The heat is on

But it’s for us to search for the pleasures of summer, to make the season a joy rather than a pain

 

May is usually the cruellest month in Delhi, as the mercury soars past the 40 degree Celsius mark, and a dry heat makes life seem unlivable. But thanks to an unprecedented heat wave (climate change, anyone?) we experienced peak Delhi summer in April itself this year. As I write this, I don’t know what fresh horrors May and June will bring – will we finally breach the 50 degree mark? – but I thought this was a good time to suggest some remedies to get through this scorcher of a summer.

 

Well, the first thing that suggests itself is to get away from the heat of the plains and head to the mountains. Thankfully, there are quite a few destinations in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh that are within driving distance of the capital. If you are willing to travel further then Kashmir is a good option as well, as are the hills in the north-east of India. But, for my money, the best hillside resort experience is to be had in the south, where the mountain towns are better preserved, the food is delicious, and the crowds not quite so overwhelming.

 

But if your work or your children’s school doesn’t allow you to plan your great escape just yet, don’t worry. There are plenty of ways to survive the heat in the city before you can finally get away for your summer vacation.

 

The one thing that can get you through the summer is a nice pool, that you can dip into for a refreshing swim. If you are a member of a club or have friends who are, then you are probably sorted. But if that option is not available to you, there are plenty of public pools across the city that you can sign up for at minimal cost. If you are feeling flush, or are in the mood to treat yourself, you can always check into a five-star hotel for a stayaction, and spend all of it in the pool, taking the occasional break to have a cooling drink on the poolside loungers.

 

Ah, drink reminds me. This is the best season to indulge your sherbet habit. During my growing up years, summers meant long icy drinks of Rooh Afza or Khus, the beautiful rose and emerald tones of the sherbets cooling the eyes as well as the throat. Now that I am diabetic, I can no longer indulge in those ultra-sugary drinks. But I make up with cooling draughts of watermelon juice with loads of crushed ice and a sprinkling of kala namak to give it an edge. 

 

The one thing that makes summer bearable is its fruitful bounty. There is the mango, of course, that comes in hundreds of varieties – my own favourite is the hamam, which I usually eat standing over the sink because, what can I say, it’s a messy business. But if I had to choose between mangoes and litchis, there would be no contest at all; litchis would win hands down. There is something so luscious and sensuous about peeling a litchi and popping its quivering flesh in your mouth, and feeling its juices exploding on your tongue. No mango comes anywhere close. 

 

If the spring comes with its plethora of flowers to make life a riot of colours, summer depends on the trees to make an aesthetic statement. The first stirrings come with the flowering red of the tesu, which blooms around Holi, heralding the heat that is around the corner. Next, the gulmohur gets in on the act, its flaming crimson mirroring the fiery rays of the summer sun. And then, in a final climactic act, comes the highlight of my summer: the flowering laburnum, its yellow blossoms shimmering in the sunlight, and transforming the landscape where it stands. It is so stunning a sight that I long for it all year; even though I know that it will bring an unbearable heat with it.

 

The point is that every season brings some joys with it. Yes, even the summer, with its scorching temperatures and dry loo that saps us of all our energy. The trick is to look past the discomforts and delve for the pleasures – and then revel in them for as long as we can.

Break Time

Taking a vacation amidst the Coronovirus pandemic? Here’s where you can go…

I don’t know about you but I must confess to being consumed with envy when I look at the Instagram posts of those of my friends who live abroad. Here’s one who is holidaying in Florence with his wife and adult children, traipsing through near-empty museums, and feasting on the most amazing Italian food. Okay, so they have to wear masks while out in public, but frankly that’s a small price to pay for being able to finally get out of home and explore the world beyond your own four walls.

There’s another group of friends, who live in London but are currently coasting along the Amalfi coast, enjoying the azure skies and the indigo waters. And then, there’s my friend who is a chef and runs restaurants in both India and abroad, who is wandering the length and breadth of the Ligurian coastline, trying out the local cuisine as she seeks inspiration for her new menus. (Yes, I see it too: it seems Italy is the destination of choice these days, even though it was one of the countries to be hit hardest by Coronavirus pandemic.)

I have no shame in admitting to travel envy. In fact, after five months (and counting) spent in my home, it seems an entirely reasonable reaction to me. But given that jetting off to my favourite Italian holiday spots (Venice is top of the list, though these days – after bingeing on the Godfather trilogy – I am dreaming of exploring Sicily as well) is out of the question, with the quarantine rules in both countries being what they are, I am setting my sights nearer home.

And when I say ‘nearer home’ I mean that quite literally. There is no way that I would risk getting on a plane right now, so any holiday destinations I consider have to be within driving distance. And I am guessing that that is the preferred choice of most other people as well. Some of my Mumbai friends, for instance, are heading off to their holiday homes in Alibaug, Khandala and Mahabaleshwar, to escape the incessant rain and flooding in the Maximum City, while the more adventurous are even planning to drive all the way down to Goa. All that verdant post-monsoon scenery will probably act as a balm on their bruised and battered souls.

Those of us who live in Delhi have a slightly more diverse group of destinations to choose from. If you want a resort just a short hop, skip and jump away from the city, you could drive to Manesar or Neemrana, to enjoy some stunning architecture, acres of manicured gardens, and perhaps a round or two of golf (that’s one sport where social distancing is no problem at all). Sadly, going to Agra – even though it’s just a little further afield – is more complicated for now because of the quarantine rules imposed by the Uttar Pradesh government.

But if you are willing to drive for another couple of hours, then Rajasthan is just the place for you. The obvious stops are, of course, Jaipur and Udaipur, with their beautiful palace hotels and other heritage properties, but there are plenty of smaller, scenic cities to visit as well. Yes, it will be hot and muggy, and you won’t really be able to hit the shopping districts without a mask in place. But if you choose your hotel well, you can enjoy a break away from home, swim laps in the pool, sip on a cocktail, and enjoy the sinful pleasures of room service.

If the thought of the sweltering heat in Rajasthan is putting you off, well then, the hills are the right place for you. The good news is that if you have a Covid negative test (which you have to upload on the government site before you head out) then you don’t have to quarantine in such states as Uttarakhand. So, you can drive down to any hill resort you choose, and enjoy the misty mountain air, go for bracing walks (or treks, if that is your thing) and enjoy some Pahari food chased down by a nice glass of wine of a peg of smoky whiskey.

But if you do decide to head out for a holiday in the midst of this pandemic, then do keep a few rules in place for a safe vacation.

First off, if at all possible choose smaller properties that have fewer guests in house. That will ensure that your interaction with strangers is kept to a minimum. Before booking into a hotel or an Airbnb, get all the information that you can about their disinfection and cleaning policies. If you have the slightest doubt on that score, then look elsewhere. Make sure that the hotels you book into have adopted contactless service so that you don’t have face time with staff as far as possible.

And most importantly, just because you are on holiday, don’t skip on the usual precautions to keep safe in the times of Corona. Keep your mask on in public areas, keep washing your hands, and observe social distancing. Remember, this is a vacation from real life, not a departure from it. You may be on holiday, but the virus is still out, working hard at trying to infect you.  

So while you can slip your mask off when you’re relaxing by the poolside, always remember to keep your guard up.