for every passenger-kilometer should book everyone on board to the crime of homicide. It is utter neglect of the surrounding air, shutting your senses to burning environmental issues where distances below 500 kilometers could easily be done by train.

Boarding the green rail

Hi-tech Swedish trains are a green and pollution free option to travel and could reach you faster.
For a comparison, long haul flights looked less damaging. They spewed gas, estimates kind of averaged out at 110 per passenger -kilometer. It is an offense against humanity,after all, length of flight is only an excuse.

Night train to Ljungby arrived in stilly mode shortly as smooth as a knife through butter. Europe is way too fast and modern in infrastructure. Technological strides have been very big and acoustics have been brilliant, you can hear a pin drop. Karin collected her luggage, buttoned up her fur coat at the collar and boarded her steps had a clear sense of purpose. At least she had done her bit, changing traveling habits of those airborne morons isn’t her business.

Train bragging, the growing travel trend

Green travel is spreading fast. ‘Tagskryt ‘ also known as train bragging is the new rage in Europe. Who would bother to fly and pollute the environment with carbon emissions when an alternate means exist? Train bragging is a national pride among Swedish commuters as much as their aversion linked to ‘Flygskam’ or flight shame is quite strong.

Trains run on electricity with almost no carbon footprints. Besides they are far cheaper modes of travel less painful on your wallet. The most powerful debate in favor of train travel is its ability to deliver access to natural panorama.

Ample scope of exploring landscape and nature in its raw form exists in train journeys. A definite form of wellness travel is guaranteed in train travel as against the long formal waiting time at airport terminals contributing to stress. Lengthy customs checking, jetlags and soaring prices of air tickets may be going against air travel.

Damage to air quality is the Achilles heels of airlines. Flight shaming arising out of environmental concerns may soon force fleets of aircraft to stay grounded. Unless environmental issues are resolved by use of eco-friendly bio-fuels, the planes would find it hard to get an air-connection.

Rolling the wheels of train bragging

Sustainable travel trends of 2020 would certainly see more people opting for train travel instead of flying. Do we see a similar situation outside Europe? We will investigate this area later.
It all started in Sweden when a 16 year old student Greta Thunberg went up in arms against air travel. She is one of the most vocal climate activists practicing her convictions instead of preaching dos and don’ts.

Personal involvement is far effective when influencing mass opinion.
Her target of raising consciousness about the impact of air travel on climate was achieved in a two week trip around Europe most of it by train. Later she did a solar-powered yacht trip to the US and Chile from Plymouth, England on a climate seminar. The flight shame movement in Sweden is fast gaining ground ever since Thunberg stepped into the scene.

Relationship between frequent flights and the falling quality of atmosphere wasn’t a new find. It was there with voices of protest coming up from different quarters. However, it lacked in force and thoroughness until the little girl Thunberg took up the challenge. Fighting the demon of global warming is already a stressful project, now pollutants released by flights have taken a new bend aggravating the issue.

Sensing alarm for the flying industry?

Studies reveal there would be a drop in growth of the US air travel from 2.1 % to 1.3 % which is alarming for the aircraft production industry. Order booking numbers for both Airbus and its competitor Boeing would slump by 110 every year. These companies would take the hit of falling revenues as predicted by the bankers to the tune of € 2.8 billion annually. Flight shaming movement would be a clear threat to Airbus’ reputation that has controlled a market segment of 57 %.

Is Train bragging catching up beyond Europe?

Responsible travel is the watchword as if saying goodbye to planes would add a fresh lease of life to planet earth. Flight aversion is not a growing cult in Sweden alone climate consciousness it is spreading fast to neighboring nations too. Studies by the Union Bank of Switzerland reveal a sharp downward trend in flying habits and instead, train trips are endorsed.

A sample survey of 6000 folks across Germany, France, UK and US interviewed, disclose a 21% drop in air travel records over last year. Just 16 % of British interviewees admitted they weren’t flying any longer but 24% of Americans still couldn’t shake off flight addiction. A big blow is coming up for aircraft makers as UBS has announced its fears about future of air travel. Airtravel across the European Union would register a growth of 1.5% only annually against a forecast of 3%. Flight shaming movement looks like it’s going to put the airlines business to doom anytime soon.

Sustainable travel is a prime target in travel plans bringing green travel in focus. Among people moving from London to Scotland, train bragging is clearly visible. Commuters look keen on washing away carbon footprints as well as onus together opting out of air trips.
If flight shaming has started digging the grave, train bragging has ceremoniously been hammering in the nails into the coffin where the prospect of airline industry lie.

Ditching the sky

The source of the phrase ‘flight shame’ is traced to Swedish singer Staffan Lindberg’s decision to stop traveling on plane. The vision of damage to climate has shaken him up pretty much. Carbon emissions from flying planes are equated with smoking. It is as offensive a habit if not more. The latter is confined to personal health hazard which is a matter of choice though not advised for sure. But the former is far more universal and is encroaching into a domain that you have no right to harm.

Across the globe the trend of cutting down on air travel has gone conspicuous. Environmental awareness is transmitting fast, perhaps faster than the planes themselves. In Europe, 21 % flyers admitted that they won’t go up again in air in future trying to put an end to their contribution to air-pollution. For a contrast, there is every reason for train riders to celebrate their carbon neutral travel choices. They are cleaner, greener and as quick for short distances. Train bragging would rule the future of travel it seems.

So we have a glimpse of future world where airplanes are banished to hangers. They stand idle with folded wings awaiting an inglorious fate for onward demolition and sale of parts for alternate consumption as scrap. People will cut down on flights to meetings; they would take the train instead. They may opt for videoconferencing altogether instead of flying to a meeting for the sake of a greener environment. I am afraid this sustainable travel would come at a price and travel time will be the first casualty.

Flight shaming – Not always the right path

Now are we talking about all kinds of air travel including vacation trips and serious urgent hauls which if missed may end in loss? Climate poisoning simply doesn’t analyze if it is caused by flying holiday makers or by patients being carried by air -ambulance to specialty clinics. So whatever fractional gain in environmental health achieved by saying no to planes could be annulled by lengthy train journeys failing passengers in their commitments.

Emergencies for medical reasons are more important than climate conscious movements leading to aircraft boycott. Urgent dispatch of the sick and victims of an accident to hospitals is a case in point. At least for long trips, reaching destination fast can save a life. Trips by air done in an hour would be dragged to more than a day by train.

Duration matters

Will this option for carbon neutral travel make good the losses arising from overall delay in life?
Flight shaming or train bragging whichever angle you see the trend of travel is a radical shift. Deteriorating quality of atmosphere from smoke pumped from aircraft is mostly an obsession with the European travelers. The chief reason is geographical. From one end of a country to the other travel options don’t make much difference in time gained or lost countries being small. Even movement from one country to other within Europe is just a few hours away. Two extreme ends of Europe, Denmark and Italy could connect in less than 5 hours by train.

For that matter, high speed train connects Paris and Luxembourg in little over 2 hours. You can travel by train while enjoying the scenic beauty and ensure you are not ruining the ecosystem. The entire Europe features a manageable size where you go places by train and still not lose out on important time schedules.

For other continents like the Americas, Asia and the Down Under, their sheer size would make end to end train travels a time consuming affair. The size of the countries included are large enough what to talk about continents! In Africa, the terrain is inhospitable and the run is along wilds inhabited mostly by dangerous big fives.

Train travel would be far too risky even if the tracks are laid. Railway infrastructure in other parts of the world still does not catch up with European standards to guarantee a smooth and speedy travel. So doing a leisurely train journey in vast countries like Russia, China, Brazil and India would mean staying away from work for a length of time just not affordable.

In Sweden, the employment policies are relaxed making long train journeys possible. Swedes enjoy a minimum of 25 government mandate days of paid annual leaves in addition to normal holidays. So long train trips staying away from workplace isn’t a big deal. For a comparison, the US incumbent policies are more stringent offering no paid vacations. Doing long train journeys is simply not possible it would lead to loss of pay.

As inference for most parts of the world, flight shaming is more of finding a scapegoat rather than locating appropriate sources of air pollution. Cement and concrete producing plants contribute to a substantial proportion of Co2 poisoning of atmosphere. Why isn’t a movement coming up in any part of the world to explore possibilities of more eco-friendly cement alternatives?

Sustainable tourism is limited in train bragging

In all probabilities, train bragging doesn’t sound sacrosanct. It is not a solution to keep atmospheric pollution under control in one hand and meeting travelers demands on the other. A number of conflicting targets concerning travel and its impact on climate need a tradeoff. Outright vilification of a specific mode of travel and glorification of another mode is not a fair answer.

Whatever may be the result of efforts made to free the atmosphere from carbon clog, Thunberg’s endeavor is commendable. Her tender age and her deficiency in motor coordination could not place a barrier to her efforts. It is like throwing down the gauntlet outright no matter how far she succeeds in her mission. At least she has given a dedicated try.