OUT BOUND

Welcome to the world of backpacking8212;the unescorted and the unplanned way of holidaying. It is a vacation in the truest sense of the word8212;when one is at liberty to do what one wants to do. No straitjackets of preset itineraries, day-and-night packaged leisure or dictatorial guides8212;only a perambulation inspired by wanderlust.

And making this possible for the footloose is The Backpacker Co. 8220;Backpacking is certainly not a 8216;package tour8217; that most of the people in India are conditioned to. So we organise everything for those who wish to take an international trip but it is completely unescorted,8221; says Yogesh Shah, who started the company with wife Suchna five years ago. She left her work with Singapore Airlines to help him.

Although headquartered in Mumbai, The Backpacker Co is an e-model that caters to people across the country. So whether it8217;s the never-ending walks down the Parisian roads that you wish for or jumping off from an aircraft hovering at 11,000 ft in Switzerland or exploring the sounds of New Zealand and the Australian Bush, Backpacker allows you to explore a place the way you want to. 8220;The entire concept is very traveller friendly since it8217;s so flexible,8221; says Shah. 8220;When someone wants to take a trip, all they have to do is tell us their requirements and then we will guide them on the right way to make their wish materialise.8221;

Log on to thebackpackerco.com and Shah8217;s team drives you through a brief and the possibilities that you can avail of. 8220;For instance if someone wants to party during their trip then they could head to Ibiza. Similarly, Scandinavian countries offer great winter sports like skiing and snowboarding,8221; adds Shah, whose team also helps the travellers with the tickets, visas and forex if required.

While the options could range from The Bohemian Trek an amble through Croatia, Slovenia, Austria and the Czech Republic to the Southern Loop a waltz across Germany, Italy, France and Switzerland, the organisation doesn8217;t spoon-feed you during the trip. You are left to do pretty much what you wish to do without having to worry too much about boarding, lodging and travel.

But are Indian travellers the backpacking type? 8220;It8217;s surprising how the trend has picked up in the past year. We have about 30-35 consultations a week. It even included a mother-daughter duo who wanted to bond over a trip,8221; says Shah. With their tie-ups across countries and the facility of the Hop On Hop Off bus service, travelling is convenient and safe. You get a pass when you book with Backpackers and you can use this to literally hop on and off buses as your instinct demands. The service operates on specific routes across European countries, so the travellers can get off wherever they wish and resume their travelling from the drop-off points.

This flexibility extends to the duration of the trip as well. Anytime during the vacation, if the backpacker wants to extend or cut short the trip, he or she just goes ahead and does it. 8220;There are no rules to this trip. If you wish to stay at a place longer, you are free to do so. There are no extra costs for it,8221; adds Yogi.

So when another bunch of travellers with Setchia8217;s group decided to head back to Mumbai from Rome, Setchia herself decided to head to Paris. 8220;It was just so much fun that we wanted to explore more. And moreover since there weren8217;t any guides fixing our day8217;s itinerary, we were free to hang out anywhere anytime, which made it even more adventurous,8221; smiles Setchia.

And the price of being on your own? 8220;The cost is subjective but on average it comes to 60-70 euros a day,8221; says Yogi. Setchia shelled out about Rs 1 lakh for her 25-day romp through Europe.

Hoofing it to the land of Pharaohs anytime soon?

Good time to backpack
May-October across Europe;
November- April across New Zealand and Australia