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With summer in the midst of us all, young adults are packing their bags and heading to the usual vacation spots, but a few are looking for something new and different.

Take Aditya P. for example. This graduate has just finished giving his CAT and is heading to the Andaman Islands with his friends for a well deserved two-week vacation. What prompted him to choose the Andaman’s for a retreat? “It’s an amazing place, and it’s not a part of mainland India. Not many people can say that they’ve been there. It has a terrific history of its own and a unique culture. I would like to pay a visit to those tsunami-hit places. It’s so detached from the outside world, I don’t think that the commercial aspect has set in yet, like in most other places. Also I was trying to consciously avoid going to the clichéd holiday destinations, so I guess this is an out-of-the-box idea.”
But others are clinging to their long cherished vacation spots. Priyanka B., 17, recently went to Alibaug, a small beach town a ferry ride away from Mumbai. She went for a three-day trip with a group of friends, where she and stayed at a friend’s bungalow. “The best part is that it was unchaperoned so we really had a good time. It’s always a fun place to go to because there’s so much to do and see. But my friend’s parents did keep a domestic helper to keep an eye on us. Now the five of us are planning a trip to Goa, but they want to send one of the girl’s grandmothers with us. We’re planning to ditch her at the bungalow, so we can have fun,” she giggles.
Karan Taurani, a 19-year-old goes to the hill station Lonavala at least twice a year and simply loves it. “Since I’m working now, it’s the perfect destination. I can go and return in a day, the weather is always nice, the air is fresh and clean, you can go go-karting or horseback riding, try out different places to eat. It doesn’t matter if I go with friends or family, I always have a good time.”

DEVEN KANAL
The Asian Age