These girls are on their own trip!

This is the story of 76-year-old Sushma Verma, who has been wanting to visit Istanbul since the time it was called Constantinople. It is also the story of Kentucky-based Rachel Alexander, who went to Greece to spend quality time with her sister from India. And it’s the story of 6-year-old Bulbul Butail, who made her very first snowman up in Changla Pass in Ladakh.
When Sumitra Senapaty was given charge of an all-women’s family holidy, the idea of travelling with like-minded women stuck in her head. "Minus brothers, fathers, husbands or sons, the women had no inhibitions and let their hair down like never before," says Sumitra. One thing led to another and Sumitra soon found herself sending out mailers for her self-formed club WOW (Women On Wanderlust). Two years down the line, she has taken groups of women to Sri Lanka, Ladakh, Rajasthan, Uttranchal and Egypt. This year the club is going to Greece and Istanbul, Kailash Manasarovar, South Africa and then Egypt again.
"I’ve read so much about the romance of Constantinople," says Sushma Verma, who retired as the principal of a government school. "When I heard about this club, my only fear was they might reject me for being a senior citizen but they were more than thrilled to have me," she says. "I had such a great time, seeing new places and meeting interesting young women. In my heart, I’m a young girl myself," adds the cheerful septuagenarian.
Ask Sumitra why she started this club and she says, "I felt there was a need for women in India to holiday by themselves and there wasn’t any set-up to help them do so. I started with 11 women adventurous enough to explore Nubra Valley and Khardungla in Ladakh. Somehow it all fell into place after that." So who is the typical WOW woman? "It varies. This time we had two doctors, an insurance specialist, a school teacher, a journalist, an artist, a professor, a banker, a gold/diamond jewellery entrepreneur, HR professionals, software and corporate executives, homemakers... Basically, the idea is to have girl time, rest and relaxation, adventure, interesting things to see and do, cool accommodation, security, great value and out of the world itineraries," says Sumitra.
Left to themselves, women like to go as far as possible from the humdrum of their daily routine. And they enjoy the adventure of a new country, which is why outbound trips are so popular. To keep the desi flavour alive on their trips abroad, Sumitra carries pan masala, supari, namkeen, mithai and ready-to-eat dal makhni and paneer masala.
When Rachel Alexander from Kentucky heard her Bangalore-based banker sister Vimla Sikand was going to Greece, she was intrigued by the concept. "This trip gave me the opportunity to spend quality time with my sister, who is understandably busy with office when I’m in India," says Rachel on email. "We travelled to Istanbul from opposite ends of the globe. It was really exciting to meeting up with my sister like this," she adds.
Revealing how women don’t always initiate the trip for themselves, Sumitra has fathers calling in to ask if their daughters can join the tours. "One father from Bangalore wanted the Greece and Istanbul trip as a post-board exam surprise for his daughter." Vani Vangala from Bangalore went on her first solo tour to Rajasthan. "I wanted to visit many travel destinations but wasn’t able to coordinate with friends or family. I had no relatives or friends on the tour before I started. I now have 9 new friends and that says it all," explains Vani. "Being an inveterate traveller himself my father wanted me to join this girls-only tour. In fact, he discovered it for me!"
Interestingly, apart from those living in big cities, women from places like Surat, Allahabad, Indore, Lucknow, Trichinapalli, Mangalore and Guwahati have shown interest in the concept. Any ice breakers Sumitra tries to get the group to mingle on day one? "Not required. Women start talking the moment they see each other!"
anubha.sawhney@timesgroup.com