Thailand – a spiritual sanctuary: By Rajan Datar

BBC World News presenter Rajan Datar traveled across Thailand for a documentary for his show – The Travel Show – to find out whether there is still room for spirituality in the 21st century with growing consumerism and economic growth. He makes a few interesting observations based on his experience in the country.


Thailand – a spiritual sanctuary
By Rajan Datar

* Thanks to its Buddhist traditions, Thailand has also retained a reputation as a country where spirituality is of big part of everyday life. As a result it's become a destination that's visited by many travellers who want to disengage from the pressures of everyday life and reconnect with something altogether more meaningful.

Thailand portrays itself as a devout Buddhist country but our experience is that is not so true anymore in the big cities and on the holiday islands

* Young people, especially in the capital Bangkok, are increasingly turning away from orthodox, “organized” Buddhism, questioning the values of their parents and pursuing education and career goals. 

* The monkhood or Sangha is struggling to recruit novices and some monks are setting very bad examples with allegations of corruption, getting intoxicated and generally breaking many of the Buddhist precepts. There is even now a 'Monk Police' to help root out the bad apples.

Meeting Thailand's first female Buddhist nun, the remarkable Bhikkhuni Dhammananda.  She is not officially recognised by the Thai Buddhist hierarchy and had to be ordained in Sri Lanka

* What’s more the country’s political elite haven’t always covered themselves with glory. A military coup in May has led again to the abandonment of democracy until stability is restored. And then Thailand’s international reputation frequently suffers with stories about sex tourism, sleaze and even murder. 

The Chivasom International health resort in Hua Hin in Thailand is a luxury exclusive upmarket spa and well-being centre with over 200 different treatments and services

* The journey included visiting leading figure in Theravad Buddhims, Phra Anil Sakya from the Wat Bowon in the capital. He was assistant secretary to the late Supreme Patriarch, who died last year at the age of 104. Phra Anil was a sympathetic and genial guide, accepting many of my reservations about the state of Buddhism today but explaining that the original pillars of the faith still hold true. 

The Travel Show team spent two days at the Wat Boonyawad forest monastery in the east of Thailand, meeting the Abbott and several foreign monks with colourful backgrounds

* Visit to a forest monastery to experience life there which I did but not before visiting the other two types of escape for Westerners in Thailand: the luxury health and wellbeing resort Chivasom where high achievers come to find peace and restoration in a very comfortable, and expensive, climate; and then the party island Koh Samui, where” most visitors find what they come for: revelry and release.

* But it was time at the Wat Boomayad monastery in the east of the country that left the biggest impression on me. I met some interesting foreign monks there, one of whom had left a life as a highly successful fashion photographer in Germany. No electricity, Wi-Fi, TV, soft bed…only one meal a day…you can imagine it’s a journalist’s nightmare! 

Interviewing Phra Anil, a senior monk in Bangkok at the first anniversary of the death of Thailand's Supreme Patriarch of 24 years.  Phra Anil became my Buddhist advisor on my journey

* I did gain a little insight into the Buddhism approach to life there and its values which I believe are even more relevant in this modern, overloaded world. I understood the notion that we would all benefit from having fewer empty choices to make and that an obsession with the “self” is a very unhealthy one. Live for the now is also a very powerful message that makes you stop and realize how brief our life on this plane is.    

* The big issue though is when you get back to the big city, how you can translate these glimpses into enlightenment at peace with oneself…and that is the big challenge for so many of us ahead…

Photo credits to BBC World News

Learn Muay Thai in Thailand

India’s award-winning female boxing champion Mary Kom was recently in Thailand as part of the destination's campaign to promote the increasingly popular sport of Muay Thai boxing. Partnering with celebrities is a critical element of Thailand's strategy for 2014-15. 

The boxer was filmed visiting several Muay Thai stadiums, interacting with Thai boxing stars and overall enjoying Thailand. The final cut of a VDO recording her activities will be shown in India across social and mainstream media. 

