How I Managed the Trip to Bir on My Own

Some things in life are meant to change your course of existence forever, one of which is marriage in India. Compared to the western world, marriage in India comes with a bundle of restrictions and limitations. Females are supposed to follow a specific code of conduct once they tie the knot. On the other hand, the male folk is allowed to do almost whatever they want. Even if they have to answer a few questions, they are not expected to answer them. 

It is easy to manage a solo trip for men, but it is indeed a big deal for women, be it in any part of the world. When my marriage was fixed with a banker in Delhi, the first thing that came to my mind was that I still had most of my wishes unfulfilled from my bucket list. I could never say it to my parents, but it was tough for me to acknowledge the point that I would not be able to enjoy my bachelorhood again. 

Anyway, I had developed quite a good bond with my fiancé, and I talked to him that I wanted to go for a solo trip before marriage. He hesitated at once, but he asked me about my plans and how I was setting up my vacation. I did not have much to tell at that time, but the name of the destination and that was Bir. It is a small village located near Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh. I came to know about Bir when I had gone to McLeodganj and did Paragliding there in Bir. I had simply fallen in love with the mountaintop location of the place, and I had pledged that I would definitely go there to stay for a couple of days at least once.

After I found out the things that I could do at Bir and the hostel where I would stay, I told the details to my fiancé. It is difficult to express in words the happiness that I felt from the bottom of my heart when he agreed to my plans just so readily. I would have dropped my plans had he refused to agree with me, but I instantly fell in love with him again when I could sense that I am getting married to a person who understands me and my goals in life. I did not have to convince him too much to let me go, and he even agreed to keep it a secret for my sake. He realized that it was difficult to convince our parents, and hence, it was better that we kept this story hidden from them. 

Now came the turn to plan the itinerary, which again I prepared with the help of my fiancé only. He was very cooperative to help me find out the best places to visit and the activities I could do in Bir. I booked one night of camping, two nights of the hostel stay, and paragliding in addition to sightseeing in the quaint village. As the days to depart from Delhi came closer, my fears of going on solo trip diminished. 

I always wanted to be at a place where no one knew me, and I could be myself for as long as I want. The hills have been close to my heart since childhood, but the family vacations were somehow rushed at all times. We always had something to do or someplace to visit, which never left time to relax and unwind, which I did not even need during childhood. It was only when I grew up that I realized the importance of peace in life, and I was lucky to do it before I got stuck in the responsibilities of marriage.