Someone asked me why do we travel? Why can’t we save some money for future, or buy some land or buy some gold or invest in something else? I laughed at that question. It’s in the genes, yes, you heard it right! My dad had traveled to all the 29 states in India and his wish to visit Andaman & Nicobar Islands, which is one of the Union Territories of India, was never fulfilled though. The travel bug bit me in the very early days and since it’s my genes, I couldn’t resist myself from packing my bags whenever I got an opportunity.
Luckily, my hubby also loves travelling and he makes a wonderful fellow traveler. Together, after the wedding, we have travelled so much so that others envy us. We have a little toddler who loves travelling and yes, he’s been lucky enough to travel to different places since the age of 3 months old.
Every time we travel others ask why we spend unnecessarily on travels. And we cannot but only laugh at such stupid questions. In Kannada, my mother tongue, we have a proverb, "Kosha odu, desha suttu," which means, “Read as many as books possible, travel as many places as possible”. Traveling for us is not something getting our passports filled with stamps from different countries. It’s more than what mere words could explain. It’s not just a desire to see the world beyond our own borders, but over the years it has become an addiction. We don’t travel just to satiate our curiosity, but to constantly challenge ourselves to learn more about the world, and also ourselves.
Moreover, what we love most about travelling is experiencing something that we cannot find in our place, like touching the snow, viewing autumn leaves, tasting authentic local food, etc. Every time we have travelled, we have got to know ourselves much better. We have found our limits, both physical and mental, by travelling. We have felt free each time we have gone to a new place. At every single place we have met some incredible people. We have learnt a lot besides having fun. Travelling has defined us who we are today.
When we travel we don’t sit on the beach reading a book. We go out, see places, connect with people, learn different culture, eat local food, etc. Our goal is not just to come home different, but better. I couldn’t agree more with Michael Palin who said: “Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life.”
Lankan diaries: Polonnaruwa - the royal ancient city
Lankan diaries: Sigiriya Rock Fortress - the Eighth Wonder of the World
Lankan diaries: Habarana elephant back ride
Lankan diaries: Beware of con drivers targeting travelers in Sri Lanka
A Day in Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautama Buddha
Travel piece on Tiger's Nest Monastery in Bhutan
Sarangkot in Nepal
Roman Bath in the UK
Travel piece on Striling Castle
Loch Lomund in Scotland
Travel piece on Bahrain
Desire to Flee Qatar’s Blazing Sun
A trip to Meghalaya- Day 1
Hotel Trimoorti in Kolkata- Day 2
Guwahati: The Gateway of North-East- Day 3
Nongpoh in Meghalaya- Day 3
Umiam Lake: A Picturesque Delight- Day 3
Ashutosh Inn in Shillong- Day 3
Meghalaya: The Abode of Clouds- Day 3
Shillong: Scotland of the East- Day 3
A Romance and Poetry with Shillong Peak- Day 4
Lumparing Buddhist Lamasery in Shillong- Day 4
Lady Hydari Park in Shillong- Day 4
Lewduh or Bara Bazar in Shillong- Day 4
Delhi Mistaan Bhandar in Shillong- Day 5
Standing Stones or Mawbynna in Meghalaya- Day 5
Cherrapunjee or Sohra in Meghalaya- Day 5
Ramakrishna Mission in Cherrapunjee- Day 5
Nohkalikai Falls in Meghalaya- Day 5
Mawsmai Caves in Meghalaya- Day 5
Ka Khoh Ramhah or Motrop in Meghalaya-Day 5
Thanghkarang Park in Meghalaya- Day 5
Kynrem Falls in Meghalaya- Day 5
Seven Sisters Falls in Meghalaya- Day 5
Living Root Bridge at Riwai in Meghalaya- Day 6
Sky View in Meghalaya – Day 6
Mawlynnong, the Cleanest Village in Asia- Day 6
Khasi food in Mawlynnong, the Cleanest Village in Asia – Day 6
Balancing Rock in Meghalaya– Day 6
Don Bosco Museum of Indigenous Cultures in Shillong- Day 7
Take a break from your job, travel and find the happiness you've lost
Hong Kong scraps visa-on-arrival for Indians
Why Northeast is a safe haven for solo female travelers
Welcome to the coldest village on Earth where the temperature can hit -71.2C
Meet the 89-year-old Russian grandmother travelling the world
Day 1: In God’s Own Country
Day 2: Syrian Jacobite Christian Wedding
Day 3: Kadamattom Church
Day 4: On a houseboat in Kumarakom
How "3 Idiots" destroyed Ladakh
Sacred groves of Kerala: Backed by divinity, but not legality
Bali named as world's best tourist destination for 2017
Travel piece on Tiger's Nest Monastery in Bhutan
Trivandrum rare pictures (1850-1950)
Purple Island in Qatar
Rain in Doha: Missing walk in the rain...
