Sonata's Shalini Gupta shares her travel stories

In today’s edition of Fox Traveller Diaries, we talk to Shalini Gupta who heads the marketing vertical of the brand. Being in an industry that is constantly evolving with the time, one is sure that making space and time for a ‘time-off’ is a tricky task. However, in the course of marketing the product, which displays time, Gupta does seem to manage and gain the perfect ‘work-life’ balance.  

Fox Traveller Diaries caught up with Shalini Gupta, Marketing Head – Sonata, Titan Company to talk about her travelling experiences.

Fox Traveller Diaries (FTD): If there is one place you can keep going back to for a holiday, where would it be?

Shalini Gupta (SG): One of my favourite places on earth is Salzburg in Austria. It has a beautiful mix of natural beauty and history, which is enough reason for me to keep going back there.

FTD: Tell us three good things about travelling.

SG: I love to travel because: I enjoy seeing new places; I love to immerse myself in understanding the history of a certain city or place and lastly, I love to experiment and try out something very local – whether cuisine or adventure

SG: I like to travel light and explore places on foot. I don’t like to carry even the smallest bag or my cell phone. A durable all weather water resistant watch is top of my list of things I wear during these sojourns, closely followed by a cap.

FTD: When and where did your best holiday happen?

SG: My best holiday was in Hawaii, in 2004. It was an award trip hosted by my husband’s company and was aptly branded as ‘treasures of a lifetime'. A land of beauty with breathtaking surroundings, this trip is definitely the most memorable!

FTD: As a traveller, what’s your tip for the others?

SG: Travel light! Remember to take your camera to capture memories, preferably a camera which works well even under water and is fine when left in sand. As always, a must-carry is a good water resistant sports watch, a book with details of the locations and an adventurous disposition!

FTD: A colleague/co-worker from your industry with whom you would like to go on a holiday.

SG: Amanpreet, is a good friend of mine, who loves to experiment with local food and is fabulous at picking some great local bargains. A lovely travel companion indeed!

FTD: Have you ever been surprised by the taste of food, outside India? Where?

SG: I was never a fan of prawns, until I had ‘drunken prawns’ in Singapore. The memory still leaves a tingle on my taste buds!

SG: A gorgeous and extremely delicate fine bone china miniature tea set, bought in one of the small lanes in Hong Kong that proudly sits in my home till this day!

FTD:  Which has been the most unique destination that you ever visited. When and why?

SG: Yellow Stone national park has to be the most unique destination for me. It has a disproportionate share of natural beauty, rare geo-thermal sights like geysers and some very unique flora and fauna as well.  Surrounded by the breathtaking Tetons and the picturesque town of Jackson hole, every corner is submerged in beauty and wonder.

Another place I loved visiting was Egypt, where we went on a cruise on the Nile. It was a dream come true for me to visit the Pyramids of Giza, the Tomb of Tutankhamen, and the various museums. The Egyptian civilisation is one of the oldest and most well preserved – enough to give one a good peek into history.

FTD: Tell us how have you managed to make a journey fun.

SG: I try and make a journey fun by always trying out some new things. I tried parasailing in Hawaii for the first time and scuba diving recently in the Maldives. I also enjoy reading up about the place to understand its history and culture even before I visit, to give context to the things I see around.

FTD: A gourmet gaffe that you would like to share.

SG: When I was in the US for an event, we accepted an invite to a sit down dinner. Unfortunately, the bland and almost raw vegetarian courses were impossible to eat! Plus I had no clue about which wine went with which course.

FTD: What has been your worst travel moment? Why?

SG: The worst travel moment has to be the time when I developed an eye infection on my trip to the Maldives. Because of this, I wasn’t allowed into the ocean for 2 out of the 5 days of my trip.

FTD: What is the best souvenir you ever bought for anyone?

SG: A papyrus painting for a friend with her name painted in Egyptian text, next to the picture of a famous queen.

Disclaimer: The views expressed are purely in the personal capacity of Shalini Gupta as a travel buff and has no bearing and/or correlation with her official role; Images, courtesy: Shalini Gupta