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ShareIncreasing disposable income, imaginative schemes and great discounts are all bringing about a big revolution in senior travel in India. Radhika Raj reports.
Feet teetering on cliff edges, gloved fingers on cold ice and a 10kg rucksack on his back -- Sadashiv Parekar was slowly gaining on the Gulap Kangri peak (19,750 ft) in Leh-Ladakh. The climb was steep -- stretching endlessly into the sky. Suddenly, his crampons (spiked footwear that gives you the grip in ice) snapped and he dropped 20 ft. "If it wasn't for the fixed rope, I would've dropped another 2000 ft," he says. After being suspended in mid-air at 18,000 ft, one would expect Parekar to return back to his camp. But he didn't. He surprised his fellow climbers by being amongst the first few to conquer the peak. Great story, one would say. More so because Parekar is not your average peak climber - he is 71 years old.
Parekar hasn't conquered anything below 10,000 feet in the past few years. Many refuse to believe that he started climbing only when he was close to retirement. "Age was never a problem for me, and I learnt to conquer fear eventually. It is my knee that has started troubling me." Parekar is an arthritis patient but with regular medical guidance, he continues to climb. An active member of the non-profit Explorers And Adventurers group, Parekar leads a number of excursions, often providing support to twenty-somethings. He constantly urges his retired friends to come along. "You can start trekking at any age. I have taken 70-year-olds with me and they have done just fine. But it isn't like you can do it without a few falls, you know," he says with a glint in his eye and pulls up his sleeve to proudly show off some fresh bruises.
If roughing it up on mountains and scaling peaks is not your style, travel the D'Abreo way. "We were always fond of travelling, but children and work kept us busy in our middle age. After retirement, we were thrilled to find so much time on our hands -- we just packed our suitcases and set off," says Pamela D'Abreo, 68. After retirement, the couple has travelled to Europe, Singapore, Australia, America and Mauritius. And trust them to come back with a whole bunch of photographs and tales to tell. One of the most memorable tales is from their Europe tour.
"Our passports were stolen and we were stranded. Things got worse when we heard there was a bomb blast in London. It was the 7th July blast. Finally, we had to leave and come back. We lost most of our money," says Grenville D'Abreo, 69. But things turned out quite differently once they came back. The airfare was returned and a distant friend who heard their story sponsored another trip to Europe. "It is amazing how things worked out. We never thought we would go back to Europe within a year's time," chimes D'Abreo.
D'Abreos are not the only ones who have started travelling in their twilight years. Industry experts believe that this is a rising trend. Leading tour organisers like Kesari and SOTC have specially designed tours for senior citizens. "Senior citizens are emerging as a new promising segment. People aged 55 and above can often take advantage of senior travel discounts to save money.Our 'Forever Young Package' have received more than 400 bookings this year and we plan to double this number by next year," said Frederick Divecha, senior vice president, marketing, SOTC. Kesari Tours' specially designed tour for seniors -- 'Second Innings' includes lesser travelling hours, longer stays at adestination and a doctor on board.
However, not everybody is fond of a guided tour. Fifty-seven-year-old Jitendra Shah likes to do things a little differently. Instead of plush hotels and room service, he prefers tents and campfires. Shah is now an integral part of the Mocha Backpacker Club. "Last time we went to Nashik to a wine factory, at midnight, few of us decided to go trekking. The challenge was to do so without flashlights. At two in the night, we reached a nearby hill and stretched under the moonlight. What an experience it was! I would've never done this on a guided tour," he says.
Guided tours, adventures trips or plain camps-- today there are a variety of options to choose from. "I am saving up for the future, too. I plan to travel extensively over the next few years. There is no such thing as a senior traveller. A traveller is a traveller, at 16 or 60," adds Shah.
