The frappe fraternity

Mocha is gathering together communities with shared interests under its roof to swap shoptalk over coffee.

At this moment, 30 young wayfarers are mapping their dreams across Western Europe, with a ¤50 daily annuity and fiery ebullience. Many of them are first-time backpackers, having finally been lured into it by the safety net of organised group travel coupled with the freedom to pencil in individual picks.

They're all members of the Mocha Backpackers Club, which gathers together travellers, armchair and otherwise, on the last Sunday of every month at the coffee house chain that revolutionised the concept of lounging with a cup of java.

Between slide shows, travel gyaan supplied by the know-it-alls, offers made by approved travel operators, and discount coupons from the Lonely Planet, travellers are encouraged to toss caution to the wind and embark on their dream vacations.

Some of that wanderlust rubbed off on to Vaishali Shah, a 34-year-old project manager at a knowledge process outsource firm.

"It's an easy decision to make when the whole trip is researched for you by people in the know," says Shah, between gasps that indicate she's enjoying the view of the Jungfrau peaks from her room at the camp in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, regarded as one of the most spectacular glacial valleys in Europe.

Accomodation is mostly in campsite cabins and the backpackers are thrilled to note they aren't required to slum it on shared bunks in grimy Pensiones.

"If you know your way around, ¤50 can get you a lot," says organiser Yogi Shah, also co-founder of the Mocha Backpackers Club. Transport is in coordination with Busabout, a hop-on, hop-off bus service for cities across Europe. The schedule is non-binding and travellers can choose to make longer stopovers at some cities and skip others.

"Someone at a local bar suggests a charming town nearby, so you decide to stay on a couple of days longer," says Elisha Saigal, a fellow traveller, who stayed back in Venice an extra two days. "Funnily though, we haven't lost anyone for too long," laughs Saigal.

"Women feel safer when everything is organised for them," says another traveller, and that shows "" the ratio stands at 10 women to five men per group.

This isn't the first common-interest club to emerge from under all those coffee drinkers and sheesha (the bubbling hookah seen at every other table at any Mocha outlet) inhalers.

Three years ago, Riyaaz Amlani, CEO, Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality, Mocha's mother brand, a theatre buff himself, started the Mocha Film Club "" a platform for short film makers to generate exposure for their efforts.

There are no governing guidelines, cursory film festival participation requirements, or preferred genres for shorts to be eligible, and the idea is the keep the doors of inclusion wide open.

What started off as a cosy format in Mocha, is now a much larger joint undertaking by Mocha, Cine Blitz and Adlabs Cinemas that offered up the 35 mm screen at Fame Adlabs for the club's monthly soirees. The June screening, the first at Fame Adlabs, had 350 people watch the film selecetions, and an equal number turned away at the door for lack of space.

And starting this weekend, the Mocha Bike Association, a loosely knit group of motorbike enthusiasts, will take to the roads, on their inaugural ride southwards from Bandra, a suburb in the north.

The perks of membership in the club are monthly servicing tips from ustaads (mechanics), who incidentally also are encouraged to be members, discounted biking merchandise, and the weekend trips out that are sure to follow.

Safety has great bearing on the group's activities, and a tenet declares the group will only ride as fast as the slowest rider.

Amlani wants the Mocha community to share more interests than just "great coffee"! It helps people associate with Mocha on different levels. "I will faciliatate the formation of these sub-communities, but then it should be the enthusiasm of the community that takes over," he says.

"We tried open mike sessions once but people were unsued to the idea and no one came forth to share anything. The mike stayed open all night," he laughs.

Not one to give up easily, Amlani is ready to give it another shot. Other enthusiastic travellers will also get a shot at the backpackers' trip to Europe.

Come September, 30 of the club's members will be off once more, this time to Spain and France. "I don't think I can afford another trip so soon," laments Shah, "I think the one skydiving lesson I took outside of my daily allowance just killed my budget."

Spoken in the true spirit of the frugal backpacker.