Talkback

International Travel

The article on travel destinations, 10 Budget Friendly Destinations Under Rs 2 Lakh (December 2023 issue), was very informative. I liked the pieces on UAE, Vietnam, and Cambodia, which are on my travel list. Who would have thought that the UAE has archaeological sites from Neolithic age and Vietnam has snow-top mountains. The cost, a little over Rs 1 lakh, of these destinations only make the prospect all the more exciting.

Anushka Singh, Email

Senior Travel

I regularly travel with my senior parents and have faced some of the problems faced by the Jain family mentioned in the December 2023 issue (Old Age Travel Travails: Things To Check Before You Hit The Road) during my travel to the hills. Now, I always make it a point to check if the guest house is senior friendly, whether it has a lift, a nearby medical facility, is close to parking ground, etc.

Mohit Tyagi, Email

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is a must-have these days and it is always preferable to buy a policy specific to your individual needs from an insurance company rather than get one bundled from the travel aggregator. In the worst-case scenario, you might get hospitalised and end up paying huge amounts in healthcare needs abroad as mentioned in Does Your Travel Insurance Pack In Adequate Health Coverage? in the December 2023 issue.

Brajesh Kumar, Email

Home Stay

I am working as a consultant in Bengaluru and have plans to relocate to my native place in a few years and open up a homestay along with organic farming for my retirement living. My childhood friend took the plunge a few years ago and shared that he earned huge profits in one month and no income for months during the lean seasons. This article could come as a handy reckoner for those planning to start a homestay like Mandira Mitra in What It Takes To Open A Homestay (December 2023 issue), and get into the hospitality business.

Melvin Thomas, Email

Debt Assets

I agree that debt assets should not be ignored in one’s portfolio as told in Why Debt Assets Matter, December 2023. I remember in my first job my seniors advised me to open a Public Provident Fund as we didn’t have Employees’ Provident Fund facility. In the first year, I invested Rs 500, but considering the tax benefit, I now invest Rs 1.5 lakh annually.

Shannon Das, Email