Must see India

If there is one place on the face of earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India!" 

~~~ Romaine Rolland

India, a country of monumental beauty and scenic treasure is a blend of incredible culture and traditions, nature and style. From historical buildings to stunning temple architecture, poetic hill stations and vibrant beaches to bustling cities and quaint countryside, India is a traveller's dream. It is no wonder that foreign tourists throng the length and breath of India with such fervor. Even domestic travelers can't get enough of our country's charm and verve. I am one of those passionate Indians who simply loves to pack my bag and explore the country's beauty.

Like most travelers, planning a travel occupies my mind and gives me a lot of headache. The moment you think of going out - a whole lot of questions bog us down - where to go, what to see where to stay, et al. Don't you agree? And if this is not properly planned then our travel arrangements would turn out to be half baked and a last minute patch up affair. 

How wonderful it would be if the planning could be effortlessly sorted out within 15 minutes and that too by the clicking of a button? That's where must see india comes.

This site is a personalized and customised holiday planning portal that makes planning for holidays a fun activity. There are many sites on the internet that will plan holidays for you but then why should you opt for must see india? Well, just hop on to their website and click the create your package tab, They promise to create a personalized holiday package in just 10 minutes.

Let me run down the tool for your convenience - here are some screen shots of the tool that would give you an idea about how it works. Once you type out the destination, give your start dates, number of nights and then click on the "Create your package tab" - it takes you to the following screen. {I clicked Goa for 3 nights}

The tool opens to the 5 tabs :-

• Accommodation
• Transportation
• Sightseeing
• Inclusions
• Itinerary

One lovely feature of the tool is that the total cost of the package you are planning gets featured on your screen's right. It goes up or down depending upon what you choose or don't.

Accommodation

• The tab opens to pictures of hotels with whom the portal has tie ups. For every hotel - the cost involved, distance from major locations in the city, pros, cons, facilities, Trip Advisor rating and some tips are given which is a major boon in shortlisting the hotel.

Transportation

• Transportation required from designated places through buses are given. Also is given the choice of pick up and drop. You can also select the car you want for sightseeing along with pick up/drop depending upon budget.

Sightseeing 

• You can add places for sightseeing depending on the time you have and the cost involved. Note that the charges on the right side of your screen fluctuates accordingly.

Inclusions

• Any additional supplement or activity required can be added to the package.

Itinerary

• The itinerary tab gives us the complete travel plan from start to finish. 

Now to the Yays and my final word :-

Yay to :-

• Customer Friendly Online Travel Agent
• Easy Navigation and no hassles with call centre executives or representatives
• Booking within 10 minutes
• Packages can be tailored to suit one's needs
• No pre-customised packages
• Wide Options vis-a-vis stay, food, transport and sight-seeing
• Tie-ups with top class vendors offering quality services
• Multiple destinations up to 10 cities can be planned at one go
• Credibility of hotels can be ascertained because of Trip Advisor rating integration

Final Word :-

"So far as I am able to judge, nothing has been left undone, either by man or nature, to make India the most extraordinary country that the sun visits on his rounds. Nothing seems to have been forgotten, nothing overlooked."

~~~ Mark Twain

Incredible India! Shining India! The portal has sure managed to make travelling easier and hope it grows from strength to strength. I would love to see more options with respect to holiday destinations and hotel tie-ups. I can't wait for the summer vacations and guess which online portal would help me travel unfazed :)

We the Parents

 Recently, my daughter left for a 3 day South Zone Chess Competition in Salem as a part of the team representing her school. It was for the first time my daughter was leaving me and was going to be on her own.While she was thrilled at the prospect of going to Salem, she had her reservations on going without us. She consented without much persuasion but I did have to bribe her with a few goodies (read Pizza treats, new dresses ET AL). I waved her off with the brightest of smiles and a resounding proclamation - "It does not matter whether you win or lose, but what truly matters is your spirited participation". The 3 days tumbled along quickly and while her team gave an above average performance, all was not well with my girls's individual outing. She fell to the players like the pins in bowling and came back home with a low morale and spirit. Along with her I got down and out too! While I was glad that she was safe, I was very miffed at her below average performance. Who was I kidding, all the talk of 'it doesn't matter' did not make sense as there was only rage and fury as to why she could not win a single round. Honestly speaking, I did get upset and had a small spat with her. Later, I consoled myself that she did give her best; but that was not enough. Her lack of continuous practice and my giving her lesser time vis-a-vis chess was also to be blamed. But the whole event got me thinking. On one hand I nailed the message loud and clear that winning & losing were all in the game and on the other hand my over expectation weighed down my girl's performance. Naturally a child would succumb under pressure. I was a hypocrite; but the lesson learnt is a very hard one to put into practice. Whoever said parenting was easy? Bringing up a child is a continuous process and I am no expert at that. But the trials and tribulations of every day parenting teaches a lot and I am a do I have a choice 'never-say-die' student. Bribe Master, Stern Disciplinarian, Bitter Pills, Suckers for a teeny weeny smile, all these and more adjectives are worn by us - the tribe of parents. It is a whole lot of learning and unlearning all the time.