Thailand is trying to popularize Muay Thai as an experience for Indian tourists to Thailand to indulge in. Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, is the national sport of Thailand. Once a skill that was essential for survival in battle, Muay Thai is now one of the most popular fighting sports in the world. Fighters from all corners of the globe travel to Thailand to train in Muay Thai, and it is no longer uncommon for Muay Thai fights in Bangkok or the countryside to feature foreign fighters on the fight bill. 

Thailand also promotes the annual 'Wai Kru Muay Thai Ceremony' to showcase some of the sacred rituals of Thai boxing. Held at the Ayutthaya World Heritage Site, it has become like an annual convention of Muay Thai boxers, featuring competitions, an exhibition and presentations by Muay Thai camps and gyms.

At present, there are over 1,000 Thai boxing camps located worldwide. 

Even tourists can indulge in this sport by taking a short course or spending a few weeks training in Thailand to try and become a Muay Thai champion. Many continue to practice Muay Thai upon their return to India as it is becoming a popular and enjoyable way of staying fit. Some Indian women like to take up a few days course in Thailand so that they can pick up and practice key moves once they get back home, thus giving them a method of self-defense. God knows we need it here!

All you would want is Ecuador...

... once you experience it!

This remote South American country that only mature travellers ever think of visiting is looking to India to promote itself. And to showcase all the things it has to offer, especially the exotic Ecuadorian chocolates, the Institute for the Promotion of Trade & Investment of Ecuador had hosted a fun event at Shiro in Mumbai.

It basically brought Ecuador to life by recreating the feel of Ecuador. Héctor Cueva Jácome, Consul General representing Ecuador in Mumbai, said, “Ecuador is an undiscovered gem for Indian travellers which is why we have looked forward to presenting this experience of our country. Ecuador as a destination has a lot to offer for the various genres of travellers and companies.”

Among the many products that Ecuador exports are its exceptional coffee, chocolate and roses. The focus that evening was therefore also on Ecuadorian chocolates with the launch of a brand of luxe bonbons made from Ecuadorian chocolate along with chocolatier Chef Varun Inamdar. 

The Ecuador tourism board site gives very good information on the destination. And while I haven't visited the country YET, my friend Kaushal aka Exotic Gringo has and he has some wonderful things to say about Ecuador! 

For the love of tea

I always thought that I was a coffee person until a couple of years ago when i realised that i had started to enjoy drinking tea more. 

I'm not an aficionado by any chance and I do not have patience for tea-tasting. I like my cuppa to taste the same every time which is why i prefer making it myself. I don't experiment and generally stick to cardamom and Darjeeling teas.
 

Prahlad Kakkar with Deepak Jain, MD of D'lecta Cafe at tea-tasting event on International Tea Day

But a recent talk on tea presented by adman Prahlad Kakkar on the occasion of International Tea on December 15 was interesting to say the least. The tea-tasting session was sponsored by D'lecta Cafe, which offers a range of beverage solutions. It also offers vending solutions with tea-brewing capability and aseptic beverage creamers.

Kakkad's talk on teas was fascinating. He has been associated with the beverage in many ways. He took on the initiative of reviving the tea culture in India with a touch of sophistication, a venture which culminated in the speciality  Tea Centre, a restaurant designed by him at Churchgate, in association with the Tea Board of India - the first of its kind in the country. 

"Tea is a laxative and an aphrodisiac. It helps you go in the morning and come in the night!" he said. And that's why, he said, the two main tea-growing, tea-drinking nations are the two most populous as well. Hmmm... interesting deduction!

‘World Cup a big focal point for NZ’: Fleming

He has been given the mandate of promoting the upcoming Cricket World Cup and New Zealand as a destination simply by virtue of who he is. Stephen Fleming, who was in Mumbai recently to do exactly that, decided to display the distinctive Kiwi humour. 

Standing tall (tallest in the room, actually) at 6.1 feet and looking dapper in a black suit, Stephen Fleming was his casual self while promoting what he loves most – cricket. The former Black Caps captain, Stephen Fleming was on a multiple-city tour as part of the delegation that was in the country along with Tourism New Zealand and Immigration New Zealand.

Now coach to the Chennai Super Kings, Fleming has been traveling with the delegation to promote not only the World Cup but also tourism in New Zealand. “We have been very busy the last few days. We were in Sri Lanka just now and I had to be very careful with my Kiwi accent since we get very lazy with our vowels, and make sure I wasn’t promoting ‘terrorism’ instead of ‘tourism’!” he joked.

