When I decided to take a sabbatical from my long 17 years of corporate life, everyone had just one thing to ask “What are you going to do?” . While I was not sure what exactly I wanted to do, I was sure I wanted to backpack in North India. So when a colleague’s wedding coincided with the timing of my break, I used that as my starting point and so started my trip from Baroda, Gujarat.
I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and challenge myself during this trip and that’s what I did. Except for my trip to Baroda, I did not plan anything else for my trip and that turned out to be a master stroke. Not having a plan gave me the freedom to explore places without any hurry and taking each day as it came .
Before the trip I was worried about how I would be traveling, where would I stay, is it safe to travel alone etc etc.
This trip has been a huge eye opener about the ease of traveling in India now and the power of information available on line.
Starting with Google maps - chart out a route, look at transportation options available, reliable information from local guides, what to do etc
Multiple websites available for booking hostels/hotels - traveler reviews, ratings, trustworthy information etc
By the end of the trip I have changed as a person, for the good and don’t think can settle in one place.
I am working on a detailed writeup of my travel soon. But I have tried to make my reviews, during my trip, as helpful and informative as possible so as to help fellow travellers.