From office deadlines to travel timelines

I've always loved to travel, but while I was working, it was a challenge. Getting time off was tough, and even when I did, it was usually for only a few days. The thought of returning to the office was always on my mind.

Now that I'm retired, I have all the time in the world. In June I did a two-week tour of four places in Maharashtra, and the next month it was a road trip through Kerala.

THE WAY I TRAVEL HAS CHANGED

While on our way back from Mangaluru to Bengaluru in 2019

When I was working, any trip that lasted more than a day was usually by flight to save leave days. Now, it’s by train. I don’t mind however long the journey is.

Train travel requires a lot of advance planning. Bookings open 60 days in advance, and, unless you plan that many days ahead, chances of getting a ticket are slim.

The IRCTC website and app are good enough. Some third-party apps are helpful if you are waitlisted. They use AI to predict how probable it is to get a reservation against cancellation.

A few months ago, while planning my trip to Maharashtra, I hit a snag. My original plan was to visit Pune, Thane, Shirdi, and Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad), starting and ending in Bengaluru. But I realised there wasn't a direct train from Sambhaji Nagar to Bengaluru, so you'd have to go back to Pune. This made no sense. So, I reversed my plan: Bengaluru - Pune - Sambhaji Nagar - Shirdi - Thane - Bengaluru.

My seven trips abroad were solo official ones. Two personal trips, and the domestic ones have been with family. While some people love to go solo, others hate them. I'm flexible. Both have their pros and cons.

GETTING READY TO GO

The build-up to a trip is always exciting! The bookings for travel and accommodation, getting and packing the essentials like clothes, toiletries, first-aid kit, and ensuring adequate cash, though there is always the option of online. For foreign trips, it's a travel card and forex. If it’s multiple cities, then the entire sequence has to be planned to make the most of the time.

Before a trip, I do my research. I used to travel without much preparation and would later regret all the things I missed. Reading up on a place doesn't spoil the surprise; it only enhances the experience. Being there in person is still a whole different ball game with its own surprises.

I'm not a big fan of shopping. If I buy something, it's a unique souvenir or memorabilia. I especially love collecting fridge magnets or something that represents the place's unique character.

At the Museum of Goa in 2018

I always carry a book, either a physical one or an e-book, especially if I'm travelling alone. However, I rarely get a chance to read. My days are packed. I'm usually out by 7 or 8 a.m., visiting as many places as possible, and I'm back at the hotel by 7 p.m., exhausted. There's hardly any energy left for reading or listening to music, leave alone watching TV in the hotel room!

I don't make playlists or shopping lists, but I do create a "tour list" on Google Maps. I save places of interest to this list. It's incredibly helpful because it gives me a visual picture of which place is where. This makes trip planning much easier.

WHY I TRAVEL

The biggest reason I travel is to learn about local customs, traditions, languages, food, and landscapes. India is so vast, and each of its 28 states and eight union territories is incredibly diverse and multi-cultural. I still have 11 states and four union territories left to visit. Hopefully, I will get there soon!

This post is part of the Blogchatter Blog Hop

My favourite places are historical monuments and museums. They put the present in historical context and help me better understand the world around me. I also love landscapes, beaches, and mountains. They are great for taking photos and are perfect for relaxing and unwinding.

Travel is more than just a break from the monotony of daily life. It's a brand new experience that broadens our understanding of people, places, and cultures. 

There's a well-known quote attributed to the American writer Henry Miller: “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” He believed our perspective, not the place itself, shapes our experience.

This is why you don't always need to travel far. Our own neighbourhoods often hold surprising treasures just waiting to be discovered!

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