It’s a Woman’s World!

When my friend and I began travelling together; way back in 2017, the people we’d meet during our trips were the usual- couples, families or mixed groups of students. We never, ever came across another odd pair like us. We didn’t really stick out like sore thumbs since we were firmly middle-aged, self- sufficient and genuinely enjoyed visiting new places. The fact that we were a couple of ‘senior’ ladies travelling by ourselves sometimes even worked in our favour. When we visited Coorg, the cab we got for 3 days was commandeered by the co-owner of the company- a very pleasant and knowledgeable young man. The drives around Coorg were so enjoyable because it was like being taken around by a friend. And it was all arranged for us by the owner of the home-stay where we were putting up.

Cut to 2022 and during our recent visit to Konkan, we realised with glee that times are changing where women and travel are concerned.

We had made a pit stop en route for breakfast and the always-needed washroom break. There was a large group at the table next to us but we didn’t really pay attention. Then I ran into one of the ladies in (but of course!) the washroom. We smiled at each other and exchanged the usual where are you going/where have you come from kind of pleasantries. The lady informed me that they were a group of relatives- sisters, cousins and offspring travelling together. ‘We’re all sisters” she added. “We have dumped all the menfolk at home!” This was accompanied by a wide grin and said with some amount of relish. We observed that the only male members in this group were a couple of young boys. Oh, and the driver of the mini-van they had hired. Unavoidable, I suppose!

Zoom in next to the home stay where we had booked a room for a couple of days. At http://thekokumtree we met another group of ladies; not relatives but colleagues. Three were retired, and the youngest one who wasn’t; was accompanied by her two school-going daughters. An interesting cross-section of generations travelling together! They had driven all the way across from another state to be there. It was an unexpected coming together of women of different ages, belonging to different regions and speaking different languages. Yet, we had a wonderful time exchanging news and views. Like us, these ladies too enjoyed going on trips together. They were warm, friendly and their joie de vivre was infectious. And boundless. To all you working women out there- I recommend you travel the world with like-minded friends once you retire. There can be no better way of enjoying this phase of life. In fact, don’t even wait that long.

To conclude- what made this trip even more unique was the home stay itself. And here’s why:

• It was started by two young women who left their busy working lives in the city in exchange for a simpler but more enriching life in the lap of nature.
• The farm on which they created this experiential home stay was owned by their grandmother. It was she who had planted all the fruit trees that flourished in that orchard. All 5 acres of it.
• The staff at the home stay was all-female. These were women from neighbouring villages who took care of the place and dished out the most delectable meals. The only male was the young handyman. Again, unavoidable. Men too have their uses!
• My favourite: the two resident indies Kookie and Misu were also female! And they were an affectionate but extremely well-behaved pair. They accompanied us on our strolls through the farm, sat with us at meal times and were usually found dozing in the shade of the verandah. (There was also a resident crocodile we glimpsed at the far end of a pond on the property. I wonder if it was also female. That would round things off nicely!)

In a society like ours where single women and women travellers are more of an exception than the norm, it was refreshing to come across these little pockets where change is taking place. It is even more satisfying to be a part of this change. Here’s to more women travelling solo and in groups. Here’s to more places run by women for women. And here’s to CHANGE!