But beyond that, we’ve had a couple of trips through Goa where I was introduced to the beaches and fell in love instantaneously.. But yeah, it’s even more memorable because I ended up losing an earring and a chain each on those trips during the beach dips..
But after ages of nagging and complaining, dad finally made up for those missed trips by taking us all to Europe!! A good 2 week, 10 countries trip and I ticked off most of the things I have wanted to see!! From dressing up for Eiffel to walking the pavements at Venice to celebrating the kids birthday at Pisa to playing in snow at Swiss, tulip gardens at Holland, Swarovski factory, cruise ride, seeing the pope at Vatican and seeing the roman structures, enjoying a Belgian waffle along with drive through Germany n Austria!! That was a beautiful trip with amazing memories!! Although the highlight for me would be rummaging through the streets in the hopes to spot a McD or KFC since my then 3 year old was tired of the Anglised Indian meal..
Then other priorities set in and covid happened so travel was on the back foot until the friends of mine ditched the usual Goa for a trip to Aurangabad and that’s when it brought of the wanderlust in me.. again, I didn’t plan anything just went with the flow!! Thoroughly enjoyed the sightseeing and the company even more!! Ended 2022 with a decision to travel more!!
And lo, the first trip of 2023 was spontaneous because it was a long weekend and a friend at Bangalore casually told to drop by and I didn’t think twice before booking the tickets and showing up at her place!! And the kind hostess she is, she and her husband entertained us and took us around!!
The next one again was a quick decision since it was a solo trip to Mysore to meet a friend and he took me through the historic city of Mysore and showed Tipu Sultan reign and the magnificent Mysore palace.. inspired by that, had a two day trip in Mumbai too to cover the iconic places..
The year ended with finally exploring my own state of Kerala.. travelled to different cities, saw some famous landmarks, witnessed the beauty of nature at Munnar, found the beauty in Kochi..
The resolution of 2024 included travelling more so ended up with a trip to kerala for a family event and going for a touristy boat ride which is a must do.. it’s more of a weekend getaway to be with family but a well deserved break!!
The little planned trip is the one that I just bid adieu to!! Never have I explored north of Mumbai so beginning the year with a visit to the capital city of the country, check off the iconic buildings here, walk through Mughal dynasty and ruins, awe at the Taj and get some cool clicks for the gram, see the Pink city and feel like a royal amongst the beautiful palaces!!
The one thing travel did teach me is that until now, I had someone doing the planning part and that is the most taxing thing!! Planning the schedule, trips, being responsible for the people involved and a bit of fear of being in a new land amongst strangers brings about some internal growth in yourself.. after this trip, I feel like a bit more grown up and responsible person!!
Travel is rightly said to help you discover yourself a bit better and it’s a very liberating feeling to find yourself in a new place and explore new things!! Well, time to save up and plan the next one for the next break!!