Purple Island in Qatar
Al-Jemail or Ghost Town in Qatar
Al-Zubarah Town
Al-Zubarah Fort
Zekreet Fort and Beach
Souq Waqif
Mesaieed Beach in Qatar
Sheikh Faisal's Museum in Qatar
Fuwairit Beach in Qatar
World’s ‘highest’ village in Spiti Valley runs dry as global warming hits the Himalayas
Rare photographs of Bangalore -- Part I
Rare photographs of Bangalore -- Part II
Rare pictures of Mysore -- Part I
Rare pictures of Mysore -- Part II
Olive trees in Palestine
Meghalaya's living root bridge
Luckily, my hubby also loves travelling and he makes a wonderful fellow traveler. Together, after the wedding, we have travelled so much so that others envy us. We have a little toddler who loves travelling and yes, he’s been lucky enough to travel to different places since the age of 3 months old.
Moreover, what we love most about travelling is experiencing something that we cannot find in our place, like touching the snow, viewing autumn leaves, tasting authentic local food, etc. Every time we have travelled, we have got to know ourselves much better. We have found our limits, both physical and mental, by travelling. We have felt free each time we have gone to a new place. At every single place we have met some incredible people. We have learnt a lot besides having fun. Travelling has defined us who we are today.
When we travel we don’t sit on the beach reading a book. We go out, see places, connect with people, learn different culture, eat local food, etc. Our goal is not just to come home different, but better. I couldn’t agree more with Michael Palin who said: “Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life.”
Lankan diaries: Habarana elephant back ride
Lankan diaries: Beware of con drivers targeting travelers in Sri Lanka
A Day in Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautama Buddha
Travel piece on Tiger's Nest Monastery in Bhutan
Sarangkot in Nepal
Roman Bath in the UK
Travel piece on Striling Castle
Loch Lomund in Scotland
Travel piece on Bahrain
Desire to Flee Qatar’s Blazing Sun
A trip to Meghalaya- Day 1
Hotel Trimoorti in Kolkata- Day 2
Guwahati: The Gateway of North-East- Day 3
Nongpoh in Meghalaya- Day 3
Umiam Lake: A Picturesque Delight- Day 3
Ashutosh Inn in Shillong- Day 3
Meghalaya: The Abode of Clouds- Day 3
Shillong: Scotland of the East- Day 3
A Romance and Poetry with Shillong Peak- Day 4
Lumparing Buddhist Lamasery in Shillong- Day 4
Lady Hydari Park in Shillong- Day 4
Lewduh or Bara Bazar in Shillong- Day 4
Delhi Mistaan Bhandar in Shillong- Day 5
Standing Stones or Mawbynna in Meghalaya- Day 5
Cherrapunjee or Sohra in Meghalaya- Day 5
Ramakrishna Mission in Cherrapunjee- Day 5
Nohkalikai Falls in Meghalaya- Day 5
Mawsmai Caves in Meghalaya- Day 5
Ka Khoh Ramhah or Motrop in Meghalaya-Day 5
Thanghkarang Park in Meghalaya- Day 5
Kynrem Falls in Meghalaya- Day 5
Seven Sisters Falls in Meghalaya- Day 5
Living Root Bridge at Riwai in Meghalaya- Day 6
Sky View in Meghalaya – Day 6
Mawlynnong, the Cleanest Village in Asia- Day 6
Khasi food in Mawlynnong, the Cleanest Village in Asia – Day 6
Balancing Rock in Meghalaya– Day 6
Don Bosco Museum of Indigenous Cultures in Shillong- Day 7
Take a break from your job, travel and find the happiness you've lost
Hong Kong scraps visa-on-arrival for Indians
Why Northeast is a safe haven for solo female travelers
Welcome to the coldest village on Earth where the temperature can hit -71.2C
Meet the 89-year-old Russian grandmother travelling the world
Day 1: In God’s Own Country
Day 2: Syrian Jacobite Christian Wedding
Day 3: Kadamattom Church
Day 4: On a houseboat in Kumarakom
How "3 Idiots" destroyed Ladakh
Sacred groves of Kerala: Backed by divinity, but not legality
Bali named as world's best tourist destination for 2017
Travel piece on Tiger's Nest Monastery in Bhutan
Trivandrum rare pictures (1850-1950)
Purple Island in Qatar
Rain in Doha: Missing walk in the rain...
Purple Island in Qatar
Al-Jemail or Ghost Town in Qatar
Al-Zubarah Town
Al-Zubarah Fort
Zekreet Fort and Beach
Souq Waqif
Mesaieed Beach in Qatar
Sheikh Faisal's Museum in Qatar
Fuwairit Beach in Qatar
World’s ‘highest’ village in Spiti Valley runs dry as global warming hits the Himalayas
Rare photographs of Bangalore -- Part I
Rare photographs of Bangalore -- Part II
Rare pictures of Mysore -- Part I
Rare pictures of Mysore -- Part II
Olive trees in Palestine
Meghalaya's living root bridge
