Travel creates a great bonding experience for the family because that is the time when you become a team. When at home, we certainly share a roof however; we all are stuck in our own routine. There’s hardly a time to hold conversations, and weekends exhaust in a blink. Thanks to Family Vacations! We all can cuddle up and share stories.
In a candid interview with Adotrip, Shamsuddin Jasani, nicknamed Shams, sheds light upon his travel mantra, love for family and craving for food. Also, he shared an excerpt that taught him the true essence of life. Excited! Scroll down to read more.
: You must have travelled around the globe, what makes India unique from rest of the world?
India is the mother of history, grandmother of legends and great-grandmother of traditions –it’s a cradle of the human race. Myriad languages, countless religions, melting pot of cultures -India has everything to offer. A land of Palaces and Maharajas, Tribes and Nomads; these contrasting folks thrive together to reflect India as the most embracing country in the world map. Being the most distinct and fascinating place for any travel enthusiast, India is a place that cannot be explored in one go. I am myself trying to cover India in bits and pieces and that certainly fuels my impulse to see every big and small place here. Every trip in this land is like a new discovery!
: You must have travelled in your childhood as well, one memory that connects you to your roots?
Aah! Those good old childhood memories attached with Panchgani holds a special place in my heart. Revisiting those lingering golden days keeps me connected with my roots. Almost 35 people from my clan used to nest together in Panchgani for about a month. It was a ritual that we followed for 12 consecutive years. This small hill station with a breathtaking backdrop of hills and coastal plain is about 7 to 8 hrs drive from Mumbai, easy and centralized for all of us. What a wonderful time t’was? I miss that family vacation even today.
Heaven is a state of mind that is not confined to location since spirit lies in embarking upon a sentimental sojourn with your family.
: A moment whilst travelling when you felt ‘nothing is far’?
You can do all bizarre things when you are a bachelor. It was back in the year 2000 when I and my cronies were watching a movie. As the movie got over, we made an impromptu plan of travelling to Goa with whatever money we had in our pocket. Travelling with very little money had been altering in a way that we learned how people live, cook, eat, survive and still could afford to be happy. This trip taught me that all that matters in life is courage and so long you are surrounded by good friends, you can have a great deal of pleasure. Travel is never a matter of money but of courage. Go experience that nothing is far!
Life perhaps would be boring if you don’t have crazy stories to share with your children.
: India is vast and many of us still have a lot to venture. Share about a destination that is on your bucket list?
Northeast India is on my bucket list. The paradise known as seven sister states and one brother state; it’s a magnanimous chunk of India that cannot be covered in one vacation. I have set a target to tick off a few destinations from the northeast before the year ends. I have virtually travelled places in the northeast by reading about them in blogs. The scenic splendors, hair raising adventures and plethora of local food are calling me for a while now. Darjeeling, Gangtok and Pelling in Sikkim are my dream destinations. Shillong and Cherrapunji in Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram; I wish to see them all.
Mark the place that pops up first in your mind and start planning for it.
: What is your Travel mantra?
My Travel mantra is simple; I am pretty sorted that way. Since I have five-year-old kiddo, my first priority is to target fun activities for my kid to enjoy. Then I look for the variety of food to satiate my cravings. I prefer places that can offer delectable cuisines. And then, it’s about lots of relaxation. I keep super busy all through. So when I take a break, I use this time to bond with my family. Sharing and hearing stories are always a delightful affair, this indeed is the most fulfilling feeling that can’t be put in words.
We do get Wi-Fi connections in big cities but we stay deprived of real-time connections.
: What are a few things you keep in mind before finalizing your vacation?
I always self-curate my trips; I love to own my itinerary. I am a big time foodie, so I make sure to know about the local cuisines of the place. Selecting a destination primarily depends on our mood and mutual consent. I prioritize the kind of experiences that can be gathered from a place and I usually skip the peak season. Experiencing the Rann of Kutch in December has been one of the finest experiences of my life. Apart from enjoying the scenic vistas of pristine white sand and tranquil blue sky meeting at the horizon, I also cherished the slight isolation that drifted me away from the brimming city life.
: Do you prefer to stay in an exotic hotel in the bustling city or a quaint resort on the outskirts?
Quaint resorts on the outskirts are always my pick because I come from a city where life swarms with innocent monsters. Thronging streets, bustling traffic on roads, abundant work commitments - Mumbai gives you everything but time. Having travelled to plenty of cities for work, my leisure trips therefore differ strikingly. Ditching city life for a few days to get these quite moments in backwoods helps me to recoup and redress. Also, as I get scanty of time with my family, so the whole idea behind a vacation is to spend as much time with them.
Time spent together is far more precious than your to-do list.
Rapid Fire
: Travelling solo, with your family or friends
Family. I love to spend time with my family.
: An Indian dish everyone must try
Fish curry in Kerala
: Describe India in one word
Colorful
: Travel for you is
Relaxing
: 3 Travel Essentials
Food, Chilling, Fun
: An exquisite souvenir you bought
Kaju Feni from Goa. I find it exquisite and worth a try.
: Google Maps or Local folks
Google Maps for sure.
: Travel Guide or Travel Blogs
Travel Blogs always. To know real-life experiences and travel stories.
: Favorite Festival
Diwali, festival of lights.
Situations
: If you have a choice of planning a vacation free of cost with our circuit planner or to shell off money with a travel agent, what would you choose?
Circuit Planner. Not to save money but my vacations, I shove off a standard commercial package.
: If you wish to travel somewhere that is not known to you but you find it worth visiting by reading one of our blogs, would you go ahead and book for that place?
I read a lot of travel blogs. Most of my trips are driven by the kind of connection that I develop by reading a blog. To me connect with the place is pivotal. So yes, I go by the information in the blogs.
: If you boarded the flight already and you realize you left your mobile phone at home, what would you do?
Going back home is not my kind of thing. Without much ado, I would go ahead with the trip. My life mantra is that the shit happens, and just when you start to congratulate yourself on surviving your dose of shit, you discover that the line is actually circular and we all have to find a way out.
: If you get 15 days off from your busy corporate life, which part of India would you like to cover and why?
North-East India as I have already shared my desire to cover some part of it in 2020.
Our distinguished guest Mr. Shamsuddin Jasani –Group MD (South Asia) Isobar , is a prominent name in Digital Advertising and Marketing Industry. His proficiency and insight niches Isobar as the India’s fastest growing agency. From being an A-lister to winning innumerable accolades, he has always stayed grounded and focused. Humility being his X-factor, Shams knows how to balance both the worlds.
He is a minimalistic, who only needs his family and bare essentials for a good holiday.
To read more such interviews, stay tuned to Trip Talkies. Watch this space at Adotrip to read real-time travel experiences!.
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