Visiting an undiscovered place, meeting different kinds of people, trying new cuisines — all add to the travelling experience. But what if you did it alone? Youngsters these days are accommodating a solo trip craving into their leisure time. Travel junkies across the city indulge in a solo road trip to destinations that leave an imprint on their minds for a lifetime.
Prujeeth Joshua, a 26-year-old musician by profession, is a nature lover and a travel fanatic. This works perfectly for him as he enjoys weekend getaways on his classic bullet. “I sometimes take the ‘Road King’, it depends”, he says. He first discovered solo travelling two years ago when his family left for a wedding in Mangaluru and he couldn’t accompany them. A sudden urge to be with his family made him act impulsively and he rode to Mangaluru alone! That’s when he learnt that travelling to him didnt imply the destination. It was the journey itself. From Gokarna to Goa and Puducherry, Prujeeth has covered the major tourist destinations of South India. “Kodaikanal is undoubtedly my favourite”, he declares. “It is absolutely essential for me to know the number of kilometers I travel before I reach my destination, I could choose to just get on a bus and sleep till I reach the place, but that doesn’t work for me. I travelled the Ghats and it is absolutely breathtaking but I couldn’t compare it to the beauty of the beachside in Gokarna or the hilltops of Kodaikanal. They have all left me awestruck.”
Travelling alone teaches you a lot of lessons including survival techniques, adjusting to new surroundings and understanding different people.
“There is a sense of freedom that comes with being alone, you do not have to ask for a second opinion on anything. That could be both a good and a bad thing for you,” Prujeeth elaborates.
There is a world of difference when you travel with people and you travel alone. You could be stuck in the middle of nowhere without fuel to travel or with flat tires, but that’s a risk that a lone wanderer is willing to take.
The journey does not only hold a cultural value but it is also a voyage that will leave an impact on the individual personally, spiritually and emotionally.
“There is so much to see in India and a lot of undiscovered beauty waiting to be discovered. It’s time to take pride in one’s motherland and her virtue that is available at hand’s reach,” says Habil Jiruwala, a 22-year-old media student, who began travelling alone three years ago.
“I usually travel by bus or by foot. Walking and trekking is so important to cherish every bit of the enticing nature around you.” He has travelled to Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Kodaikanal, Goa, Puducherry, Tanjore and Sri Lanka. “Travelling is so much better than therapy. Growing up in a busy city like Bengaluru, you could get used to all the noise. It is vital to get away from all your commitments once in awhile.”
It is important to travel light. “I carry only my rucksack. I never forget to carry a torch, some extra shoes and money safely tucked into my bag. It’s important to be safe when you travel.
The experience of travelling is liberating and priceless. Especially if you travel to the rural parts the country which are less commercialised, you will learn the importance of adapting to situations, ” he adds.
Solo travelling is the best catalyst for creativity. “Trust me when I say that collecting firewood from the forest for fire or gazing into the heavens on a starry night can inspire you to do, and be so much. Walking along the trails beside the mountains make me feel one with it. There is so much positive energy and I often try to capture it on camera. However, sometimes I am swept away and forget to take pictures when I am living in that moment,” expresses Habil.
Whether or not it is a conscious effort, being alone on the road serves as a catalyst to empower and appreciate oneself, and in turn translates into passion for the art of travelling.
Published 23 June 2016, 15:54 IST