For someone who has recently retired from active professional service, my father’s primary retirement plans involve travelling, and then some more travelling.
Everyone in our family is a travel enthusiast, which I believe comes from father – for each one of us is ever ready to hop on the car, auto-rickshaw, bus, train and flight to be somewhere. Like Stevenson said, ‘ The great affair is to move,’ and that’s the maxim we all follow – to travel, to be out as often, as regularly as we can. It’s like we all are born with a travelling soul that keeps compelling us to always be on the move.
 |
| ‘The great affair is to move.’ |
And now with the holiday season just around the corner, the household again is abuzz with sundry travel plans and half cooked itineraries, with random travel brochures competing with home delivery food menus from the neighboring restaurants for space on the dining table.
So where to this year? Everybody is making plans. Brother says London, while mother wants a relaxed sojourn in Himachal. Himachal in winters? It’s not a good option for the elderly susceptible to recurring joint pains, the bones would freeze and would refuse to budge – her idea is squashed. The family has been to London already so brother’s suggestion is left dangling for the time being. It’s time to see a new place, experience a new culture, feast on new cuisines – it’s my turn to throw an idea, I take my chance.
‘Let’s go Greece! I saw some amazing packages on Yatra.com the other day. It has got everything – lakes, mountains, beaches, architectural marvels and museums. Plus the country has such vast history behind it!’ Curiosity is piqued. Everyone knows from the different travel TV channels that Greece is pretty scenic, and the many Bollywood movies have confirmed it too. ‘Let’s check out Greece!’ the excited chorus goes.
 |
| Going Greece! |
So Greece it is! And the onerous responsibility of planning the trip and charting out the itinerary has been assigned to me. We all know that planning a holiday outside of the country is a daunting task, what with all kinds of visa formalities and other paperwork, besides the befuddling task of finalizing the places to see and things to do, as the choices are almost endless! But I am unfazed by the responsibility, for I know there are travel experts who are there to help me ensure that the trip I plan for my family is as much fun to execute as it is to day dream about. And for all the help and smooth execution of my travel plans, I turn to Yatra.com.
Why Yatra.com, you might wonder. The thing is that I had been eyeing the tempting Greek holiday packages at Yatra.com for a few days now. The website has some fabulous tailor made packages to suit the taste, time limitations and budget of all kinds of travellers. Since I was looking for something that involved a laid back tour of Greece, one package that really caught my fancy was a 7 night deal that had an addition of two islands – Mykonos and Santorini along with the tour of the capital Athens. Plus, the package being a customizable one, it gave me the option of rescheduling my flights and travel plans as I wanted – a plus when you are travelling with elderly family members!
 |
| Greece Tour all sorted! |
We work almost the year round, saving up on office holidays and cash to go on that much awaited family vacation, and now that my vacation time is here, I want it to be a good break away from the routine, spent having fun with my family. And this package highlight ensures that my family of history buffs has a rollicking time admiring the Hadrian’s Arc, St. Paul’s Church, and the Acropolis Museum, besides taking in the grandeur and beauty of Panathinaiko Stadium, the Prime Minister’s Residence, the Ex Royal Palace, the National Garden and several other exotic names mentioned in the must-see list!
And what do I say about the tantalizing beauty of Santorini Island with its pristine beaches and the luxury liners parading on its azure waters! Many say that there is a certain magnetism about Santorini, that leaves the visitors yearning for more of its beauty and charm. How fascinating it would be to experience that magnetism!
The Greek tour package that I have opted for my family has everything taken care of – right from the hotel accommodation to the various other site seeing and travelling details! So much so, that whatever big or small detail I had missed, like the medical insurance and the visa fees was taken care of by the helpful customer support staff at the Yatra.com lounge that I visited.
 |
| Inviting landscape |
I have had a super fun time planning this family vacation. The thoughtfulness and precision that has gone into it will undoubtedly make it one of the happiest trips I have made with my family. You too can plan your own happy holidays with detailed guidance from Yatra.com, an expert at creating happy travellers!
Photo Courtesy: Yatra.com
