The confidence she wore

Even though we have started acknowledging women’s capabilities in all spheres of life, we still live in a man’s world where women have to fight more battles to stand in par with her male counterparts. The most incredible thing about women is her ability to grow with the challenges thrown at her. She is like a phoenix bird who could rise from its own ashes and fly to pinnacles.

#HerstoryAndItsHerTime is about featuring women entrepreneur stories or anything that’s followed by her passion. Here comes the second in the series:

Before you plan a trip with your clients, how do you research the destinations?

We primarily work with established home stays, heritage places and boutique hotels. Research about the property online and collect information based on that reach out to the hosts have a conversation with them. We also do a recce (test visit) to the destination and build a rapport with the hosts.

What advice would you give to a woman who is still hesitant to do a solo trip? A trip without their friends or family protection.

Not advice, just a suggestion 🙂 Try something out of your comfort zone. If travelling alone in India worries you, do exactly that, because that might open up an entirely new perspective for you. It will also help build confidence, courage and curiosity.

How do you get out of your own way of difficult moments?

Yes, we can be our own enemy at times of difficulty. Wallowing in self-pity doesn’t have a history of helping anyone 🙂 During travel, it becomes even more important to act rather than be pitiful towards self, because when contingency strikes, an action is the only antidote to wriggling out of the difficult situation. Awareness, mindfulness, and courage can help a solo woman traveller find her way around and face adversity on the road, I believe.

During your travel days, have you found someone really interesting/admirable?

Several people! I don’t think I can zero in on anyone, because it will be unfair to the others. Many interesting people I met, during the trips that have played a role in making me a better person at the end of the trip, so I am very grateful!

What’s the greatest challenge you’ve faced while you plan a trip for women and what are the safety lines you sketch?

Our experience with our personal travels and organizing trips for many years professionally help us in anticipating problem areas and eliminating them. However, travel is intangible. During our trips. we have faced landslides, protests, curfews etc. And the best way it always works is by instructing the travellers to stay calm while we sort things out.
We have a lot of safety measures in place.
Our safety checks are listed below (and not restricted to this list):
1. We work mostly with family run places which adds a great layer of safety.
2. We do a lot of research on the places we choose, based on several criteria.
3. We do test visits to qualify the destination.
4. Safety is also in numbers so we do encourage group travel.
5. We are available on call and we remotely hand hold during the trip for solo women travellers who book with us.
6. We sensitize our drivers to be respectful to the ladies. We also ensure that they don’t drink during the trip.

One of your all-time favourite travel destination?

Sikkim! Clean state, stable government, warm people, incredible hospitality, great cultural significance. Undoubtedly, my favourite Indian destination for more reasons than one.