Year’s last week starts with a long weekend

Circa 2010 may not be a holiday-friendly year, with many public holidays falling on weekends, but, as if to make up a little for the ensuing slog, 2009 is set to end with a dream run — a four-day weekend at the beginning of the year’s last week.

As the government has announced a holiday on Monday on account of Moharram, the party will begin on Christmas this Friday, when families pack their bags and head off to places close and far to make merry on the long weekend.

Varun Mohan, 23, a business manager with a private firm, is driving down to Nashik with his friends. “All of us were getting a long weekend after a long time. Hence, we have decided to go to Nashik, since we have never been there. We are going for three days and will be back this Sunday,” said Varun, who has moved to Mumbai for a job.

The choice of destination for Krishna Iyer, a resident of Matunga, is the verdant hill station Matheran, where she has booked a hotel for three days she will spend with her family.

“Our office will not give us a holiday on New Year, so we planned a trip this weekend. My holidays never coincide with my children’s, hence we have not been able to go for a short trip for quite some time. Their Christmas vacation is on, and luckily, I managed to get this long weekend,” said Iyer. The Iyers are being joined by a friend and his family.

Government offices will be closed for the four days, starting December 25 to 28. While several private firms will be working as usual on Monday, their employees are still in for a three-day weekend.

According a tour operator Dilip Boricha from Dadar Tourist Centre, the rush shot through the roof this weekend for trips to nearby tourist locations. “Bookings have increased tremendously for this weekend, compared to other weekends. Goa, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Ahmedabad are some of the favourite destinations among Mumbaikars this season. There are many bookings for places close to Pune as well,” he said.