CMYK fter my first solo trip in India, many people asked me what it was like to travel alone as a woman. Liberating, I always said. To travel alone is to realise that the ‘big bad world’ has a big heart and there is nothing quite as empowering as the confidence to experience an unknown place by yourself and that you don’t need a man to figure out directions! Here’s a mixed bag of some of the most women-friendly destinations that you should not miss out… OVERSEAS Singapore This small island nation in Southeast Asia can seem almost too good to be true as a single woman: it is as safe as it is cosmopolitan. With glittering shopping malls and massive year-round sales, well-preserved cultural districts, tranquil seaside escapades and a happening nightlife, there is enough to keep you on your toes. Public transport works like breeze, a huge expat population means there are enough Asian and international cuisines to sample, and its vicinity to Malaysia and Indonesia makes it a perfect base to explore the rest of Southeast Asia. If you’ve been there before, there are always new reasons to visit. After spending six years studying and working in Singapore, I revisited to marvel at Gardens by the Bay, the latest addition to the city skyline and an architectural marvel and sample trendy new concept bars and cafes popping up everywhere on the island. The best part: the island’s reputation of safety precedes it; so convincing your loved ones to let you go alone should be easy! Bahrain What has the conservative Gulf region got to offer a single woman traveller, you might ask? The warmest hospitality, utmost respect, and some much-needed perspective; in that order. Bahrain offers a flavour of the Middle East and a history lesson dating back to before 2,500 BC, minus the tourists of Dubai and Egypt. In fact, tourism is in such a nascent stage that the residents are genuinely happy to welcome foreigners into their homes; I found myself conversing, befriending, sharing meals and even hitchhiking with the locals. It’s here that the East truly meets the West — Arab men and women in traditional costumes drive foreign cars, converse in Arabic slang and accented English and hang out at European cafes serving fusion Middle Eastern cuisine! In the vicinity of the coast lie spectacular uninhabited islands; while inland, souks (street markets), pottery villages and restored traditional houses stand alongside bustling malls, artsy neighbourhoods and quirky cafes and bars. A state-of-the- art causeway connects Bahrain to Saudi Arabia, and driving on this engineering spectacle is as close as you can get to its conservative neighbour as a solo woman. Southern Spain Not quite taken by Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara? Then hear this: Spain has more to offer than the sun, sea and sand getaway, a reason to party and bull fights. Along the Andalucian countryside, I was marvelling at Arabic architecture and Roman ruins, biking around picturesque vineyards and olive fields, and tapping to the beat of the flamenco in a cave hamam (Turkish bath), all in one day. Much safer than bigger European cities, the countryside villages and towns in south Spain have a way of easing outsiders into the good life—long lunches and longer siestas—that are immediately addictive. CLOSER HOME North Kerala North Kerala is one of the few regions in India where, as a solo woman traveller, I felt genuinely welcomed with a greater sense of admiration than concern. Ditch the houseboat-lined backwaters along Alleppey and Kumarakom for the sleepy, coconut-fringed hamlets of the state’s north. Here, the backwaters flow like full- fledged rivers and are clean enough to swim in, uniting with the Arabian Sea across virgin white-sand beaches. The hilly countryside is home to well-preserved forests and tribal villages and many families in the region offer home-stays on their tea estates and coffee plantations, together with heart-warming hospitality and delicious home-cooked food. Himalayan ranges Ironically enough, the coldest regions of the Trans- Himalayas are home to the warmest people! Spiti and its better-known cousin, Ladakh, are enchanting places; home to stark terrain, magnificent landscapes, postcard villages, ancient monasteries, snow- hooded mountains and star- studded skies. I couldn’t have picked a better region for my first solo trip, or my first hitchhike. The smaller and more remote the villages in these Himalayan deserts, the more welcoming are the locals. If the notion of atithi devo bhava (guest is God) ever did justice to a region, it was here, and it really doesn’t matter if you’re alone or not. Meghalaya While all seven north-eastern