A date with dreams

When Pushkar Ashok Patil started working as a content strategist, his ultimate cool-off strategy was to travel across the country once in three months. He started saving on a monthly basis. This has become a routine for him now and he travels at the drop of a hat.

Pushkar is not the only one. A whole lot of Bengalureans have made travel an incredible part of their life. Many even say that they work just to travel.

For Pushkar, Himachal Pradesh and Kodaikanal were some of his expeditions that remains evergreen in his memory.

Explaining his strategy, he says, “I usually plan my holidays in such a way that I get a minimum of one week off. During my Himachal Pradesh trip, I took off for 45 days. Though it seems like a difficult option for a full-time working person, it is not impossible. For me, I put in a few extra hours of work and ensure that I am not troubling my co-workers. Thereafter, I have a blissful trip.”

Though he travels for leisure, he works during the holidays so that he can add
on to the income for his upcoming trips.

Before consultant Samanvith got married, he travelled extensively around the world, especially in Europe. He says, “I did my Masters in the UK, so it was easy to travel there. I had a part-time job which gave me the money to travel. I lived in hostels and dorms to manage my savings.” He still travels a lot. Recently, he went to Langkawi with his wife, Drushya. “We had a great time as it was planned around Drushya’s birthday. Even though we wanted to go to Greece, the visa process was much easier with Malaysia. We want to visit Greece next year, so we are trying to save and plan accordingly.”

Ashika Dsouza and husband Arijeet Das, a designer and sales manager respectively, also ensure they take at least two trips a year and plan their finances accordingly. “Since we plan two trips a year, we have a broad idea of the locations we want to visit, so we are able to save accordingly. We always pick our destination first and then plan the budget around it,” says Ashika.

She adds, “Our last trip to Manali was a memorable one as we tried trekking halfway to Rohtang Pass even though it was closed. Switzerland was also a great one as we were able to plan our holiday and have a great time there. We hope to visit Europe again or Bhutan sometime next year. We need to save a lot as Europe does tend to get expensive.”

Tharun Jagateri, a campaign manager, is also an enthusiastic traveller. He ensures that he plans something big every year. He recalls, “During my college days, I interned with a company and saved my earnings for three months after which I went backpacking to the  North-East. Arunachal Pradesh and Cherrapunjee were the highlights of the trip. Ever since, I set aside a fixed amount each month to visit the places that I want to.” Last year, he also did a walkathon around the west coast of Karnataka. He walked 20 km to 30 km a day and stayed at a hotel for the rest of the time.

Unlike others who plan extensively, Snehal Raibole, a travel blogger, goes for impromptu trips simply because it excites him. He says, “I make a travel budget every month and when I hear about a place, I pack my bags and leave. It’s usually a three-day trip for 600 km to 700 km.”

However, he says that there have been times when he had to break the piggy bank for emergencies. “When my motorbike gets damaged, I have to use the money saved to repair that. Sometimes I travel with the remaining money or reschedule.”

Ultimately, for the wanderlust-struck, the motto is always the same — it’s a big world out there, go explore!