Soloing in India: My experience
A month ago, I had to cancel my travel plans with friends because of covid and the massive Omicron spike in India. Our trip was supposed to start in Rishikesh, the yoga capital of the world, and we had planned on trekking through the Kuari pass, one of the many valleys of the Himalayan mountains. Covid had reached the mountains and the organizers were compelled to cancel the trek. I was disappointed that it didn’t come to fruition but a week later, I set off to Rishikesh and decided to travel alone.
This was only my second solo trip and I loved every minute of it. I’ve made more friends and shared more beautiful moments in the past couple of weeks than I have in the past year. The warmth of the people I met, friendships of the mountain cats and dogs, the beauty of the unforgettable landscapes, and the silent moments of self-discovery will last with me for a long time to come.
The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes — Marcel Proust
I find this to be a fundamental motivation for me to travel to new places and make new connections. Traveling gives you new eyes and a new perspective that is very rarely achieved through anything else. Although India is a singular country, because of its diversity, cultural homogeneity is not a familiar concept. There are hundreds of languages in India, and I consider myself lucky enough to speak three Indian languages which is a privilege because it lets me travel almost anywhere in the country.
I’ve traveled to Rishikesh, Mussourie, Bareilly, and Lucknow over the past two weeks and every place had its own charm. The spirituality in the air of Rishikesh is unmatched. Although it is now quite a commercial site, there are some hidden gems that truly represent the spirit of Rishikesh and the Ganges.
The food in Lucknow is the proudest part of their culture. After having attended a food festival for 4 days and trying many of the popular food outlets there, I’ve found their pride to be absolutely justified. The diversity richness of food choices available there, both for vegetarians and otherwise is second to none.
Having lived in Estonia for the past 3 years, I got used to the Baltic silence and the distant attitude of people there, which I embrace, but the vibrancy of India and the people was so pleasant that I kept the introvert in me at bay during the trip and I tried my best to get to know the people around me. We played music and sang all night long, celebrated birthdays, danced our hearts out, and most importantly, lived in the present as best as we could.
Traveling alone is one of those things that you have to experience at least once, in my opinion. Just like sitting under the stars on a clear sky night, it is truly humbling and enriching at the same time, but it has to be experienced and not explained. So I’ll stop here and urge you to try traveling solo. Who knows? It might change your life.
