How to Travel

Finally, I’ve been able to fulfill a life-long dream of mine – a trip to India. It was always very high on my list, but somehow it never materialized.

I wanted it to be special. So I chose to go in the supposedly less crowded off-season and I picked my destinations carefully trying to stay off the beaten path as much as possible. No luck! Wherever I went, there were already plenty of fellow-travelers who apparently had made the same calculations.

Travel Has Become Easy and Convenient
How You Make Your Trip Special Is Still Up to You

No matter how the economy is doing these days, interest in travel seems to remain undiminished. Despite concerns about high transportation costs, the weak dollar or the threat of terrorist acts (to mention a few), it can safely be said that the travel industry is doing well. However, the last frontiers of travel are disappearing fast. There are not too many places left that can truly be called “exotic.” The beach resorts in Hawaii, Samoa or Kerala offer now all more or less the same accommodations and services travel-consumers have become accustomed to. It’s hard to get into the spirit of discovery and adventure when everything looks so familiar.

For the longest time, I’ve traveled in typical tourist style, cramming into each trip as many attractions and opportunities as possible, essentially trying to get the most for my buck. Needless to say, I often found myself more exhausted than refreshed after returning home from these so-called “vacations.” I remember some travel experiences that were downright stressful. Staying at home, curling up with a good book or making up for some sleep deprivation would have done much more for my well-being than rushing through entire countries a day at a time.

So, this time I was determined to resist the temptation of overloading my itinerary. First, I vowed to take it slow. Traveling in India can easily overpower the senses. Instead of composing a long list of must-see attractions, I picked only a few places and stayed there as long as I wanted to, absorbing all the sights, sounds and smells that fill this beautiful country.

Especially when I got to visit the Taj Mahal, I made sure I would do justice to this breathtaking monument. Instead of taking a few snapshots for the family album, I spent three whole days there, walking the grounds or sitting still like meditating for many hours, sometimes as early as sunrise and as late as dusk. Far from feeling overwhelmed and exhausted from the heat and the crowds, I developed a deep sense of inner peace and serenity that stayed with me for the rest of the trip. As I opened myself up to my surroundings, they seemed to respond in kind.

This translated to my interactions with people as well. I met a number of extraordinary men and women who spontaneously welcomed me into their homes and places of work. Whether it was a visit to an artisan wood carver’s workshop, or going shopping for spices at a local market with a five-star-hotel chef, or learning to cook a classic Indian-style meal in a private home – it all made my journey so much richer than anything I had ever allowed myself to experience.

I also benefited greatly with regards to my professional education. Being a health spa fanatic, I had to try the ancient art of “Ayurveda,” which has been practiced in India for thousands of years. The word means basically “the art-” or “science of life” and has been popularized in the West most prominently by Deepak Chopra, MD. After a few massage treatments – which were heavenly – I discovered that many of the “Ayurveda” techniques are quite compatible with Western methods, not only for spa treatments but also for nutritional guidelines.

The most significant lesson I’ve learned, however, is that it is far more important how one travels than where one travels. The goal is not only to see new places but, more importantly, that we expose ourselves to new experiences which can change us for the better.

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