Travel and lifestyle influencer Riaan George talks about his 2021 travel plans. P.S — it will majorly revolve around Indian cities. By Amitha Ameen
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Did you pick up any new skill during the lockdown?
I learned basic cooking. Everybody on social media was making their curries and banana bread, so I too decided to jump onto that bandwagon, simply because until before that I had zero clues about cooking, so much so, that I couldn’t even make rice. I learned how to make a lot of fun dishes during the lockdown.
I learned how to do and manage things around the house, because normally around family we are pretty pampered and don’t have to give these things too much of a thought. So learning how to keep my space clean by myself was good.
I also took up Italian, as I love learning foreign languages and it has been my number one hobby and passion for the last 20 years. I have been studying for the past few years but was unable to attend my courses regularly so this lockdown made me pursue it more efficiently.
In addition to being a content creator and journalist, I also used to run an academy language school every weekend in Bombay where I used to teach French over the weekends. I have been doing this for over 15 years and I decided to get back to this with weekday courses, which I announced on my social media. So now my evenings are occupied doing that.
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We read somewhere that you really want to explore Kerala? Do you have a bucket list in mind?
I am originally from Kerala but I have never visited the state as frequently as I would have liked to (because my family grew up in Bombay and I had no cultural connection with the place). Now, I am getting this calling to go back and explore Kerala and I would love to act on it soon.
I have been to the state a couple of times and stayed like a regular tourist at fancy hotels and beach resorts. Next time I go to Kerala, I want to enjoy a more immersive experience where I can drive around without having a fixed itinerary.
I want to see places like Kottayam and Alleppey and the hill stations of Kerala.
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Tell us about your Indian travel bucket list.
I would definitely like to visit the North East. I find it very fascinating and have been to Darjeeling once and loved it.
Another place that I would like to explore would be Punjab. I want to visit Amritsar and Ludhiana and do a food and culture tour there. I have always wanted to see the Golden Temple and the Wagah Border, so definitely these places in addition to Kerala.
I am not a big mountain person, so you would not find the regular Leh and Ladakh on my list but I would definitely want to visit these places too at some point.
If you could choose only one place in India, which one would it be and why?
It has to be Jaipur because it is my favourite place in the country to visit. And also Jodhpur in Rajasthan because I love the overall experience of being there. Visiting the forts, exploring the place in winter, and if you can stay at a luxurious hotel then even better.
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What makes Rajasthan stand out to you as a destination?
What makes Rajasthan stand out is because in many ways it fits that stereotype of travelling to India, especially for foreigners. It has got this enormous appeal especially with the elephants and maharajas and the colourful outfits.
Kerala, Goa, Bombay, and even the North East — all have very different identities, which are not really stereotypical of westerners’ idea of travelling to India. So I think that has been the appeal for international travellers.
For domestic travellers, Rajasthan is excellent because of the plethora of shopping options. Whether it is men or women, they love to shop for clothes, jewellery, handicrafts, and the overall experience of being in a heritage hotel. The state has got its hospitality act together in terms of service; whether its a mid-range hotel or a luxury hotel, you are guaranteed a good quality service from extremely polite people.
Most importantly, the architectural heritage of Rajasthan is matchless! I would definitely say from my personal experience, that if you are a luxury traveller in Rajasthan then you are bound to have the best experience.
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Are you planning to take an Indian road trip sometime soon?
I would surely like to drive in the North — from Delhi to Jaipur, Delhi to Agra, or Delhi to Chandigarh simply because those roads are very good. Especially during winters, where you can put on some good music and enjoy the landscape.
Any 2021 travel goals?
The coming year is going to be more India centric. I would just like to go to major Indian cities and spend time there and shoot great content. I would like to spend four or five days in Calcutta or Delhi.
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