Why Travel?

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” 
– St. Augustine 

Why Travel? This is a question a lot of couch potatoes ask.  

Personally, I think we should live our lives in a way that would be worth reading about or seeing a movie about. An eventful life with all the drama and masala and no regrets. So trust me traveling will make that happen. Make traveling your way of life and it will erase ‘boredom’ from your vocabulary.  

Your life will be a story about a person who stepped out of the door and returned as a wiser version of herself. All the people you meet on your trip will leave their mark on you and teach you lifelong lessons. On your journey, you might experience love and heartbreak, which will add romance to your story. The metaphorical or the literal storms you face on your journey could form the adversities that you as a protagonist of your own story face during your adventures. They will give your biography a blockbuster climax. You will be lying if you say you don’t want to live this life, to breathe in the oceans and the mountains, to feel fulfilled even when you are missing out on other things.  

Some may say that they can see the whole world without ever needing to lift their butts up from the sofa. Agreed that you can see the places through virtual travel but what about physical experiences and delightful exploration? While you can see the places and hear about them, you will miss out on the fragrance of the Tulips in Kashmir, the taste of Goa’s seafood, and so much more. By not actually traveling you will miss out on being a part of the culturally versatile world. By not traveling you will never be able to meet the widowed Lakshmi from Uttarakhand whose story will touch your heart or meet the talkative Rahul from Goa with whom you will have the time of your life. You will never meet the generous chef Kacho Rinpoche from Ladakh who packed you a free lunch for your journey ahead. You will never make these friends or the many others you could meet while couch surfing or hitchhiking.  

We all love to feel at the top of the world. Travelling will make you feel like that, sometimes even literally if you are only a tidbit adventurous enough to trek the heights.  

Do not deny you want to be a person who is fearless, daring and awe-inspiring. One para-gliding experience in Solang Valley will bring those qualities in you and push your confidence towards trying out rock-climbing, kayaking, bungee jumping, skiing, scuba diving, zorbing, and the list goes on. The thrill you get out of these adventure sports is addictive. They will make you realize that if ever you need to be uplifted, they will be there for you.  

Travelling is also the best form of education. It will teach you geography, history, and languages. You can learn about the politics and the economy of the place by picking up their local newspaper and discussing it with the natives. This is when you will really learn about their grievances and expectations. You will learn about the environmental concerns for the Himalayan mountains and the sufferings of the people of North-East by participating in Voluntourism. Sometimes it becomes necessary in life to travel halfway across the world to finally learn compassion, tolerance, independence, and empathy. 

But do not fret if travelling a long distance is not possible. Travelling a short distance can also be grand. Look around you and you will find immense places you could visit. You can start by traveling on a local train instead of a taxi. You can go and visit Choki Dhani and talk to the Rajasthani artists there. Exam stress? Go relieve it by cycling in SGNP. Work stress? Go for a long drive on the Sea link. Travelling clears your head and a clear head is a solution to a lot of problems.  

Really, give travelling a chance and I guarantee you, you will fall in love with it. Once that happens then the only answer to the question ‘Why travel?’ will be ‘I travel because it’s the best thing ever!’ 

– Disha Gala