Episode 106: All inclusive, any catch?
Hello Everyone, and welcome to the podcast of the Ordinary Maverick. This is Ajey, your host, an ordinary Maverick sharing real life thoughts and experiences and Maverick tips. If you haven’t hit the subscribe button yet, please do so, and you’ll not miss another episode.
It’s an ‘all inclusive package’. We first came across this term when we lived in Jamaica in the Caribbean. I recall we were all getting ready to go for a short holiday to Montego Bay, an area to the North of the island. We had moved just a few months back and this was our first holiday to the north. We had heard so much about Montego Bay and the beautiful beaches and were really looking forward to it. One of our Jamaican friends, folks we had recently met up with, told us about the all-inclusive package and encouraged us to go for it.
We researched a bit, talked to people. You see, it was a bit new for us. And we were trying to figure out whether this indeed WAS the best deal? How cost effective it was? what were the other options like? It’s like when you stumble upon something new, you want to know everything. And whichever way we analyzed it, the deal looked too good to be true! And we kept looking for ‘the catch’….ha ha. You know, when one feels this is just too good, there must be a catch somewhere that I am not quite getting.
Anyway, in that instance, we went ahead based off the recommendations from everyone around us. We signed up for the all-inclusive package for our first big holiday in Jamaica. And it was memorable. The most fun ever. Now remember this was over 2 decades back but dipping into our memory bank, the entire experience is etched in our minds. As we entered the hotel, we were each given bands to wear. The color of the bands signified which package you had and the all-inclusive one basically gave you access to everything at the resort. Full boarding, all meals, infact more than meals, there were snacks, drinks, ice cream, just about everything one could think of. And then the music, live bands, dancing, games, beach games, loads of fun. Our girls were little at the time, and they just loved these colorful bands.
We all recall the coke drinking competition that our elder daughter who was 4 at the time signed up for. Got a hand carved wooden tortoise as a prize. And we still have it. It’s traveled across the world with us and serves as a great memory. It stimulates our memory bank. Remember the ‘banks’ we spoke of, memory, humor….and triggers that help us unlock the banks? Well, the tortoise does that for all of us. And yes, it was about ‘coke drinking’….not too healthy, right? But then, it was so much fun, we discarded the ‘nutrition’ bit and the ‘guilt’ bit for that holiday and just let go for a gala time.
That one holiday set the tone. We became fans of the ‘all inclusive’ packages. And did several of those in Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean. And it never failed to disappoint. In fact, when our friends from the US came over, we enthusiastically ‘sold’ the idea of the all-inclusive to them too! At one point, I began to feel the resort should give us a commission….we were doing such a good job of selling their packages! Ha ha. And yes, everyone who took it, loved it. These resorts were built around this concept and catered to every fun and relaxing activity you could think of, not to mention, the cuisine. One could eat anything at any time. And the best part was, once you had paid the charges for the package, that was it. No other ‘hidden expenses’ to pay for…it truly was all inclusive.
More recently, about 7 years back, we did another one. This time in Hong Kong. Customized it a bit, though as we didn’t quite want all the things included in the package. But the same principle of pay a lumpsum amount and xxx things are included…this time it was room, board, meals and some of the attractions, sightseeing stuff. We opted out of the meals, as wanted to explore more of the local cuisine and do some exploring on our own.
Over the years, the all-inclusive packages have become better and more and more holiday companies, tour operators are offering this. Although, I do believe, nothing could beat the Caribbean all-inclusive holiday package. The sun, sand, warmth of the people, music, the cuisine and then the luxury boarding and lodging. It was sheer bliss and made for the best holiday one could have.
But you know what, this all-inclusive holiday bit made me start thinking of the ‘all you can eat’ buffet meals. One has these all over the world. Again, pay a set amount per person and eat all you want as much as you want. But then, one needs to go around the buffet, walking across the food stations and carrying heavy food filled plates back to the table. Has its pros and cons, right?
