Gone in 6 Days

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Gone in 6 Days
You may have missed the good deals, but don’t miss the last flight out this summer!

With March bounding into view, another scorching summer with an increasingly restless family looms. But before you curse your globe-trotting neighbour and turn resignedly Ooty-wise, consider this: it’s not too late in the year for an impromptu foreign trip. No such thing, you say? Allow us to prove you wrong, with several deliciously picturesque examples.
We know what you’re thinking. The flights out of the country are the first to fill up, so not only have you missed the special holiday deals, there is also a chance you will be shelling out 30-50 percent more than the actual fare. But here’s how the glass is half-full: hotel bookings are more readily available and rooms are more affordable during off-peak season. And haggling with local vendors will be easier when there aren’t too many fleece-able tourists to drive prices high. Agreed, this isn’t your long-planned dream holiday. This is better.
Your options for the destination are endless. For instance, you can get last-minute reservations in most South East Asian countries – Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Mauritius, Thailand, Bali, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. Of course, Nepal is passé now. Besides, as Girija Chandran, director, Hammock Holidays, says, “Why go to a place where there is a chance of getting caught in crossfire?” So leave the soaring mountains, and head for the cool blue beaches this summer.
Sri Lanka is a recommended destination if you want to have all the fun, without shelling out all that money. This island country is dotted with exotic resorts at half the cost of those in India. In fact, a trip to Sri Lanka might work out to be cheaper than a stay at an Ayurvedic spa resort in Kerala! Besides being easy on your bank balance, the country offers great beach fronts. The culture here is soaked in tradition, coloured by Buddhism.
Mauritius and Maldives are other fabulous seaside holiday destinations. Remember to pack that sunscreen if you don’t want to come back looking like a lobster. If soaking up the sun does not excite you, the snow-capped mountains in Europe will. All 16 countries require a Schengen visa.
“Ease in availability of visa depends on which European country you want to visit,” explains Monesh Devjani, Director Cloud 9. Visa for France, Austria and Italy are the easiest to acquire. Spain and Germany, on the other hand, are difficult. Acquiring a Schengen visa can take a week to ten days. But if you apply now, you can take your holiday when summer scorches Bangalore in May.
A trip down under to Australia and New Zealand is also a good option. Visas to these countries are hassle-free and don’t require too much documentation. And if all goes smoothly, you should have your visa in hand within a week.
Chandran is quite positive about last-minute travellers, “10-15 percent of our clients make last-minute travelling plans. But then there are always last-minute cancellations, which is a boon for eleventh-hour holiday planners. You can get through.”
It isn’t too late to leave on that jet plane. After all, the best thing about off-season is that the beach is still there, but the hammock is cheaper. So don’t shy away from split-second vacation plans, it’s in the blink of an eye that most miracles happen. And going from bored corporate lackey to chilled-out vacationer in 24 hours is nothing short of miraculous.

ECNR Explained
As per the Emigration Act, 1983, certain categories of Indian passport holders require to obtain ‘Emigration Clearance’ from the office of Protector of Emigrants (POE) for going to certain countries. As per Emigration Act, ‘emigration’ refers to the leaving of an Indian citizen with the view of taking up employment in a foreign country.
(ECNR) Emigration Check Not Required is a clearance check required from the passport officials. You will need one full day off from office if you want an ECNR stamp on your passport. And no, your agent cannot help you out here. You have to submit the papers personally at the Passport Office in the morning and collect your stamped passport on the same afternoon.
Girija Chandran from Hammock Holidays advises, “Even if you are not planning to make a trip to any of these destinations, it’s a good idea to have your ECNR pre-approved; you never know when a good package may come your way!”
ECNR is a means to safeguard the interest of individuals who are of employable age. The Indian Constitution recognises a graduation certification as qualification for obtaining an ECNR. It protects the rights of gullible, illiterate citizens who might be in the danger of being shipped off for employment to foreign land by touts. Children do not need an ECNR.
However, there the laws concerning ECNR are arbitrary, so do check your facts. For example, in the eyes of emigration authorities, South-East Asian countries – Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand –are all at par. But it’s only if you are travelling to Malaysia that ECNR is mandatory.

Travel agents
Hammock Leisure Holiday Ph: 5126-2220, 2535-2877
Cloud 9 Holidays Ph: 5696-5570, 5697-8969
Thomas Cook Ph: 2558-1337, 5123-9071
Charter Tours Ph: 2532-0606/0707
Leisure Holidays Ph: 2558-5411, 5112-1911
Footloose Yatra Consultants Ph: 2535-7116/7
Holiday Mantra Ph: 3061-5955, 98456-64340
Travel Tours Ph: 2228-7027/28
SOTC Ph: 2238-4444/6128
P&O Travels Ph: 2551-8888
Cox & Kings Ph: 2223-9192, 2227-6021
Source: CityInfo

WWW
lastminutetravel.com
The site has on offer some of the online best deals. And you won’t have to pay through your nose, if you net the right ones.