2016 Dec 2nd I lost my Job in the morning, same evening I had a breakup and my friends kept house party to celebrate it (How nice of them :D ). I noticed that even in-between high volume songs and noises my friend was deep inside her laptop, busy with booking something. She told me that she is booking tickets for Thailand for next day. (Wow, what else you need. You lost your job, broken relation. Now your bestie going for a solo trip to Thailand). I was wondering "Why GOD why? Why everything has to happen in the same day.
Next day she went for money exchange and other stuffs (She had a flight in the evening) and in-between she told me one of her friend is also joining her. Wow. I will think 3 times before going to the nearest shopping mall. Here people booking tickets afternoon and going for evening flight to Thailand.
Anyway I continued my crying drama, burning diary, and breaking other stuffs, sitting under shower and cry, sending emotional WhatsApp message to my brother,... etc. In between just like that I checked my phone and checked the flight tickets for Bangkok from chennai. OMG up and down it was ~6000. I just booked the tickets. Informed my office people that i am going to Bangkok. (They told me, I can't take leave on my notice period. Like really? Who cares. You already decided to throw me out. What more can you do :P )
All of sudden my crying, cursing and aggression turned into Excitement. (To add more excitement, my family don't know till date that I went to Thailand. If my family is reading this....., please don't get upset.)
Now I went to the airport. My friend went 2 days before me and she was in different place and I was going to Bangkok. The fact, I had only passport with me and few dresses in small bag. Due to some emergency situation (That was the time of denomination and our state CM died.) I could not do much preparation.
My 1st international Trip, Solo Trip, Without a hotel booking, itinerary, with hardly 10k bhat in purse, I boarded flight for Bangkok.
Everything was smooth for me. I didn't have any expectations. So everything for me was an extra bonus. From FOOD, Night clubs, Getting high and flying, Culture, their temples, Hostels, Hotels, Massage, Shopping..... everything was new and exciting for me.
When I came back, I wasn't worrying for my Job, I wasn't Crying for my broken relation. Infact those people who rejected me were surprised how did I manage an international trip in such a short time. I just realised it not only about the new place, new experiences and new people, it is also the responses of the people who knew me when they hear about my trips giving me the extreme level of happiness.
Within 2 years I did Thailand, Indonesia, Turkey, Goa, Humpi, Pondicherry, Hyderabad, Varkala, Allepey, Delhi, Himachal (two times), and other small trips near by.
When I started I was fired from my job. And then I was roaming around here and there and was doing freelance work. Travel not only gave me pleasure but also motivated me to achieve better in career. I could plan in more better way about my life. I could find my IKIGAI through traveling. People generally say that they do not get time to travel for me Traveling gave everything. Right now I am working as a senior User Experience Designer, a full time employment. My company allowing me to plan and take leave for my travelling. My family, from whom I hided my trips (in the beginning), now asking me where is my next destination and supporting me. I was so happy when I heard my dad saying to someone that "MY DAUGHTER IS A SOLO TRAVELLER, SHE LOVES TRAVELLING A LOT and I AM PROUD OF HER". Sometimes the lines from alchemist is true, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.
Few things travelling teach me are:
1. You trust your intuition
2. You learn to be tolerant of differences
3.You find out what is important to you...
4.You learn that you are solely responsible for your own destiny
5.You become a stronger and more confident person
6.You become a communicator
7.You become far better in planning. You plan your budget, you know how to pack your pack with essential things, you will start loving minimalism.
8. Travelling will be your biggest motivation to fight against all your limitations and challenges.
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