Far (away) from the madding COVID-19

With schools, colleges and movie theatres being shut down to prevent spread of the Covid-19 virus, the first thought of many Indians would be to check out the prospect of a holiday, abroad if finances permit. But with quarantines, countries shutting borders, cruise ships becoming virus incubators, airlines, trains and buses being seen in the same light and fears of catching the contagion abroad, staycations are the obvious solution.

Now, Saudi Arabia has unexpectedly stepped in as the saviour of the Idle Indian. After all, the crash in crude oil prices due to moves by Saudi Arabia has not merely resulted in an unexpected windfall for the government; Indians with vehicles now have a ticket to ride — again. Of course, they must choose only those places where thousands other Indians with the same idea do not converge, as the intention is also to avoid crowds.

The concept of driving holidays had hit a rut worldwide when petrol prices surged, and the shame of carbon footprints stamped out any notion of non-essential road trips. Now, cheaper fuel and the need to be far from the madding crowds — at the urging of public health authorities, no less — make such sojourns the perfect, healthy alternative to days of couch potato existence, especially with the prospect of home delivery of food also being curtailed due to pandemic concerns.