As a proud Indian woman who has travelled the globe for almost a decade, armed with a talented crew, I’ve come to understand that travel is not merely about ticking places off a bucket list. It’s a profound teacher, offering lessons that no classroom can rival. This World Tourism Day, I want to share with you all what my globetrotting adventures have taught me so far. This is also a reminder to myself about why I love travelling and why I decided to make it my full-time job!
World Tourism Day: What I Learned From My Globetrotting Adventures!
1. Travelling Shatters Preconceptions
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Travelling around the world, I realised that the stereotypes and preconceptions I unknowingly harboured were all shattered, one by one. I recall the first time I ever visited Georgia. I was expecting austere streets and reserved people. Instead, I found vibrant bazaars and a culture brimming with dreams, not unlike those in Mumbai.
2. It Cultivates Empathy
When you’ve shared a meal with a family in the homestays of Bhutan or watched the sunrise with monks in Koh Samui, you begin to see the common threads of humanity. These experiences have fostered a deep-seated empathy in me that transcends borders and cultural differences.
3. Broadens Culinary Horizons
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Food is a universal language, and travelling around the world has made me fluent in it. From slurping Thukpa on the streets of Arunachal Pradesh to savouring fermented shark meat in Iceland, each meal taught me a lesson in the history, agriculture, and cultural exchange of the particular country I was in.
4. Challenges Your Comfort Zones & Reveals Personal Strengths
Nothing pushes you out of your comfort zone quite like navigating a new city where you don’t speak the language. As a woman, such experiences can be especially terrifying but they’ve always helped me build trust in myself and my capabilities. These moments of discomfort have been the greatest catalysts for my personal growth. Solo travel, in particular, is a journey of self-discovery. It unveils strengths you never knew you had, be it navigating complex metro systems or haggling at marketplaces.
5. Redefines ‘Normal’
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What’s commonplace in one culture may be extraordinary in another. In Japan, I marvelled at people’s work ethic. Even those who would “normally” be considered way past their retirement age worked hard every day. While in Spain, I adjusted to dinners at 10 pm. Travel taught me that ‘normal’ keeps changing from culture to culture.
6. Improves Problem-Solving Skills
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Missed connections, lost luggage, language barriers — my travel tales haven’t always been problem-free. Each problem solved on the road built my self-confidence and resourcefulness which also seeped into my day-to-day life.
7. Fosters Environmental Awareness
Witnessing the plastic-choked beaches of many popular tourist destinations or the smog-filled skies of bustling cities around the world firsthand alerted me to global environmental issues. It is also why I so ardently advocate sustainable tourism.
8. Helps You Become More Mindful
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In our hyperconnected world, travel offers rare moments of mindfulness. Whether it’s watching the Northern Lights dance across the Finnish sky or listening to the call to prayer echo through the streets of Saudi Arabia, these experiences helped ground me in the now and feel more connected to the place I was visiting.
9. Inspires Creativity
New sights, sounds, and experiences are fuel for creativity. As a content creator, I constantly strive to keep my ideas as fresh and innovative as possible. I’ve found that my most inspired works often flow after immersing myself in a new culture, as fresh perspectives spark novel ideas.
10. Learning The Art of Slow Living
In Bhutan, I learned about ‘Gross National Happiness’. In Goa, I embraced the ‘susegad’ way of life. Travel reminds us to slow down and savour life’s simple pleasures.
11. Cultivates Gratitude
Experiencing different ways of life often leads to a profound appreciation for what we have. After witnessing true poverty in some parts of the world, I’ve never looked at my own privileges the same way. And no matter how many countries I visit, time and again I am reminded of only one thing — saare jahaan se achha, Hindustan humara!
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I’ve spent over 20 hours on the road at a stretch exploring the remotest corners of our country. My most recent expedition was to the easternmost part of Maharashtra, Gadchiroli. My time there was spent with the tribes of Aheri and Hedri and it blew my mind how connected with nature they truly are. Another one of my most memorable recent trips was to Arunachal Pradesh. Who says you need a time machine to go back in time? My visit to this Indian state reminded me of how people got by before the Internet was invented.
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Also Read: World Tourism Day 2024: This Year’s Theme, Host Country, Date & All You Need To Know
I feel incredibly lucky to have travelled so extensively around the world as well as to the remotest corners of India. Spending the better part of the last decade travelling and bringing the hidden travel destinations of India to the fore was not easy, but I’m grateful for all I’ve learned.
If you, too, have learned any interesting lessons from your explorations on this wonderful planet, I would love to hear more about them in the comments below! Till then, stay tuned to Curly Tales!
Jai Hind!
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First Published: September 25, 2024 10:15 AM