He continued in the vein saying, “I see it as a marketing challenge to make sure that the tourism categories are well separated, because an ‘adventurous honeymoon’ may be an interesting sell. There may be a market for it – who knows!”

Adding that his was an easy job, Fleming said, “When I was told seven years ago that I would be the coach for Chennai Super Kings, I thought it was an interesting vision. They said they want me to win and increase the profile of Chennai Super Kings, which will help my profile and in turn it will help more people come to New Zealand. And that’s just the way we think.”

Playing on Harbour Bridge   

As the team’s coach, Fleming is mostly based in Chennai. “I got very lucky and I feel India is my home away from home. I’m based in Chennai but I’m moving around a lot. It’s a great position to be in to be promoting both countries to the other. The World Cup is a big focal point for New Zealand and for Christchurch. It offers a wonderful opportunity to showcase what we have and also use cricket as a voice piece for New Zealand,” Fleming said.

He went on to launch a promotional video created by Tourism New Zealand that features Andy Bichel, Damian Fleming, Chris Harris and Fleming himself with a special cameo by Kiwi cricket legend Richard Hadlee. The video shows them warming up for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 on the iconic Auckland Harbour Bridge. “It took my cricket to a new height. It’s safe to say that the Kiwis won this match,” Fleming quipped.

“We want Indians to become more aware of our country and the holiday options that are available here. It really is a holiday of a lifetime. We have nature, adventure, romantic holidays, family holidays for all ages, and we are now trying to use cricket to get you to visit our beautiful country,” he said.

When asked about what other sport he would play apart from cricket, Fleming said it would be rugby. “It’s our number one sport and our biggest export. Our rugby team is one of the most successful ones in the world. However, rugby is not overly popular in the subcontinent or the rest of the world. We are therefore using cricket wherever it’s popular to generate a lot of interest. Sports plays an important part in the way we promote our country but that’s because we are very recreational and sports plays a big role in our lifestyle,” he added.

If in Australia, attend White Night Melbourne cultural event

White Night Melbourne is a state government of Victoria initiative inspired by the international network of Nuit Blanche cities around the world. It showcases Melbourne’s music, art, theatre, sport, fashion, film, design and performance over a 12-hour period from 7pm Saturday, 21st February to 7am Sunday, 22nd February 2015.

White Night Melbourne 2014 presented more than 100 public events and activities which transformed more than eight city blocks.

Melbourne’s city streets, major cultural institutions, public spaces, gardens, landmark buildings and laneways will once again host Australia’s edition of this global phenomenon.

A further highlight is that one of the White Night performances is a collaboration between a local Bollywood actress and creative director of White Night, Andrew Walsh called 'Sita's Garden'. They will create a Little India complete with food, bustling Indian streets and.. a floating lotus island on the Yarra which will include some Bollywood dancing.

Check out the event's YouTube video. 

How Indians would like like to travel this Christmas!

Did you know that 66.7% of Indian travellers would prefer to travel abroad and stay in a hotel and 75% would definitely plan a weekend getaway if they are unable to take a long vacation for Christmas this year? 

Hotels.com recently conducted a global Christmas survey in 28 countries from over 8,700 respondents that reveals some interesting facts about traveller preferences this winter.
Since Christmas is celebrated on a muted scale in a country like India, 46% of Indian travellers and 32% of APAC travellers would travel for the reason of experiencing Christmas elsewhere, while 62% of Indian travellers would pick a hotel that offers a traditional yuletide experience.

The results of the survey are a clear indication of the evolving Indian traveller who wants to travel not just during the year end but also to experience more of the trappings of a traditional Christmas. The global survey reveals:

• APAC travellers seem to be in the mood to travel this Christmas as 32% travellers from the region want to go abroad and stay in a hotel during the period, while only 20%, 17%, and 9% of LATAM, Europe and NA travellers are planning to travel abroad respectively 

• Travellers in different regions spend their Christmas holidays away for different reasons - the top reasons for Europe and APAC travellers was to spend “some quality time with my family”, while NA and LATAM travellers gave “to enjoy some cooler temperatures” and “to experience Christmas elsewhere” as their key objectives respectively.