sister states pay an ode to nature in the majestic backdrop of the Eastern Himalayas, Meghalaya stands out as a matrilineal society; descent is traced through the mother and women who play the more dominant role in everyday life. Rest assured that female travellers are not only safe, but also highly respected. True to its Sanskrit name, ‘the abode of clouds’, much of Meghalaya receives high rainfall, making it one of India’s richest biodiversity belts, its ancient forests protected by the hill tribes for their cultural and religious beliefs. An almost mystical aura engulfs the state during the rains, with the clouds coming low to kiss the verdant hills and picturesque villages. A sight that will remain indelible forever! (The writer is the co-founder of India Untravelled—a social enterprise that aims to set travellers off-the-beaten track to experience rural India) Travel meanderings > Continued from page 1 However, such income once reinvested —the subsequent income will be tax- able for you. If you are in the lower tax bracket, there can be tax savings for the family. Investing in the name of a woman can potentially provide protec- tion to the assets from any unfortunate bankruptcy or other claims against the male family members.” Invest at the right age Shweta Aprameya, Vice President and Head-Business Management and Growth, FINO PayTech Ltd. says, “Pru- dent rule says that the type of invest- ment should be determined by calculat- ing the retirement age minus current age. Say your age is 40 and average retirement age is 60, in this case 20 per cent of your investment should be equi- ty and 80 per cent should go into debt.” Gurmeet Singh, Head-Wealth Manage- ment, DiVitas Capital Advisors Pvt. Ltd. advises, “Mutual funds are quite advantageous. The pooled investment avenue gives an individual the benefit of investing in equities, debt and liquid funds; however, a right mix of equity and debt has to be selected according to the age group. Those in the age group of 25-30 should invest 70 per cent money in equity related products and 30 per cent in debt and fixed instruments. Those between 40 and 50, should have 60 per cent in equity with 40 per cent in fixed income; and those beyond 55-60, should have 80 per cent in fixed income with only 20 per cent allocation to equity. Mutually beneficial If you’re looking at investing in mutual funds, a long-term plan and regular investments are the best options. Gurmeet advocates the benefits of investing in mutual funds: “Mutual funds are the best option for invest- ment as it invests according to the investment objective specified at the time of launching a scheme. So there are different kinds of funds such as equity funds, debt fund, fixed maturity plan and liquid funds and many others that cater to different needs of an investor. The availability of these options makes them a good investment choice. The only factor to keep in mind is that the fund has to be selected keep- ing the risk profile in mind.” Gold advantage If we look at the global scenario, today India stands as the world’s largest sin- gle market for gold consumption. The rapidly increasing value of gold, cou- pled with the current economic condi- tions, and the use of gold in many evolv- ing industries has made the yellow metal a winner all the way. Gurmeet suggests, “An allocation to gold provides potential portfolio diver- sification benefits. The more asset classes you invest in, the less chance of all your holdings to fluctuate in tan- dem. Diversification of portfolio results in the risk being reduced because at any given point in time, investments do not react in the same way; hence the losses of one investment can be compensated by gains in some other investment, thereby reducing risks. When consider- ing any investment, you should not only consider the potential positive and neg- ative scenarios for that investment over time, but also the impact on your over- all portfolio performance. The gold price has historically exhibited a low correlation with other asset classes. This fact makes gold a good source of diversification for a portfolio and gold may help protect against the downside risks.” Always buy gold in the form of coins or bars or invest in gold funds; never consider gold ornaments as investment. Gold in the form of jew- ellery is only going to cause loss in the form of wastage and making charges. Disclaimer: The above investment options give you an idea of what is available in the market; it is best to consult a financial advisor before you make any decisions. 