A good traveller has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving. – Lao Tzu
But a smart traveller has fixed baggage, and intents on arriving, aptly dressed. – I am Mr
Yes, we have often heard about a cliché that one who doesn’t travel has not seen life. I agree, but then it is better to travel dressed according to the location you plan to enjoy rather than struggling all day around in the generic attires you packed.
To keep this idea short and easy to hit your head, I have illustrated it in a simple but crisp manner so that next time when you pack a bag, you know exactly what to wear there. I am discussing 4 basic types of travel we all make at least once in our life, ranging from adventure to bohemian.
Keep scrolling to read what I am talking about.
(1)
Trip Type:
Expedition, Adventure, Wild-life
Place:
Gir Forest, Gujarat
Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand
Best time to travel:
November to May
Where to stay:
Lion Safari Camp, Gir
Dhikala Forest Lodge, Corbett
About the trip:
Two main things to remember on such a trip.
(a) You are visiting a wild-life precinct hence, behave.
(b) Travel as raw as possible. Carry minimal but essentials. The trip to Gir is more about details and patience rather than reach-there-see-it experience. If you are not from Gujarat, a must recommendation is you dine at some real authentic Kathyawadi Dhaba on your way there.
What to wear:
Cargo 6-pocket shorts or pants, cotton tee or shirt, light-weight jacket, all-terrain shoes and Cowboy hat.
Preferred Colours:
In the shades of beige, brown, dark green.
Essential Carry-ons:
Hand gloves, sleeping bag, water-bottle, Swiss knife, binoculars, torch and mosquito repellent lotion.
Book we recommend to pack:
Born Free: A Lioness of Two Worlds by Joy Adamson
Get The Look:
Cargo Pants
Cargo Shorts
Shirt
Tee
Jacket
Shoes
Hat
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(2)
Trip Type:
Scenic, Romantic, Peaceful
Place:
Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh
Best time to travel:
April to June, Srinagar (Summer Retreat)
March to October, Srinagar (Winter Wonderland)
May to October, Spiti Valley
Where to stay:
Vivanta Dal View Srinigar by Taj, Srinagar
Banjara Retreat, Spiti Valley
About the trip:
Himachal Pradesh & JK are treasured with splendid places that can take your breath away. Picturesque locations that can only be read in novels are a reality here. From a luxurious scenic gateway to a peaceful meditation at Gompas, these places offer everything. Spiti Valley is one such place that can convince you that urban life is just a hoax. A must experience there is a non-cliché scenic beauty – The Full Moon night by the Spiti River. Sunsets here are beautiful but a full moon on the shore is a teaser. The view of Mountain shadows, dark blue skies, water reflections and just a few dozens of shooting stars would be the only souvenir you shall carry back home.
What to wear:
Trench, jumpers, jackets, sweater, scarfs, hand gloves, denim, skull cap, beanie, Chelsea shoes, ankle boots, thermals.
Preferred Colours:
Any monotone or neutral attire with winter accessories as a colour splash.
Essential Carry-ons:
Winter skin-care products, lip balm, Vicks vaporub, medicines, camera and old monk/Glenfiddich.
Book we recommend to pack:
Shalimar the Clown by Salman Rushdie
Get The Look:
Trench,
Sweater
Scarf
Beanie
Gloves
Chelsea Shoes:
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(3)
Trip Type:
Historic, Ancient Architecture
Place:
Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
Mandu, Madhya Pradesh
Best time to travel:
November to February
Where to stay:
Malwa Resort, Mandu
Gorbandh Palace, Jaisalmer
About the trip:
Antiquity is what defines these places. Rustic yet elegance is what you will experience here. The trip here is more about the grandeur rather than adrenaline. When travelling to Jaisalmer, one must-do highly recommended is vising the Sand dunes. With close proximity to the Thar Desert, Jaisalmer offers the most exquisite experience of being a traditional nomad – admiring the sunset and riding a camel at dawn with enchanting indigenous voices of the villager making you believe that there is actually LIFE without technologies.
What to wear:
Light-weight cotton tees, linen shirts, linen drawstring trousers, lightweight pullovers, sandals, sneakers, espadrilles, desert boots, stole, sunglasses, hat.
Preferred Colours:
In the shades of beige, brown, dark green, navy, orange, mustard.
Essential Carry-ons:
Water bottle, sunscreen, camera and sound recorder.
Book we recommend to pack:
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Get The Look:
Cotton Tees
Linen Shirts
Stole Scarf
Draw-strings pants
Desert Boots
Espadrilles
Cotton Trousers
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(4)
Trip Type:
Leisure, Laid-back, Bohemian
Place:
Gokarna, Karnataka.
Puducherry (previously, Pondicherry), the Indian union territory of Puducherry
Best time to travel:
October to February
Where to stay:
Stay anywhere – just remember that it should be within 2 min of walk from the beach.
About the trip:
Not much needs to be said here. The Konkan beaches are worth boasting about how we have our own Miami – just stretched and fragmented along the coast-line. The best one can do at such places is to enjoy the sand, water and the masseurs as much as possible. A cheap beer, bikini-clad beauties and careless attitude are what makes days overwhelming here. But, for Puducherry, one must not miss to notice and capture in their lenses the streetscape the city has to offer. Bright yellow walls, vertical pilasters, horizontal cornices and windows that are usually arched and have wooden louvres shutters made from fine teak wood. If one is lucky and gets an invitation to dine at one of the local houses, the internal courtyards and rich hand-crafted furniture might want you to re-think the word “SIMPLE”.
What to wear:
Bright colour shorts, vests/ tanks tops/ tees, fedora, slippers/ boat shoes (no crocs), back-pack, lots of accessories, sunglasses and a stole.
Essential Carry-ons:
Water-proof Sun-block, iPod, anti-allergic medicines, misprints and a big smile.
Preferred Colours:
Anything colourful and vibrant.
Book we recommend to pack:
B.J. Novak’s one more thing: stories and other stories
Get The Look:
Colour Shorts
Vest
Fedora
Boat Shoes
Back-pack
Accessories
About the Author
This post has been written by Hardik Gandhi, who is style advisor just-for-men and the founder of IamMr, a site dedicated to help and guide men in India in the aspects of personal styling, dinning and civic etiquette, wardrobe shopping and management. In a nutshell, it works towards “Creating a Gentleman”.