Suitcases, Steamers and Stories: A Look at Holidays in the Past

Travel has always been connected with curiosity, relaxation, family time and discovering new places. However, the way people travelled for holidays in the past was very different from the way people travel today. There were no flight-booking apps, GPS navigation, instant photographs, online hotel reviews or video calls. A holiday required careful planning, patience and a willingness to remain disconnected from home for days or even weeks. Travel was often slower and more difficult, but it was also more personal because people paid attention to the journey, the people around them and the places they visited.

One of the biggest differences between past and present travel was communication. Today, travellers can share photographs immediately, check maps on their phones, book accommodation online and stay in constant contact with family. In earlier times, people relied on physical maps, guidebooks, railway timetables and local people for directions. If they got lost, they had to ask a shopkeeper, police officer or fellow traveller for help. Families usually informed relatives about their travel plans before leaving and then sent postcards or letters after reaching their destination. For example, Indian families travelling from Gujarat to hill stations such as Mount Abu, Mahabaleshwar or Ooty often sent postcards home to say that they had arrived safely or to describe the pleasant weather. These postcards could take several days to reach relatives, but they became treasured reminders of the journey.

In Europe, wealthy young aristocrats once took long educational journeys known as Grand Tours. During the 17th and 18th centuries, they travelled through France, Italy and Greece to learn about art, architecture, history, languages and politics. These trips could last for months or even years and were considered an important part of education. Visiting cities such as Rome, Venice, Florence and Paris was seen as a way of becoming cultured and knowledgeable. In India, travel also had deep cultural, religious and educational importance. Wealthy rulers, merchants and families travelled to important religious places such as Varanasi, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dwarka, Somnath, Tirupati and Puri. These journeys were often made in groups, and people carried food, bedding and religious items with them. My grandmother and parents told me about such a trip that was planned for my first birthday to a religious place. We went in a large group, including our family members.

Travelling in the past also required much more preparation than it does today. For example, travellers carried large suitcases, heavy trunks, bedding rolls, food containers, medicines and formal clothes. A family travelling by sea from India to England could spend several weeks on an ocean liner and had to pack everything needed for the long journey. Ocean travel was considered glamorous, especially for wealthy passengers, but it could also be tiring because weather conditions often affected the journey. Rail travel was equally important. In India, long-distance train journeys were a major part of holiday culture. Families travelled to visit relatives, religious places and tourist destinations while carrying steel tiffin boxes filled with homemade food such as theplas, puris, pickles, parathas and snacks. Sharing food with fellow passengers was common and often led to friendly conversations and unexpected connections.

Family road trips were also memorable, especially during the 1970s and 1980s. Cars did not have GPS, streaming music or mobile internet. Parents used printed road maps, route guides and roadside signboards to reach their destination. Children entertained themselves by playing games such as “I Spy,” counting vehicles, guessing number plates or singing songs. Cassette tapes were an important part of these journeys, and families listened to film songs, radio programmes or recorded music while travelling. In India, a family road trip might include travelling from Ahmedabad to Udaipur, from Mumbai to Goa or from Delhi to Shimla. Stopping at roadside dhabas for hot tea, parathas, pakoras and local meals was part of the experience. In the United States, families travelled on famous highways such as Route 66, stayed in roadside motels and visited diners and attractions along the way.

People also recorded travel memories differently in the past. Instead of posting photographs on social media, many travellers kept diaries or journals. They wrote about the places they visited, the food they tasted, the people they met and the feelings they experienced. A travel journal was usually private and personal, written for the traveller and their family rather than for likes or comments. Photography was also more limited because film cameras had a fixed number of photographs. Families chose their pictures carefully and posed in front of monuments, beaches, hotels and famous landmarks. After returning home, they waited for the film to be developed. In India, family photo albums often contain pictures taken in front of the Taj Mahal, Gateway of India, India Gate, Mysore Palace, Dal Lake or the beaches of Goa. I, too, have a collection of such photos from the trips we took during my school days. The way different photographs were clicked at famous places and how we waited for the film to be developed reminds me of how simple those days were, with sweet and simple trips with parents, cousins, uncles, aunts and other family members. These photographs became valuable family memories and were often shown to guests during visits. Postcards were another popular way to preserve memories. A postcard from Paris, London, Rome, Kashmir or Kerala was both a message and a souvenir, showing that someone had travelled somewhere special.

For many people in the past, holidays were not about luxury resorts, international flights or expensive shopping. A vacation often meant visiting grandparents, attending weddings, travelling to a hometown or going on a pilgrimage. In India, summer holidays often meant children travelling to their grandparents’ village, where they spent time with cousins, played outdoor games, ate homemade food and learned family traditions. Summer vacations meant preparing different items from raw mangoes and enjoying different delicacies made from mangoes. It was also the time when we made different snacks, juices and potato chips for the whole year, which needed to be fried before eating. These trips were simple but emotionally meaningful. In many Asian, African and Latin American cultures, travel was closely connected with family gatherings, festivals and religious events. People travelled long distances to attend weddings, harvest festivals, New Year celebrations and important ceremonies. In Japan, families often travelled during festivals and seasonal holidays. In China, millions of people travelled home during Lunar New Year to reunite with their families. In the Middle East, religious travel, especially pilgrimage, has long been an important part of cultural life.

Older forms of travel had qualities that are becoming rare today. People had more patience, spent more time talking to fellow travellers and experienced destinations without constantly checking their phones. Holidays were often slower, less organised and sometimes challenging, but they gave people time to observe, listen, talk and create memories without feeling pressure to post every moment online.

Travel in the past was not always easy, but it was often deeply memorable. Whether it was a European Grand Tour, a train journey across India, a family road trip in the 1980s or a pilgrimage to a sacred place, travel was about much more than sightseeing. It was about stories, relationships, discovery and time away from ordinary life. Modern travel offers speed and convenience, but the past reminds us that a meaningful holiday does not depend on luxury hotels, perfect photographs or constant internet access. Sometimes, the best travel memories are created when people slow down, put away distractions and enjoy the journey as much as the destination.