Travel Mania

 Travel Mania

See the World as a Traveller not as a Tourist!

By

 Mrs Anupama Kunjur

Travel is my soul! Its where I feel most inspired and relaxed. I thrive and regrow.

Travelling is a Must for Me! You can call me a Globetrotter or a hodophiliac …I not only love seeing different places, I enjoy the different cultures, cusines & experiences too!

Having a lifestyle of constant travel, which comes from a sense of spontaneity & impulsiveness, I have always chosen interesting destinations. Blending destinations with activities and accommodations into seamless journeys resonates my desire to see the world.

History is always at the Heart of  our travel itinerary. Historic places allows us to feel like we are part of something much bigger. You feel connected to the place. I believe that any heritage captivates engages & transforms us to a better person.

I am also drawn to diverse environments from rugged mountains to pristine beaches. This has not only fuelled my personal growth but also fostered a profound connection with nature & cultures worldwide.

Crafting unique & personalised travel plans gives me pleasure. When we were newlywed, during a conversation, my husband asked me what I wanted out of life.  My swift answer was “I want to see the whole damn world & experience it too. I don’t want to die before I see all the countries in the world”. He laughed …… True to this conversation my husband & I have travelled widely & experienced nearly 50 countries till now and continue to do so only to revisit several of them over and over again.

When our daughters came into our lives we continued travelling with them even when they were babies.  It’s usually said that 18-24 months is toddler era & it can be quite challenging to travel. Actually, we travelled more as young parents. We enjoyed that phase too!  We incorporated the kids into our travel plans right from the beginning. Preparing travel games and books always helped. Also, being a very hand on and an innovative Mum, I came up with some useful strategies which made it easy & fun.

1. I would get them to pack their suitcases using packing cubes which got them involved and made it interesting.
2. Making itinerary with them and encouraging them to input by reading about the places & the culture.
3. Together we learnt the language & history of the country we were visiting.

My husband Jay and I have always loved travelling with our daughters.  As our daughters grew into youngsters, travelling became a family ritual. Even though it has not been wallet friendly at times, it has given us the gift of time and core life long memories. This has helped us bond & given family focused time amidst our very busy professional lives.

The joy of travelling has also helped our daughters to develop basic life skills & become culturally more aware. They approach change positively & have an open-minded outlook to life. They are Globetrotters now!!

 Don’t forget this…. My Favourite part of travels.  Collecting artefacts from different corners of the world is part of creating travel memories. We always pick up things that interest us from local artisans. Guest says our home is a world museum, which is true! But for me they bring back the lovely memories and make our home beautiful!

10 Useful tips to craft a very unique & personalised travel itinerary.:

1. Make a list of top 10 important things to see & do. Read about them and see if it interests you.
2. Read several travel blogs for tips which will help in microplanning and packing.
3. Visit the historic places to know about the place.
4. Incorporate a cooking experience in your itinerary. It will broaden kids’ perspective on global cuisine.
5. If you can dress up in their local costume or traditional dress one of the days and make it as a tradition of your trip - kids will love it too!
6. Do a cultural activity such as watching local dance form or even learning one.
7. Always try the local cosines or visit a local family to learn their lifestyle.
8. Keep a day to enjoy nature like trekking to a view point or coastal walk.
9. End the travel with at least 2 days to recharge –on the Beach or pool side.
10. Couple Spa day! This is a must for us.

Don’t forget to take loads of picture which you will cherish throughout your life!

Try this for your next travel and enjoy!!