Well, nothing to beat the ‘thali meals’ we have in India. A thali means a plate…and typically a largish plate…some of which come with compartments so that the different dishes don’t get all mixed up and one enjoys each flavor distinctly. One of our favorite places in the city of Mumbai, when we lived there several years back was this place that served great food at a set price. It was unlimited. You paid for your thali meal and then could eat as much as you wanted. This one served cuisine from the Southern part of india and it was simply delicious. Our girls were little at the time, and our younger one would describe the place as ‘are we going for dinner to the place where the ‘waiters/uncles’ don’t wear shoes?’ ha ha…made me realize how observant little kids are. She had noticed that all the servers there don’t wear shoes and are running around the tables continuing to fill plates barefooted.
It’s funny how sometimes you don’t notice something and then it’s pointed out to you and that’s all you can notice! Am sure it’s happened to you too. Well, for us, the restaurant got into our heads as the place where the servers didn’t wear shoes!!! Apart from the excellent food of course, ha ha.
And then we have our favorite thali place in the city of Delhi too. Each time we traveled to Delhi, even if for a short stay, we would always find time to go and have at least one meal at this place. It’s one of the busiest restaurants, with a quick turnaround time. Right from the time you sit at your table, get served, eat and leave, it’s like clockwork and super-fast. All of this can take just about 15-20 minutes and your meal is done. Best place to go if in a hurry but one definitely needs an appetite as the food is delicious and unlimited!
So, with all this unlimited, all-inclusive stuff, be it a holiday or a meal, what or where is the catch? Let’s start with the more obvious one, it can be challenging for your health. Ha ha. See, human nature is such that once you have all you can eat – you stuff yourself. There’s just some switch that gets turned on in your head, and you want to try out everything on the menu, and most of the time will keep eating even if full…till it’s almost impossible to eat anymore! It’s how one thinks…I need to get the most out of what I’ve paid for, and I’ve paid for an unlimited meal. Same thing with the holiday. One tries to pack it all in. do all the activities, eat all the meals, join all the sightseeing, basically signing up for everything as it’s paid for…so let’s do it. But at the cost of…..exhausting oneself. And running the risk of needing another holiday to relax after this one is done! You must now be wondering where am I going with all this right??
These are what I call ‘hidden costs’. And you know what, there are hidden costs in everything we do. It’s just more pronounced with these all-inclusive packages. It’s what the name suggests, hidden costs are those that are involved in the production or management of a business and are difficult to identify. If not accounted for, they can lead to wrong decisions and incur costs and impact on results for the business. In a company or business, some examples of hidden costs can be the time an employee spends on filling out expense reports, meetings that are not helpful, other transaction costs, building trust in the ecosystem. Over the years, the business world has gotten better on understanding and addressing these hidden costs.
Fellow Mavericks, I would like us all to urge ourselves to look for and be conscious of the hidden costs in our lives. The all-inclusive package for instance has the hidden cost of tiring oneself, stuffing oneself and feeling a bit sick, right? It can also be when you’re on a holiday but working. Or you’re with your family and your children physically but your mind is elsewhere. These hidden costs can all add up and have long lasting effects on your own mental well-being and physical health. I call it the ‘Iceberg effect’. One sees the iceberg outside the water, but we all know that a major part of the iceberg is under the surface. So hidden costs are like that…in life, often one only sees the surface and doesn’t quite realize the price one is paying overall. Just catching up with a little bit of work during a holiday can take away the mental rest and recuperation one needs and the valuable time with family.
Here’s the point on the Maverick formula. Remember, the first component of ‘be mindful’ which reinforces that we maximize the moment, live in the moment.
Let me leave you with this quote from, Michael Altshuler, ‘The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot’.
So, enjoy the all-inclusive packages, the all-inclusive meals, BUT be conscious of the iceberg effect and the hidden cost, my Mavericks and be the pilot of your own life!
Do keep writing your comments and sharing feedback at ‘theordinarymaverick@gmail.com’ and follow me on Instagram #theordinarymaverick. I love hearing from you. This is Ajey, signing off and wishing you have an amazing day and a super amazing year! Keep well.
This podcast series was put together as a team effort from the Bhardwaj family. Concept, design, title, researchers and reviewers: Ajey, Sanjana, Avantika and Niharika Bhardwaj; Script– Sanjana; Cover design – Niharika. All rights reserved.