Stuck at home for long amid pandemic, Keralites take up travelling with a vengeance

KOCHI: Cooped up in their homes for months due to the pandemic and subsequent lockdown, several Keralites are now taking up travelling with a vengeance. However, instead of visiting places that are on every tourists’ map, most people, especially young couples and those with kids, are opting for far-off and less-visited destinations.

One such traveller is Harikrishnan, who is in the IT sector in Bengaluru. For him and his family, life was tough when the pandemic began. “We found ourselves completely cut off from family back home in Kerala. My wife was pregnant and we had no one to turn to for help after her delivery,” he said. “Also, we missed the joys of occasional sprints to the outskirts and community meet-ups.

Once the lockdown restrictions were lifted and we returned to my home place in Thiruvananthapuram, we found some flexibility to keep exploring the neighbourhood. The elders in the family were concerned and it made us want to show them that safe travel was possible,” he said. However, Harikrishnan, a core team member of FINDERS (Ford INDia Endeavour owners), decided to go to remote destinations. “Uluppuni, one of the riskiest trail in Kerala and off-roaders’ paradise,” he said.

“No hotel bookings were made prior. We knew we were going to meet a few resort owners and planters during our meet-up and that’s it,” said Harikrishnan, who was accompanied by his wife and kids – the youngest being a six-month-old – on the trip. According to Roopa George, an entrepreneur, more and more people are going out and planning trips.

“During a recent trip to Vagamon with my husband, I was surprised to see many young couples and their young children at the resort I was staying in,” she said. “Upon interacting with them, I came to know that being cooped up in their homes with kids for six long months has been a very trying experience for the young parents and all of them wanted a break,” said Roopa.

Geethu Mohandas, founder, LetsGoForACamp, agreed. “While more families are venturing out, they are opting for uncharted destinations as those are less crowded,” she said. However, such travel plans are being made by those in the upper-middle and elite classes. “Not everyone can afford booking resorts, go on long drives in their own vehicles and get every equipment for the trip. Still, people are planning trips,” she said. “Earlier, they would book vehicles for picnics.

Now, they are only going out with immediate family members. Not even friends are included. They plan a day’s trip and even pack food,” said Geethu. She said things are changing in these unpredictable times. “We planned a camping event this month for a women-only group and every slot has been filled,” said Geethu. She said the tourism industry hopes for things to get better after December.