Why I Love Staycation More than Anything

I believe in staycations more because of my long-term plans, not because I am an extremely frugal person, which I am in reality to some extent. I like to spend a good time in my home country, right here in India. I have a hard core belief that India is a beautiful country and I don’t need to go abroad for at least a few years until I save some money.

Last year, one of my friends was in the UK. We used to talk daily about our respective lives in different countries, and not even once, did I feel the urge to go there for an extended vacation, despite her constant urging. I explained it to her that it is difficult for me to take a long break from the job because it would be an unpaid leave. On the other hand, I would have to spend almost all my savings of the years just to buy the tickets to her city in the UK. I knew that I would not have to worry about food, but I would definitely have to spend for the travel tickets to different cities and other activities. I do not regret compromising that vacation because I did not have money. On the other hand, I could focus on my long term goals as I knew that expensive vacations can come later. I could always travel around India at a much lesser cost.

Over time, I have traveled to a lot of cities in India, and I am bored to them to some extent. After traveling on a budget for years, I look for a bit of luxury in days out of the city now. Wherever I choose to go, I prefer to have a few days of exploring new things and have a couple of days just to relax and unwind. I like to think back about things that happen in life, and reflect on random occurrences. I just love that solitary time.

When I was in Kumaoni, I stayed at a local person’s home for a week at a ridiculously cheap price. They treated me with warmth and I wandered around aimlessly for two days after I was done with sightseeing. Even the host family was amazed at my choice of vacation because they had seen people going crazy over vacations, and I was there leaning in the chair as the sun set every day. Camping with reputed hosts is also a great idea and I had done with a company in Bir. They keep you indulged in activities within the proximity of their camps so that no one gets bored.

When I was in Jaipur, I booked a hostel and had a marvelous time with other travelers. I even booked Self drive cars in Jaipur and maneuvered around the city to look for exciting things other than forts. Being alone gives great opportunities to talk to the locals, and blend with them at their own pace without rushing to see places or do things. Staycations- I love them!

How I Learned Different Things Being a Traveler?

When I ventured out for my first solo trip, I never knew that I would turn out to become a spiritual soul. Although I could not attend the Vipasana or meditation classes in McLeodganj, I have it in my mind to do so sometime because I need at least two weeks of vacation for that. Nevertheless, after traveling to different cities and countries, I now know that I need to collect memories, not souvenirs. Oh yes, I don’t mind buying a few things of course. Let me share how I evolved to become a better human being just by spending some money on my road trips.

Being inquisitive

I used to be curious all the time when I was a school student, but I never knew that this curiousness will give me a restless life. Everything that I see or view online or offline intrigues me to the extent that I end up extending my bucket list every year. My curiosity has taken me to Ladakh, Spiti Valley, Kerala, North-East India, and Gujrat. It is just a short list of the places that I have managed to visit, and each one of them mesmerizes me every time I go there. Being curious is what I know has made humans what they are. Had we been ambitionless fellows, we would still be living in Stone Age. Thank God we have evolutions, inventions, and discoveries by our side.

Being humble

What else would you call the desire to learn? To learn everything that I can in this tiny life that I have got. To learn about the different cultures of the world? To learn and listen to the different languages that people speak. I had heard about a village where they do not have a language to communicate; they connect with each other just by using whistles and gestures. Amazing, isn’t it? I

Being curious is one thing, but it is impractical if you are not humble. I gained humility as I met unpretentious people around the country. Fortunately, I am born and brought up in India, where humility is a part of Indian upbringing. Even when we can afford expensive things, my parents have taught me to be open-minded to gain grounded experiences in life. When we went Udaipur, we could hire Self drive cars in Jaipur, but my father was adamant to travel by train because he wanted to experience the rawness of it. Crazy fellow he is, but we certainly enjoyed a lot.

Being empathetic

I also learnt that being empathetic does not only mean to be able to understand the pain of others; it also means to leave people alone when they need it. Thanks to the modern self-help books, blogs, and what not that we have started realizing the value of solitary time. I give space and demand the same in every relationship, and all of them are peaceful bonds that I share with my closed ones.

I have seen marriages going sour just because people do not understand each other; all they lack is empathy. The Indian countrymen have taught me to smile and let go things when the wind in not flowing in your direction. Ignorance is bliss, and being with terrible room partners have gave me a good grounding in this direction. I have fathomed that there is no use arguing over spilled milk if your roommate is not ready to admit their mistake. It is better to let go and explain using some other tactic. And it is travel only that has taught me to recognize people’s need to be as they are, rather than asking them to change.