What Makes Me The Favorite Co-Traveler of My Friends?

The only reason that my friends love to tag me along on their vacations is that they know I will never refuse. I never take unnecessary leaves just because I know that I will have to travel any day of the month. And whenever my friends and family have to go to a new place, they would ask me and know that I won’t refuse. And how has it happened that I became an avid traveler?

It happened by chance that I went for my first vacation with my group of friends four years ago, apart from which I had traveled only with the family. I don’t say that the family vacations are boring, but you have to choose your destination carefully. I cannot go for an adventure trip with my parents because I know that they will not be able to trek on the mountains or go for bungee jumping. Such trips are good to go only with friends or even alone. However, when I have to go to the religious places or any other relaxed places, I love to go with my parents and other relatives. Both companies have their own fun, and enjoy being with them. The only thing that I should derive with a travel plan is to see new places. The plan should add some value to my bucket list, or I would prefer to slog in office.

Spotting tickets

After traveling to so many places in the last four years, I realize that my room is full of things that remind me of my vacations. I often spot plane tickets, hotel bookings print outs, and museum tickets in the room and the house. And I never call them a mess; these things are souvenirs for me that give me instant gratification. I can recall the activities that I did on my previous road trips and the moments that I shared with my loved ones.

My luggage

Mom has scolded me zillions of times to remove the backpack from my bedside so that the maid could clean the floor properly from there, but I don’t listen. I have told her millions of times that I love to see my luggage there and it is now a part of my room décor. I don’t intend to remove it or put it in the cupboard because I might have to travel any day. That is why; my friends know that whenever they ask me for a spontaneous trip, I would be ready in an hour, unlike others who take a long time to pack their bags and it frustrates many other guys in the group. Last time we took a car on rent in Delhi, the three members made us wait for three hours! Too much it was!

The recommendations

There are times when I have already seen a place and I don’t wish to go there again unless it is urgent. The ones who are going there would ask me for recommendations of hotels, restaurants, and popular tourist places. I don’t mind telling them either, along with my personal insights. Moreover, even if I have not seen a place, I know how to research on the internet. I would take just 30 minutes or an hour to recognize the sites that one should visit and the places that they should skip.

It has been a lovely experience being an avid traveler, and I love it when people ask me about different places in the world. However, I know that I am just a tiny creature of the world, and I still need to explore many more hidden gems in different countries. And this journey is never going to stop until my last breath.

How I Found a New Meaning to My Life in Delhi

It was a late Saturday afternoon when I was getting frustrated sitting at home, which was incidentally a hostel in Delhi. The bachelor life in hostels and paying guest accommodations is considered very happening. People think that you can party all day long, or all through the year and never get bored or tired of it. However, at least for me, the truth is that I got frustrated with this lifestyle only after a couple of years. It was not because I could not afford to go for high-end parties or I never liked them. It was fun in the beginning, but somehow I started getting bored of it. Or you can say that I would realize the shallowness of friendships every time I would attend a birthday party or dance with someone I barely knew. 

Thankfully for me, it did not take too long to come out of the bighead social life. After a Friday in September, my head was taking rounds on the Saturday mornings because of the heavy alcoholic drinks I had drunk. I, being a male of the Indian society, hardly listen to someone who stops me from drinking too much. Moreover, people also do not care how many drinks I order. After all, it's my money, my life, and I have the advantage of living in a rented flat, alone! I was leading a lavish life until this lucky day when I wanted to quit every single particle of this extravagant existence.

Just when I thought of having a more meaningful living, I pondered upon what I needed to do. I had to stop meeting people who forced me to join them everywhere I did not want to go. I pledged to maintain a decent social relationship with unwanted friends and go back to find people who understood my frame of mind. There were a couple of old-school buddies, meeting whom I thought would be a great idea to re-align my life.  

