Always visit a local market: Gayatri Ruia, Entrepreneur and an avid traveller

By Sujata Reddy
Entrepreneur Gayatri Ruia travels so frequently for her work that she has now mastered the art of finding some ‘me time’ even while on hectic business trips. She shares some tips on the same and gives us a peak into her travel diaries:

Clubbing work with pleasure:

In the modern day, travel is more efficient if one multitasks. I have a young family and often holiday destinations are chosen based on the work travel destination. I need to juggle both as sometimes, something is better than nothing! The Maldives is a favourite with my family as we usually route it through Bangalore where my company has two large ongoing projects at present.

Unwinding post work:

My work takes me to Singapore very often and the Chi Spa is the best post work day treat I look forward to when I'm here.

Customise your business trip:

I think it is important to bring texture to what could be a sterile business trip. I always have dinner at popular local areas (ask locals at the host office for suggestions) and visit a park or promenade for a morning walk before the day begins. Also, for me, a must-do is visit a local supermarket as I enjoy cooking and this gives me an opportunity to sample local fruit and buy some fun food ingredients to experiment with back home.

Favourite holiday destinations:

My husband enjoys quiet places and non urban destinations while I enjoy bustling city life and luxury hospitality. This is why our family holidays tend to be rural Europe or sea side resorts and luckily my work takes me to many cities where I get my urban fix. In India, I like Goa as an easy getaway from Mumbai.

Travel fetish: I have a weakness for museums of any kind with a leaning to art and natural history. Luckily, they are family favourites too. I also cannot do without visiting local markets and antique stores.

Destination preference: Travel can be tiring, so I try to be practical and choose one-flight destinations. Wildlife, seaside and skiing destinations have all been unanimously popular with the entire family.

Bucket list: I haven’t visited South America and hope to, sometime soon, particularly Macchu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands. In India, the Andaman Islands and Orissa are on my wish list.