The Essence of Travelling

Right after his graduation ceremony, Christopher took his backpack and left his home for the kind of life he had imagined for himself. As he began his journey to Alaska, he burned all the money he had and left his car midway. Christopher wanted to explore the meaning of life, the one that wasn't measured in terms of one's income or the number of followers on Instagram. He hitchhiked to Alaska with just a few things for survival, and money wasn't among those things. Christopher erased his identity, the one that the society gave him, and named himself 'Alexander Supertramp'. He died at a very young age, in a 'Magic Bus', sending a message to the humankind that said - 

"So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality, nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future."

Ever since we have heard of the coronavirus outbreak, the desire for travelling has never been realized more. Travelling excites us a lot more than often. We all want to explore this beautiful planet in our own way. But have you ever wondered what travelling actually signifies? Travelling is not just about booking a classy hotel, visiting all the places your trip advisor told you to, and getting loads of pictures for your Instagram. The real essence of travelling lies in one's passion for adventure and his ability to encounter new experiences in life, to meet new people, to explore the view that Earth has to offer and to rejuvenate after the end of every journey. It all starts when you leave your mundane existing life to explore yourself a bit more and not just for Instagram likes and comments.

Every unchartered place that the world has to offer comes with a myriad of opportunities to discover something unique. Unlike any other country, India is a country where you can uncover diversity in its rawest form. Back in 1947, Sir Strachey believed that India wouldn't stay as one nation-state for a long time. According to him, Scotland is more like Spain than Bengal is like Punjab. He believed that diversity in European countries was much smaller than in the 'Countries' of India. Adding to India's diversity, its rich tourism comprises of all sorts of topography - the vast stretches of the Himalayas, the Satpura Range in Central India, the cold deserts of Leh, the Thar deserts, Rann of Kutch, the tropical evergreen rainforest of the North East and the three major oceans covering Indian Peninsula. Each of the 29 states has numerous undiscovered places, and it is waiting for you to explore them. So, psych up! We are going to embark upon a new journey to numerous undiscovered places in India virtually.

Travelling in the post-Coronavirus world will change the dynamics of tourism as people would prefer fewer humans and more of nature around them. Whatever the post-Coronavirus world has to offer us, the essence of travelling will remain the same, and that is the pursuit of discovering yourself amidst the unknowns.