My First Solo Travel Experience

After returning back from Chopta to Dehradun, I had one day left before I had to fly back home. I had the option to spend the day, relaxing in the hotel room or go out to do some adventure. The decision was simple. I chose Adventure and decided to travel solo to Rishikesh. I booked the cab and a hostel in Tapovan. I reached Rishikesh around 11 am. I was excited for my first solo travel.

As I had only one day, I had very limited options to explore. I was more inclined to explore Bungee Jumping or zipline but couldn't get the booking as its need pre- booking. So, I raised the bar a little high and challenged myself to try out 16 km River Rafting to overcome my fear of water. I was thrilled. However, my anxiety levels kept rising giving me a complete picture of what would happen if I fell off the raft accidentally. As horrifying as it may look, I decided to steer clear of any negative thoughts and focus on the rafting instructions by our guide. I met my fellow rafting members, everyone was excited and ready for this enthralling experience. My three new friends- Pooja, Sunaina and Shubham who hailed from Agra comforted me. And with excitement in my heart, I stepped onto our raft. The water sparkled crystal clear, like a shining diamond, the moment sun rays touched the holy waters of Ganga.

First few minutes on the raft were easy. The cool river water relaxed my mind. As we headed forward, paddling our way through the fast waters, the excitement kept on increasing. And slowly and slowly my fear started vanishing and I started enjoying the process. With every passing Rapid, my confidence started rising one level up. I experienced both high adrenaline rush and a sense of calm in that moment. And trust me, It was the most satisfying feeling. But suddenly, in the next moment, my sense of calm turned into a sense of horror, when I noticed all my fellow raft members started jumping into the water one by one. I was doing just fine on raft but jumping into the water seemed a bit over the top for a person who is scared to enter the swimming pool even with knee length water in it. Everyone encouraged me to jump and experience this once in a lifetime moment. Although, I was hesitant in the beginning but then I gave in. This was my chance. So without giving any second thought, I bid good bye to my old friend- comfort zone, chanted 'Jai Ganga Maiyya' and jumped into the water. Within few minutes, my fear turned into a blissful feeling of tranquility. I cannot explain in words how grateful I was in that moment for believing in myself.

We clicked a lots of pictures, took lots of videos, sang "Baar baar ye din aaye" song while remaining inside the water to celebrate the birthday of my new friend- Sunaina. The experience was beyond words. I loved every bit of it and wished this life-altering journey to continue forever. But all good things come to an end and so did this.

We reached our dropping point at around 3 PM from where we headed back to our respective places of stay. Me and my new friends decided to meet at Laxman Jhula in the evening. So I came back to my hostel, freshened up and relaxed for sometime. With clock ticking, I decided to step outside instead of sitting in the hostel and start exploring myself.

I started around 4.30 PM, walked towards the Tapovan market and then headed towards the Laxman Jhula. The way to bridge is through a narrow lane, usually crowded with tourists where you will have to walk a lot so be prepared. Took me a while to figure out the correct way but after walking for approx 20 mins, I finally witnessed the mighty swing. The views of and from the bridge were absolutely breathtaking. It was a beautiful experience to walk on the bridge viewing the flowing waters of Ganga river. I attended the evening Aarti, then gave a shot to speed boat ride beholding the beauty of the magical sunset.

My new friends arrived around 7 PM. We bought a birthday cake and celebrated Sunaina's birthday next to the holy river. We chit-chatted for a while, listening to the relaxing sounds of flowing water. Then decided to head for dinner. After the dinner, we explored the nearby shops for a bit and then around 10 PM, visited a River side café. While enjoying our mocktail drinks, we spent time sharing our stories and life experiences with each other. I am so thankful to have met these beautiful people. Glad they became a part of my journey. As we captured the beauty of the dazzling Laxman Jhula in our eyes, we headed back and called it a night.

We met again for breakfast in the morning around 7 am. Enjoyed a nice meal while sharing a hearty conversation. And as I was nearing the end of my trip, I bid farewell wishing them a safe journey and a promise to meet again. I checked out from my hostel and then started for the airport to board my flight.

This solo travel introduced me to a new brave version of myself and a profound respect for life. I came back home with a suitcase full of unforgettable memories which will always hold a special place in my heart and I would love to relive them again and again. Till then, Stay safe and happy travelling !!