I still remember the photos: Moyra cruising the Danube; Moyra in front of the Pyramids; Moyra in Tiananmen Square, looking sharp as ever in her panama hat.
My grandmother lived to 103, but she never made it to Mexico. Almost a decade after she passed away, I was invited to Oaxaca for Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead. "Darling, how wonderful," I could almost hear her saying. The organisers told me I could bring a picture of a deceased relative to honour at the festival. So I dug out Moyra's photo, tucked it in my hand luggage, and off the two of us went.
Día de los Muertos, as anyone who has seen the Disney movie Coco will tell you, is one of Latin America's most culturally significant and visually exuberant holidays and many people see the city of Oaxaca, in southern Mexico, as its epicentre. In late October and early November, the cobblestoned streets erupt with costume parades, cemeteries glow with candlelight, and inside every home an ofrenda, or altar, is set up to commemorate loved ones who have passed away.
I was joining a group trip arranged by Prior, a travel company that, since launching in 2018, has acquired a reputation for curating experiences that combine authenticity with a perfectly curated, Instagram-ready aesthetic. (A robust celebrity client list hasn't damaged its cachet, either.) A new series of itineraries, launched in collaboration with Capital One, is geared around festivals; Día de los Muertos would be the first.
This story is from the April 2024 edition of Travel+Leisure India.
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This story is from the April 2024 edition of Travel+Leisure India.
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GOOD SPIRITS
I think it must have been my mother's mom, Moyra, from whom I inherited my love of travel. Widowed in her sixties, she used her late husband's pension to fund a succession of solo trips, each more ambitious than the last.
THE BIG SWING
When her son, a lifelong sports fan, expressed an interest in visiting the baseball stadiums of Japan, Helen Schulman planned a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Tokyo. The result was a home run.
Safari Bond
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Toddler Towns
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And Quiet Flows the Ganges
The river Ganges becomes a steadfast travel companion for Gustasp and Jeroo Irani on a sustainable luxury cruise to the Sundarbans National Park and Tiger Reserve in West Bengal.
"Moksha Himalaya Spa Resort Is The Perfect Place To Disconnect From The City"
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At Home In The Mountains
Actor Rakul Preet Singh has had little time to celebrate post her wedding to her dear friend Jackky Bhagnani. Two months into the union, Travel+Leisure India & South Asia whisks away the newly wed actor to Moksha Himalaya Spa Resort in Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh for a celebration of the mind and soul.
Just For Laughs
A Mumbai-based businessman, Atul Khatri switched the gears of his career at 44 to become a stand-up comedian. Since then, he has performed at many international shows, sending the audience into a laughing fit with his middle-class life anecdotes and jokes surrounding fatherhood. The comedian speaks to Simrran Gill about his sets, dealing with trolls, and the best compliment he has received.
World Through Their Eyes
A television host, model, and actor, Mini Mathur is also a passionate advocate of family bonding over travel. In 2018, she produced and presented Mini Me, a 10-part series that chronicled her travels with her seven-year-old daughter across six countries in Europe. In a conversation with Bayar Jain, the multi-hyphenate reveals the fun and challenges of exploring the globe with her kids, Sairah and Vivaan.
Paws and Go
Pet parents Tanveer Taj and Priyanka Jena (wheelsandtails) started travelling with their dogs in 2015. In 2019, they embarked on a road trip across India for 90 days, covering more than 10,000 km with their furry kids, Frodo and Cruise. The couple's Instagram feed is abuzz with pictures and videos of the Golden Retriever, Labrador, and their pet cat Noorie running around on beaches and climbing mountains. The couple speaks to Simrran Gill about the joy and challenges of travelling with their pets.