Since it was too late in the afternoon to call someone, I thought of spending the day by myself. I wished to go for a drive, which I would always do earlier in other's cars. For all the time, I felt that I need people in my life for several reasons, one of which was hanging around late at nights in a car. However, as soon as I resolved to be on my own, I discovered that I do not need to depend for anything on anyone. I thought of hiring a cab, but then I got a better idea. I just browsed for Car Rental Delhi and hired a car that would arrive in four hours. Until then, I had a lot to do at home. I spent the entire waiting time with myself, cleaned the cupboards, arranged things for my future studies, and called a few buddies.

As soon as I received my car, I hopped into the driver's seat and left for a long drive. After driving around on the roads of national capital for more than two hours, I called my girlfriend and picked her up from her home. We talked and had a good time enjoying the ride in the Honda car; I felt apologetic to her for not being with her for such a long time. I felt grateful all over again that I have someone like her in life who can forgive me for every nasty thing I do and then guide me to be on the right track once more. We would never forget the night we spent driving here and there without any purpose, but I can still say that the ride gave a new meaning to my life.

What is So Special about Chandni Chowk in Delhi?

For those who do not know much about Chandni Chowk, the place is meant for mouth-watering food only. And for those who know the inside-outs of the area, they explore much more beyond food. I have been going to Chandni Chowk for innumerable chores for more than five years now.

Every time I go there, I become overwhelmed by a few things that are characteristic of the place. The first thing that anyone would observe about the site is the presence of at least a thousand people in front of the eyes at any point in time. I have never seen the roads empty in Chandni Chowk, even if it is a Sunday when the market is officially closed. Another thing that catches the attention is the long queues of shops that display a huge array of their products. I can find anything from the pin to plane in the market, which is the reason people from all over the country come here to buy stuff. Some of the most common things that I can find here include wedding cards, stationery items, paper products, hardware equipment, electronic goods, books, clothes, decoration material, and raw material for practically everything I can think. 

Once I was there in Chandni Chowk eating Dahi Bhalle at a roadside joint. Luckily, there were not many people around me, and I struck a conversation with the shop owner. He told me that the market was established when Shah Jahan had transferred his capital to Old Delhi (then Shahjahanabad) from Agra in the 17^th century. Although the present day Moonlit Square or Chandni Chowk does not resemble anything from the past, several havelis and shops still ring a bell about the history of India. If I try to observe a building, I can clearly notice the things that jog my memory, and I can visualize how things and places must have been three centuries ago at this place.  

Jahanara Begum was the eldest daughter of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan, and she had designed the markets of Chandni Chowk. She had created four sections of the area: Johri Bazar, Urdu Bazaar, the Fatehpuri Bazar, and Ashrafi Bazaar. When the Mughal era used to be at its peak, the Chandni Chowk bazaars had their popularity spread wide across the world. The merchants from Europe and Asia would be the frequent visitors of these souks, and take goods to their home countries.  

Chandni Chowk got its name because of a unique feature. The Yamuna River would pass through the middle of the souk, and it gave a reflection of the moon, which was an exemplary sight to the visitors. The streets would be lined with the banyan trees, and wide platforms fringed the river. The residents and shopkeepers of the market would sit on the platforms for hours in a row, lost in their conversations and hobbies. It would be a common spectacle to see the royal processions going by the Chandni Chowk. In just a span of 1.3 kilometers, more than 1,500 businesses were set up beginning from the Red Fort concluding at Fatehpuri Masjid. All the shops were lined in the outline of a crescent or half-moon. What a delightful view it must have been at that time!

Presently, even though I have to take the Car Rental Delhi to visit Chandni Chowk, there seems hardly any space for a car. The place is best explored on foot, especially when I want to taste the delectable foods of the market. The site is one among the major commercial centers of Delhi, but there is hardly anything from the charming history that I can see today. Only the narrow by-lanes swarming with people and products are the only thing that are visible. Still, I can say that Chandni Chowk is close to my heart, and it will always be.