It takes two to tango

If the whir and beep of machines spur him into action its a strain of Latin jazz that helps Atul Parekh wind down One feeds the stomach the other feeds my soul Parekh 55 runs a successful business of manufacturing bottles for pharmaceutical companies from a Lower Parel factory Every day at sundown he is at his Breach Candy Latin Aventuras officeFor the longest time it was a case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde one profession did not know about the other he says And for good reason In 2010 when Parekh decided to promote the continent among Mumbaikars most travellers including his family said Why would you go to South America Its unsafeThe truth is Parekh argues the whole world is unsafeThe side hustle has paid off Today his clients include some of Mumbais most affluent Two weeklong trip costs no less than Rs 5 lakh per head manifold what youd pay for a Europe trip Guests are usually firsttimers and to break down an enormously varied continent is exciting but also daunting for Parekh I usually tell clients go to South America after you have travelled the world It takes a different mindset to appreciate the place Its for those who are curious about lifeThe itinerary includes obviously a trail to Machu Picchu standing under Iguazu Falls and swimming with the giant tortoises and dolphins in the Galapagos The countries that a client will visit are chosen after a detailed interaction personality assessment and lesson in geography which he conducts using a large map that hangs on the office wall Since the excitement of a holiday should start with the planning I have designed my studio to look like a microcosm of Latin America Its more home less office and the walls carry framed snapshots of carnivals at Rio the pristine Caribbean coastline and Patagonias dramatic peaksThe stereo plays the rumba as we chat The vibe of this profession is in stark contrast to his day job All my life Ive worked in a factory a structured straightjacketed environment The thrill of the travel firm was something I hadnt experienced in years If hes the experienced boss there hes a rookie hereHis own love affair with Latin America was the result of a chance invite to a Brazilian consulate gig held in Mumbai in 2010 He walked in to watch a Samba performance and walked out with the idea for a travel firm The show was intoxicating like a potent glass of Caipirinha he recalls Then on he would spend mornings at the factory and return home to chalk out the new passion project It was his French teacher he says who goaded him to carry on this passion Six months later he was on a 22hour flight to Satildeo Paulo Before he took the flight he had heard horrifying stories about mugging I wont lie those stories made me paranoidThe first night he did not step out for dinner He made do with the thepla his wife Sharmila had packed for him lots of vegetarian food available in Peru by the way he adds When I walked the streets Id keep swinging around to see if I was being followed When he eventually got confident to explore the city the two weeks he was there turned out to be what he calls the most exhilarating of his life Its not that I was new to the thrill of travel When Nelson Mandela had opened the doors to South Africa in 1995 I was one of the handful of Indians to fly there But it was the warmth of the people and carnivallike vibe that made South America a permanent feature on his travel radar You will have a cathedral and post office in every city but its the human experience that makes the differenceThere were challenges of course According to Parekh its difficult for a nonnative to navigate the place without local support The Internet might help you with hotels but you need somebody to help you get to the hotel You dont want to be bumbling about after flying all the way there Over the years he has built a robust network of local guides who safely escort guests to their hotels and help them with daily excursions Initially I would be on tenterhooks because I was here miles away Even now sometimes I am awake until the client gets to the hotel safely But there has never been an unpleasant experience he says knocking on a wooden table by his sideCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates