Why I love Traveling?

As I continue to explore new places, I have realized that traveling is more than that, more than exploring places and more than just a journey. It is an amazing experience, it is a journey of self realization, it is a journey of self exploration. 

Traveling

Here are some of the best reasons why I love traveling.

• Traveling has taught me to be patient and take it easy as things do fall in place eventually.
• It has changed my attitude towards life and taught me to be calm even at most difficult times.
• It has taught me to respect others, I have realized a sense of grounding and looking beyond self.
• It has made me realize my strengths, my fears, my anxieties, my weaknesses and taught me how to deal with them.
• It has helped me to look at the world from a different perspective and changed my outlook towards life.
• It has also made me more confident, easy-going, more tolerant, humble, more flexible and open towards life.
• It has evoked a sixth sense in me to judge things little better. It has taught me to differentiate between good and bad. 
• It has helped me to think on my feet when dealing with certain situations.
• It has taught me a good lesson to not to assume things and not to just believe whatever people are saying. It has taught me to analyse better and to believe things as I see.
• It has helped me to polish my skills and I continue to improvise in my photography and to control my wife from shopping.

Keep exploring, keep traveling

Warm regards,
Being Traveler

Being Traveler

He was seven when his dad gifted him a camera and a roll
He didn't know what to do with it until he was told

‘It takes you places past, when memory doesn't last’, his dad said
‘Really?’ he asked with a doubt in his head

He never really used it back then
Until the day they moved to a new den

That’s when memories came knocking in his head
About all the days that he spent

Of the late nights in the courtyard
And of the days running around the fields and the fence

He took out the camera from the pouch
And gave it a nice rub like Aladdin did to his lamp

And took pictures of places and spaces
Of every little thing that he saw in hazes

With every picture that he took
His love for traveling grew like a brook

He thanked his dad for that beautiful gift
That let him be million places in a swift

He treasured that gift which he got at seven
And it was since that day in the distant past

That Being Traveler came to pass!

This is a guest post  written by Jincy "Speaking my mind". I personally love her poems and this has been written on a special request. Thanks Jincy for this lovely poem.

Neemrana Fort, Rajasthan

                        

What could be more perfect than to celebrate your birthday at your favorite place? I had always loved forts and this time, I decided to go to Neemrana with my wife to celebrate my birthday. 

Neemrana, Rajasthan is located at approx 120 kms from New Delhi on Delhi - Jaipur highway (NH8). I left at 8am from home with my two beauties, my wife and my car.

It was Sunday and road was quite empty until we crossed Gurgaon, Haryana. As soon as we reached Manesar, we were welcomed by road full of trucks. Car started to crawl and we started to yawn. To bring the excitement back, my wife asked me to cut the cake while we waited for the jam to clear. Cake was finished and I thanked my wife for the gifts she gave. After spending good 2 hours, we were still stuck in the jam. At one point we almost gave up and decided to return, but then sun smiled and God showed grace and we started to gain some speed and jam disappeared. I drove pretty fast to cover up the time we lost. At around 12pm, we reached Neemrana. 

A Traveler's Wife

She supports, cribs, helps, argues and takes care. She does it all to make a perfect planned vacation, a memorable one. She ensures to make every moment cheerful and creates a comfort zone no matter where we are. She leaves no stone un-turned to make me feel like home anywhere.

She cribs whenever approached to go to a new travel venture, but with few efforts, she becomes more than excited about the trip. She plans ahead and ensures every need is fulfilled during travel.

Are You a Traveler or a Tourist?

                       

Few of us may not know the difference between a traveler and a tourist, but there is a fine line which differentiates a traveler from a tourist. Even I didn't know the difference between the two sometime ago, until I experienced it.

I was traveling to a city and stopped outside a popular destination which looked quite average from it's first look. As I stepped into the building, a man in his late 30’s was stepping out of the building and was conversing with his group in loud voice. His words as I remember correctly were "We wasted our time getting to this place. This place is nothing special, it is waste of time and money". With these words, he rushed outside the building angrily. He was so loud that some of the other visitors who were about to enter the building got influenced by his words. Obviously, the rude man visited this place to see some beauty so that he can click some beautiful pictures to show to his family and friends back home. What he overlooked was the history of the place and the glory that was associated with this place. He overlooked the culture of the place and stories attached with it.

Udaipur - The City of Lakes



Udaipur 

After six months without a proper vacation, my wife and I decided it was high time to escape the chaos of Delhi and soak in some royalty—figuratively and literally—in Udaipur, Rajasthan. Known as the “City of Lakes”, Udaipur is famous for its shimmering waters, grand palaces, historic temples, and the kind of architecture that makes you question every building in your own city.

Located about 650 km from New Delhi, Udaipur is accessible via train, flight, or road. Since my wife loves trains and I had survived my last one eight years ago, we opted for an overnight train journey—because nothing says adventure like 12 hours of questionable sleeping positions and mysterious shaking, right?

Thailand - The Land of Tigers

First International Vacation: Excitement in the Air

Thailand was my first trip outside India, and I couldn’t wait to explore its beaches, markets, and culture. After months of planning, my wife and I were ready for an unforgettable anniversary getaway. Early morning flights from Delhi to Bangkok had us buzzing with excitement (and a little chaos thanks to a spilled breakfast container at the airport!).

Manali - Rohtang, Himachal Pradesh (India)

As soon as I noticed an extended weekend sneaking up on the calendar, my inner wanderlust did a happy dance. I quickly applied for an extra day off (because why not extend an already extended weekend?) and finally zeroed in on Manali, Himachal Pradesh. I'd always wanted to go, but connectivity issues had held me back. The nearest railway station is Chandigarh—about 350 km away—and the closest airport is Kullu, 40 km from Manali. So, road trip it was!

After some deliberation - to self drive or book a taxi - I finalized on bus ride - Himachal Tourism Volvo to cover the 550 km stretch from Delhi to Manali, which promised a 14-hour roller-coaster ride through mountains, valleys, and my patience.

Jaipur Rajasthan (India) - The land of Maharajas

Jaipur

Most of the places I’ve traveled to were master-planned by me, but this trip? Oh no, this one had my wife’s fingerprints all over it. And let me confess—when your wife plans a trip, you don’t ask questions; you just pack your bags and pray Google Maps is kind.

We both desperately needed a Kit-Kat break (that’s what I call short getaways, because much like the chocolate, they’re short-lived but very satisfying). August monsoon was in full swing in North India, and the plan was simple: hit the highway, roll down the windows, and let the rains make Bollywood-level slow-motion moments happen. Destination? Jaipur—the Pink City, the city of palaces, forts, royal food, and bargaining battles.

Goa – The Land of Sun, Sand and beaches (India)

Goa - Land of Sun, sand and beaches

If weddings are Bollywood blockbusters, then honeymoons are the sequels everyone secretly waits for. After months of shopping, dancing, and nodding at distant relatives I didn’t recognize, it was finally time to live my own “Dil Chahta Hai” moment. Destination? None other than Goa – the land of sun, sand, and beaches.

But before we dive into the Goa honeymoon travel guide part, let me confess: choosing the destination wasn’t easy. I spent so many nights scrolling travel blogs and honeymoon packages that my face started carrying permanent keyboard imprints (as I slept on it). Maldives was too expensive, Manali felt too obvious, and then… Goa called me. Loud and clear.

Chopta - Mini switzerland of Uttrakhand (India)

                           

Chopta

If there’s one love story that never ends in my life, it’s me and the mountains. Every time I think I’ve seen it all, the Himalayas smirk and say, “Beta, abhi toh party shuru hui hai.” So, one fine midnight, me and three of my long-lost friends decided to embark on a road trip to a mysterious, not-so-touristy place called Chopta.

Google had whispered that Chopta is also called the Mini Switzerland of India, and honestly, that was enough to get us packing. Located about 450 km from Delhi via Rishikesh, Chopta is the base point for the famous Tungnath Temple (the highest Shiva temple in the world) and the Chandrashila trek. Basically, this was going to be part road trip, part spiritual cleanse, and part “let’s test our car tires against Himalayan roads.”

Alwar - The Gateway to Rajasthan, India

Most people plan roses, gifts, and candlelight dinners for Valentine’s Day. Me? I looked at the calendar, realized the 14th was around the corner, and thought, *“Well, love might not be in the air for me, but diesel fumes surely are!”* 🚗💨

So, instead of sulking, I called up my equally single friends (our WhatsApp group is literally used to be called “Forever Aloners”) and within hours we had a plan — a road trip from Delhi to Alwar, one of the quirkiest yet charming weekend getaways from Delhi.

Shimla - The Queen of Hills

One of North India’s most famous hill stations, and I—shamefully—had never been there. Shimla, the “Queen of Hills,” once the summer capital of the British Raj, just 370 km from Delhi, had been dodging me for too long. That January, five of us—friends and colleagues—finally decided to tick it off the list.

And of course, our chosen mode of travel was everyone’s favorite budget-friendly adventure: road trip! A road trip to Shimla - Kufri - Chail.