• Less than 10% of travellers would like to avoid the Christmas fuss by travelling elsewhere
• 77% APAC, 94% LATM, and only 66% European travellers would chose a hotel that offers a traditional Christmas celebration

Another survey by travel portal, Yatra.com, shows that more than 25% Indians are willing to spend over Rs 50,000 on their winter vacation. While 34.9% people are willing to spend between Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 on their vacation. 

The survey showcased that Indians have started taking frequent holidays through the year, albeit for shorter durations. 81.2 per cent respondents prefer to take holidays of up to 7 days, while only 5.4 per cent opt for holidays for more than 15 days. And a whopping 72.8% people take 4 or more holidays a year. 

Still hooked on to work:
While Indians enjoy holidaying, the survey found that 18.2 per cent Indians are hooked on to their phones even during vacations. But there were also 28 per cent respondents who said they switch off completely from work, while 53.8 per cent Indians will check their phone at least once a day to stay connected.

Prefer to pay and stay:
The survey found that just 13.4 per cent respondents were keen to stay at a relative or a friend’s place on vacation, while an overwhelming81.6 per cent preferred to stay at hotels. The survey found that 45.7 per cent Indians prefer staying at 2-3 star hotels, and nearly 20 per cent stay at 4-5 star hotels. The new upcoming trend that the survey revealed was that 5 per cent Indians are looking for home stays which was relatively negligible in the past.

BFFs:
The survey shows that while only 16.1 per cent Indians opt for travelling with their families,a staggering 39 per cent Indians are looking to holiday with their friends and 37 per cent looking to travel with their partners.

Lost in Nature:
Indians have a varying Travel Quotient when it comes to vacations. While most Indians (48.1%) prefer a retreat in the lap of nature, the lazy beach holidays are also popular with 15 per cent Indians. Hobby-centric holidays are also on the rise - 13 per cent admitting to being adventure junkies, 12 per cent admitted to travelling to satiate the foodie within them, 7.1 per cent admitted to wandering in search of historical monuments, and shopaholics accounted for 4.8 per cent. 

Apps make it easier:
There is a sizable increase in mobile bookings for holidays. 19.8 per cent Indians have started to use various mobile apps for their travel bookings,and now only7.5 per cent of the peopleprefer the travel agents, while the remaining still prefer booking holidays on their desktops.

Exploring the world:
The survey also saw an increase in people willing to travel abroad, with more than 25 per cent opting for international travel this winter season. Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Dubai are popular with those heading abroad, while amongst the Indian holiday destinations, Goa, Kerala and Rajasthan continue to remain hot favourites. The inspiration behind opting for a certain destination though, varies for each individual. 

Social Media is the influencer:
Travel blogs and social media emerged as major influencers when it comes to choosing a travel destination; with 30.8 per cent Indians claiming that they refer to them. Many Indians were influenced by family and friends, and only a select 6.3% are inspired by movies or TV serials to pick their next holiday destination.    

The findings also revealed that out of 70% of Indians opting for vacations this winter,Over 39.7 per cent Indians prefer group tours and hassle free customised packages. The rest still opted for separate bookings for travel and accommodation equally. 

The Yatra.com survey was conducted among 5,000 individuals who are a part of its customer base.

A new carpooling community awaits you

A new online carpooling marketplace called Tripda connects people who need rides with drivers who have empty car seats on long trips. It is already present in several countries around the world including Brazil, USA, Argentina, Colombia, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines. 

Passengers and drivers can connect through Tripda’s website and mobile app platforms, available for iOS and Android, and mutually filter travel partners taking similar journeys according to their personal preferences. Tripda verifies drivers and passengers in multiple ways and runs checks to ensure their privacy and security. 

Currently a free platform, Tripda does not charge its users any fees or commissions currently for using the platform.

Tripda is backed by Berlin-based and recently listed Rocket Internet, which identifies and builds proven Internet business models and transfers them to new, underserved or untapped markets where it seeks to scale them into market leading online companies.