My
earliest memory of travelling was to my hometown Mangalore by train for 16
hours from Tamilnadu as a child, though it became a routine every summer
vacation. It reminds me of the numerous conversations with people in the
compartment, staring at the skies, gazing at the coconut lined Malabar Coast
and welcoming the adventure that comes along with it. As Mark Twain had put it
across, 'Travel.. nothing so liberalises a man and expands the kindly instincts
the nature put in him as travel and contact with many kinds of people'. Travelling
to a new place has always been about getting to meet new people, knowing different
cultures, being connected back to nature and getting to enjoy the complete
experience thoroughly. A person from India that way is very lucky to be
surrounded by melting pot of cultures at every step and not to mention the rich
biodiversity. One doesn’t have to stray very far to experience breathtaking beauty around.
Travel
can definitely become a path to self-discovery. This can also turn out to be
the best opportunity, if you choose to, to cut yourself off from the virtual
social world and indulge in the real world. Of course if one is travelling on
work that’s a far-fetched notion, but that cannot still stop them from experiencing a whole new facet. I see travelling as a window to explore new
territories and get away when the routine gets mundane. A two time sabbatical
from the routine a year seems befitting to everyone. Though travel does take a
bit of planning, the process in itself is exciting. However sometimes it can
also become a little exhausting. I have observed that too much of planning
never does any good and if you want to travel, it is you who got to take the
initiative to plan.
I
have realised travelling makes me very flexible, well not that I can somersault
but yes mentally. Some might think travelling every now and then is superfluous
but it is a complete rejuvenation. Not only does the body relax and repair, but the
mind as well becomes very receptive. Travelling today is much easier,
comfortable and doesn’t necessary have to be a luxury. Budget travels are also
equally pleasurable; it lies in how you can exploit the situation to your
advantage (this is where flexibility plays a role), You can always begin by visiting
places close to where you live and then move further away and while you are at
it make sure you let go of all inhibitions and savour each and every moment of
the entire journey as that is what builds up into those amazing globetrotting memories.
Bon
Voyage!
