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.  

My First Trip to Ski on the Himalayas

I was born in Delhi, and it's a shame to me that until the age of 28, I could not go to see the snow! I have traveled to several off-the-wall destinations to take a break from the chaos of my city and take a breather, but somehow, I could not make a plan to go to be there on the hills during winter. It may be because I feel freezing during winters, and I prefer to be there in the coziness of my blanket rather than go out unless necessary. God knows how I muster the courage to manage my office, which is no less than 20 kilometers from my home. Pheww! Even thinking about the tremendous courage makes me yawn and long for my bed!

Anyway, this winter in December, I knew that I had to do it; I had to go to the Himalayas even if I go alone. I have a group of four school friends; we have been lucky to maintain contact even after teenage. Although we keep meeting, all of them were not free at the same time last December in 2017, but Megha. She became my savior when I proposed that I wish to see the snow at any cost. We tried to convince Amit and Sheena, but both of them could not take leaves from their respective offices. 

Nonetheless, Megha and I decided to take a bus and leave for Auli. However, we could not get the Volvo Bus as we got too late to book the tickets. Nevertheless, we decided to take a car, which none of us owned, but the options of taxis and car rentals are always there. We had already explored the chauffeur-driven cars, so it was the turn of Self-Drive cars this time. We could not wait to begin our trip as I had a lot of things to do for the first time. 

Being in the passenger seat with someone in the car is a different experience, and driving on the hills is a different feeling altogether. Hiring a Self Drive Car Delhi gave me the liberty to drive it on my own, and have the fun of my life. I do not want to hide that the hilly roads are scary as well, but they indeed boosted my confidence as a driver. After driving slowly for a few kilometers on the curvy roads, I learned the way to maneuver the car and then I could drive it comfortably for the rest of the trip. 

As soon as we reached Auli during the afternoon, we checked into the hotel, which we had thankfully booked in advance and then quickly left for skiing. No doubt that witnessing snow for the first time was an experience one of a kind; I still cannot forget the breathtaking sensation that I felt when I saw the grand expanse of snow-clad mountains in front of me. After a drive of more than eleven hours, I had finally reached the destination. I could not resist my excitement and hugged Megha to thank her for coming with me. We enjoyed to our heart's content in the snow, did skiing, made snowmen, and played other snow sports. We did not forget to make Boomerang videos for Instagram as well! The trip to Auli will be the most memorable skiing tour of my life.