How My Husband Plays My Best Travel Companion

What comprises a great travel companion? Humor, laughter, practicality, and cooperation-all these are the traits that I feel must be there in someone who gives you great company on a holiday. My husband is one person in the world who has never failed me over a vacation. I brag about this even more because I was highly fond of solo travel before I met him. Now you can say that I travel solo with him! What an ironic statement is that!

I said that because I love traveling only with him, after we have tried going in groups. It is difficult to maintain sanity with everyone’s differences in a group. Everyone wants to go to different places, eat different things, and do different activities. I just cannot cope with that on a vacation where I am supposed to enjoy!

That is why; I prefer going only with my husband who wants to do the same things as me. Even if we want to enjoy different pursuits, I don’t stop him, neither does he.

Enjoyment

A travel companion must be a great buddy, and my husband is the one. He doesn’t need to be told what to do. In fact, he is even better than me at finding humor in random situations. He can make a donkey out of a man in his imagination, and vice versa. Even when I feel gloomy, he is the one to cheer me up.

Safety  

Apart from enjoyment, safety is really important for me as a woman. When I used to travel solo, I tried hard to showcase a confident face, but I was slightly scared all the time in my heart. My husband is really protective for me, and every other woman in is closed circles. I have seen him standing up for his family and sometimes for random women as well, and I appreciate that about him. I know that I am safe when he is around, which gives me a lot of peace of mind.

Comfort

He is the one who has made me realized that comfort must be prioritized over money. When I used to travel solo, I would always book the train tickets to any place in India because I love Indian Railways for their economical price and reachability throughout the country. When I first suggested him train travel for our trip to Chennai, he laughed over it. He convinced me that having Car Rentals in Bangalore is a better option because we will be more comfortable in that. And when we had to go to Manali, he straightaway booked the flight rather than going by road. Now I also feel that it is better to save time, even if we have to spend a little extra money.

I am definitely more adventurous when I am with my husband. He has my back all the time whenever I feel discouraged to go for rock climbing, horse riding, and what not! I can depend on him for almost everything that is on my mind. What else can I ask from a travel companion?

How to travel in your college life

As long as you keep reading the posts of rich travel bloggers, you will always feel that traveling around the world is an expensive affair. But once you open the blogs of budget travelers, you will be amazed to find out how people manage to survive in several countries of the world on a meager budget. You can begin traveling as soon as you begin your study in college, especially when you are studying in India because the study system of the country does not allow you to travel alone before college. However, there is no one stopping you once you enter college because it is then that you explore the real fun of being independent.

Start small

You don’t need to book your first ticket to Dubai when you begin traveling on your own. You can start being a solo traveller just by traveling in your hometown. Every city has its own secrets that you may have never explored because you never thought of traveling in your city. When you are on a strict budget, you have no options but to visit the free areas of your city.

If you live in Mumbai, for example, you may want to go to Dharavi, which is called the slum capital of the world with a staggering number of more than 1,000,000 people living there. You may want to visit the Dhobighat, the only Chinese temple in Mumbai, and unveil the art at Kala Ghoda. You may not be able to afford Car Rentals in Mumbai in the beginning of your expeditions, but you may later earn more money to rent cabs for your fancy travels in India and abroad.

Earn small

Whatever you have learned till date is the treasure of knowledge that you can share with others. You may become a freelance teacher for English, French, mathematics, science, commerce, or anything that you think would be useful to others. This will enable you to earn money, even though it is not much to let you have vacations abroad, and you can use that money to gain more experiences in other cities of India when you plan travel for a few days.

Travel whenever possible

No matter you get one day off or a week off from college, you must travel to any place from your list. Never think that you have to travel for a long time to make your vacation worth the effort. Even a small weekend getaway can give you a heart full of memories. Moreover, you must not wait for the company of your friends to plan a vacation. You can always go solo if travel is your true calling.

The most obvious thing to do is to maximize your savings when you prioritize travel. You must learn to save money, and say no to unnecessary outings with friends, minimize snacking, and say no to smoking. Traveling to your favorite destinations is just a step away; you just need to make it your first priority and give the second place to all your other needs.

How I began traveling the world on my own after 50

India is a place where women are taught to follow their husband’s footsteps, even when you are a successful working women. I have been in the workforce since the age of 22 years, but I followed the traditionally laid down path of an Indian woman. I got married at 29, had a baby by 31, and had my second baby by 34. It drained out all my energy, physically and mentally, to bring up that family and provide my husband and kids with all that they needed, all of that while being a working woman. It was only when I crossed 45 years of age that I started feeling the itch for spending time with myself. Living for others had already taken a lot of time of my living on the planet.

I discussed traveling at least 5-6 times a year with my husband, but he didn’t have any such plans. He was content at living the regular family life, but the good part is that he encouraged me to explore myself. He didn’t stop me from traveling on my own, and told me to get rid of the stigma of being too old for solo travel. His words were quite a boost to my confidence, and I was back to my original self in just one day.

No one in the world can be a better companion than your spouse, and my husband proved it right. As soon as he knew that I want to be on my own, he started telling my kids not to taunt or discourage me for going out alone. Rishi and Kanika, my adorable babies had grown up so quickly, and they became elated at the thought that it was so cool for their mom to go for a solo trip.

Rishi booked two self-drive cars in Delhi and Dehradun respectively so that I can travel comfortably to the hills, and explore my driving skills at the same time. Even though I told him that I may not be able to drive on the hills after so many years, he reminded me that he had seen me driving on the roads of Shimla when he was 5 years old. Even though Dad was constantly poking his nose while I was driving at that time, he said he remembered how he had scolded dad not to disturb me while driving. And it was only after that moment that my husband had sat quietly and Rishi enjoyed sitting in the front seat with me.

Kanika found the best camps for me in Tosh, and they all gifted me a bottle of wine that I could enjoy when I sat with myself. At that moment, I realized that my little kids had grown really mature and they were truly a family anyone would want. It was just one trip alone to manali and tosh, driving all the way on my own, that I actually began my traveling expedition for many years to come. And now it has been 10 years that I have been traveling solo without worrying about home or office.