2 l Friday, March 8, 2013 Penny wise, pound foolish? ● Balance your plan with a combination of low and high risk investments ● Jewellery cannot be considered as investment. So invest in gold funds or gold coins/biscuits ● Plan your retirement. A combination of systematic investments in ULIPs and mutual funds are good options ● Make sure that 20 per cent of your income is set aside for investments ● Have a good medical cover as it helps in the long run MONEY- MATTERS Great places transcend personal tastes. Take a tour of these must-visit destinations that have also claimed the ‘women-friendly’ tag for solo travel or girlfriend-getaways by S HIVYA N ATH Knowing your body type and accepting it goes a long way in achieving the perfect figure by A NUSHKA S HARMA B ody b asics Fitness first For me, since I am a part of showbiz, it’s imperative to stay fit and look good. Howev- er, fitness is more important, which extends to being healthy and confident with yourself. This goes a long way in looking and feeling good in the bigger picture as nothing can conceal if you aren’t happy with yourself. It’s bound to reflect on your face. Being in the industry that I am, there is immense pres- sure about the way you look. There was a time, not long would want to tell all young girls who are increasingly becoming figure conscious; not every one comes out from the same mould or has the same frame, so there is no point following any actor’s fig- ure or fitness routine. Each body has a different need and form, so get the right assis- tance and follow what is right for you and what will work for you, that’s what matters. Diet and training The most important thing is to identify your body type— whether you are an ecto- Besides weight training, I believe in working out with dumbbells and resistance bands regularly; I carry them everywhere I travel. Besides I do a lot of toning exercises to be in shape. Having a high metabolism, I keep eating every two hours. What most girls fail to understand is that everyone has a different metabolic rate. When it comes to food, I eat every- thing. According to me, noth- ing can compensate for the actual intake of food, I don’t subscribe to body supple- ments as they don’t provide all the nutrition that actual food can give. Tips and tricks I have lots of water and juices with my breakfast. Eggs, toast and juices are what comprise my breakfast. You must make sure that you consume a lot of liquids as that aids in releasing the anti-oxidants and helps in achieving flawless skin. Other than my regular routine, I love cycling or playing a sport like squash or badminton whenev- er I can and feel like it. Also, keep changing your workout routine from time to time as your body tends to get used to it and see what wonders you can achieve with it! Signing off What I really urge people to understand is that if there is something called overweight, there is something like this body type as well. And it’s time one stops using the word skinny, just like you would usually not call someone over- weight or fat! It’s that simple. (The writer is a Bollywood actor and has hits like Band Baaja Baraat, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola under her belt. She is currently shooting for Rajkumar Hirani’s Peekay) morph, mesomorph or endo- morph. Once you understand your body type, you can work on your training and diet accordingly. I am an ecto- morph — the kind who are lean naturally with lean muscle mass and don’t gain weight easily. Unlike most, I can only gain weight if I go to the gym. So my secret is doing weight training and not cardio. In fact, if I stop working out, I start losing weight. This is how this body type works. What works for me the most is being on a high-carb diet. back, when people and the media wrote and spoke a lot about my weight loss, some even claiming that I am anorexic. But the truth is I was always the way I am, even now. In my earlier films, I wore a lot of Indian outfits which camouflaged my figure. I did have baby fat on my face, which I lost over time, but I have always been blessed with a lean frame. I started losing weight due to stress, but it’s pertinent to not get affected by what people have to ‘say’ about you. This is what I Marketing Coordinator: Response, Thane Editorial: Aindrila Mitra; Sumita Bagchi Chief of Design Head: Madan Patil Creative Team: Avinash Virshid, Nitin Sawant, Manish Bhatia (RESP-ART: MUMBAI) PHOTO CREDIT: ROHAN PINGLE PIC: YAY MICRO/INDIAPICTURE PHOTOS BY SHIVYA NATH PIC: RISHABH GUPTA THANE PLUS *THP1M80313//02/K/1* *THP1M80313//02/K/1* THP1M80313/1R1/02/K/1 *THP1M80313//02/Y/1* *THP1M80313//02/Y/1* THP1M80313/1R1/02/Y/1 *THP1M80313//02/M/1* *THP1M80313//02/M/1* THP1M80313/1R1/02/M/1 *THP1M80313//02/C/1* *THP1M80313//02/C/1* THP1M80313/1R1/02/C/1