Ideal Yatras For Life

I love having oodles of personal time to myself. Time when there is no time-table or agenda in sight, time I don’t have to soon  be somewhere else or prepare for something, time in which I just am, time when I can quietly think my thoughts, time when I can actually discover and savour the world round me in its infinite variety, time to potter round and indulge in a hobby. I find that living so, creates the greatest sense of personal well-being in my life. It also makes me super creative and soon thereafter brings about the most breakthrough changes in my life.

I find that I can take off this personal time to myself just about anywhere, even at home. Just sign out of social media, turn off the phone, retreat to what my family terms the “gufa”(My room actually. Apparently, I have the temper of a bear that’s been disturbed in its hibernation should someone try to knock at my door, hence the name.)Alternatively, I’ve just to take myself over to some part or other part of the city I don’t often visit and simply explore the back streets, the architecture, shops and food. I’ve had great times in the lakes and marshes round my Navi Mumbai house, the hills behind my Worli place, Mazgaon, Mahim, Shivaji Park, Fort, Ballard Estate, Colaba etc. But, this said, there’s something to be said for a trip abroad. There is always the stimulation that comes from dealing with unfamiliar systems and having to rethink and relearn ways of doing things we take totally for granted.

So far there is hardly a single trip abroad that has not cost me at least 5 lakh rupees per person. And these days I’m finding pretty awesome properties abroad for 20-25 lakhs. Check out the cottage in the picture. Moreover as long as a body simply has no start and end date in mind, a preferred route or airline , dirt cheap International Flights are available. How does a Rs 38,000/-round ticket to the US sound? Additionally, using one’s own home as a base for local travel abroad sounds much more appealing to me. Having a dad whose career involved a great deal of disruptive travel has given me a lifelong aversion to temporary homes. Raj Bhavans, Ravi Bhavans, Minister’s Cottages, PWd Guest Houses, Forest Guest Houses, Sarkari Guest Houses of all types, Company Guest Houses, I’d rather pass them all up. And increasingly I’m beginning to feel the same about the Hyatts, Marriotts ,The Four Seasons et al. I’m the critical sort that notices that things are faux marble, replicas, veneers and plywood rather than the real thing. And the fact that things are not really what they hope to pass off for, really gets to me and affects my enjoyment of life. Give me the boutique hotels and pensions any day. Better yet a place of my own!

Till a few years back traveling at least once to every country of the world used to be a goal. Now I’m wondering if I should resurrect this old goal in a new way? Acquire some inexpensive places abroad, perhaps places offering visa on arrival or multiple entry visas, purchase whatever combination of tickets come up whenever, pick up a few clothes and set off, allowing life to take me where it will. That way I’ll be taking in all sorts of cities and countries in transit, opting for a variety of travel options and routes every time I have to make my way to one of these vacation homes from wherever the flight drops me off at, sampling authentic local food as I always have made it a point to and taking in many of the local entertainments and sights that few tourists ever do and perhaps come up with totally unique souvenirs. That way ,sameness and boredom won’t set in soon. And given the way the Rupee is depreciating, these vacation properties might just turn out to be not half bad investments too!