Praneeta Kochhar
As a traveller, it is often overwhelming and at times intimidating to go to a strange, new place, where we unaware of everything from food to the culture and people.
So, what makes people spend their time and money, put their life on a pause and put themselves through so much unfamiliarity?
It is logically not a smart investment to make some might argue, as you spend tangible things for something intangible.
To understand the answer, we need to ask another question- Have you ever asked a person about the favourite place that they have visited? Their face would light up and they would be excited to share their experience with you.
Stunning experience
I have not met a person who does not like to talk about their travels.
Moroccan Muslim Scholar Ibn Battuta said, “Travelling leaves you speechless and then turns you into a storyteller.”
Anyone who has ever travelled would agree.
Italian Poet and Novelist Cesare Pavese said that traveling is a brutality.
“It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that is familiar comforts of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things- Air, sleep, Dream, the sea, the sky- all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it,” he said.
Refreshing change
When you travel, you feel refreshed. You feel a newness in everything around you. It breaks the monotony of routine life and makes you get closer to nature. It makes you feel like a kid again. In learning about the food, culture, history and people, you learn about life, like you have never known before.
It is appropriate to say that we do not travel because we want to escape life, we travel so that life does not escape us. We venture out into the new places and see life moving.
We see children and families; we see people laughing and having a good time, and suddenly, out of nowhere, a place which was just a marking on the map, comes alive and becomes a part of your memories forever.
Making memories beautiful
As a mother, I truly hope that my children have a love for travel and have a lifetime of adventure and marvel.
While it is a way to make beautiful memories, be independent and respect all the wonders of the world, it is also a reminder that life, no matter where you are, goes on and has its amazing moments. And if there is one message I can pass on to them, it would be that life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved.
It is only when one is away from the everyday comforts that nature comes alive, the birds sing a little sweeter, the water flows a bit more magically, and the woods smell more distinct. And in that brief moment, you suddenly know everything about life that needs to be known.
And more importantly, travel makes you humble as you realise that the world and its beauty is beyond any marvel that we can comprehend.
We also realise how tiny our troubles and plans are in comparison to the Almighty’s creations, whether is the varied seasons, the rivers, the hills, the flowers, the people, our planet, the galaxy, the universe or the many worlds that lie far beyond.
Praneeta Kochhar is a graduate (BA) in Philosophy. She defines herself as a ‘Student of life’ and tries to find a fresh perspective in everyday life experiences. Creative Writing is among her best attributes.
Pictures appearing here were sent by her.
- Sunrise or Sunset, it is breath-taking
- A rare combination of Earth, Water, Sky and Air
- If the Sun is static, do clouds travel?
- Nature’s bounty is endless
