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Travel: Seek, and ye shall find
For the best experiences when you travel, vow to be an explorer, not just a tourist. That’s how you can make the most of it
Ditch the beaten path and set the trail yourself. This is the principle that governs both my professional and personal life, and it has usually brought me success and happiness. So, when it comes to travel, I stick to this principle. I set off to discover a modest town or a sun-kissed island still untouched by the jaws of commercial tourism.
In India, we generally tend to consider European countries as summer holiday destinations. However, southern Europe is at its best in spring (March-May) or autumn (September-October). The Mediterranean summer is often hotter than the tropical Indian summer and air-conditioning is not to be taken for granted here. If you saw the latest season of the popular series Emily in Paris, in which her sweating French colleague explains that “the body should naturally acclimatise to the seasons,” you will understand what I face when I’m frantically turning on the air-conditioning at home in Italy or complaining in restaurants about the heat while my Italian family huddles at the other end, scared of catching a cold. Cultural differences exist even in such matters!
Discovery of Procida
Last month, we spent a couple of days on the stunning island of Procida, a gem known only to the people of southern Italy. I call it the country cousin of the more famous Capri as it lies right next to it, but has not been as glamourised and commercialised as much as the better-known island. Instagram addicts: this is where you want to head for those #nofilter selfies.
We hopped onto one of the regular ferries from Naples port. A quick and peaceful 30 minutes across the Bay of Naples, and we were welcomed by a mesmerising skyline of church steeples and pastel-coloured houses on hills. Two beautiful days were spent walking around the sun-drenched island, exploring the narrow cobblestone streets, stopping ever so often for a caffè or gelato break. A coffee would turn into a long chat with the café owner, or the kids would start playing with the kids at the next table and not want to leave. This is where life slows down and allows you to enjoy the pleasure of doing nothing. As the Italians like to say “dolce far niente”(pleasant idleness).
Procida was originally a fishermen’s outpost and even today, that is the principal occupation of its inhabitants. Colourful fishing boats adorn the coastline, some docked and some laden with the generous bounty of the sea. As a seafood lover, I gorged on some fabulous dishes where the freshest of seafood was cooked to perfection, washed down with a chilled glass of Falanghina—one of the best wines of southern Italy. We even had a go at some fishing, caught a few little ones and were rather excited about it. Well, what do you expect of city folks who live the usual city life?
Walk into a church as the bell chimes at noon, climb the hills to various points to enjoy the view of the magnificent Mediterranean, enjoy a cocktail as the sun goes down or walk around the ruins of an old fort reliving its history. Procida is where you will be welcomed as a guest and not ripped off as a tourist. This is where you can connect with people and soak in the local culture and lifestyle ,and maybe even learn a few sing-song words of Italian from the cute guy (or girl) in the cafe rather than being bombarded with every other language from the hordes of tourists that usually invade the more popular parts of Italy.
Hot pools in cold weather
In South India, we head to beautiful Kerala to enjoy its many Ayurvedic spa retreats which focus on the goodness of the local medicinal herbs and oils. Europe, too, has a similar offering of wellness vacations thanks to its multitude of natural thermal springs with healing powers. Thermal baths are hot water baths abundant in minerals, popular since the Greek and Roman eras.
Recently, my husband and I headed off for a couple of days to a thermal spring area called Contursi near the town of Salerno. You can club this with a trip to the Amalfi coast and Naples; there are several spa resorts to pick from. We stayed at the Hotel Capasso, a mid-range hotel offering excellent spa facilities, nestled amidst the hills and enveloped in tranquillity.
While I am fortunate to not have any specific ailments to treat as yet, I definitely felt light and fresh due to better blood circulation, and my skin was glowing thanks to all the natural clay. Even if you are not a spa buff, the experience of relaxing in a bubbling hot pool engulfed in mist while it is freezing—or even snowing—outside is surreal. We loved the hydro-massages from the water fountains of varied temperatures and pressures. Bright neon lights and music added a fun ‘party’ ambience in the late evening. And no, we did not catch a cold as some of you may be wondering.
Long walks, breathing in fresh air, reading and reflecting, made this a perfect detox trip. Oh, and be prepared to sleep lots and wake up looking like sunshine, as these hot pools are natural tranquilisers, forcing your overworked self to switch off!
Saturnia is a gorgeous thermal spring near Rome and there are several others in the Alpine region of northern Italy. Next on our list are the famous thermal spas of Southern Germany.
While you may not head to Italy, do take the road less travelled in any country you go to. You never know what treasure you might find. Ditch the glitzy hotels and stay in a cosy bed and breakfast or farmstay hosted by a lovely family. One of my ‘foodie’ rules is to avoid the restaurants on the main squares and promenades and stroll down the narrow side streets—that is where you will find authentic flavours and hidden gems as that is where the local people eat.
Seek and ye shall find. Let’s be ‘explorers’ and not just travellers. The returns can be priceless.
Natasha Celmi is a chef and food writer. She is the author of the award winning cookbook, Fast Fresh Flavourful. Her mantra is Smart Cooking: minimal effort, maximum flavour using fresh local produce.
From HT Brunch, April 16, 2022
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