What has the World taught me?

Why do we travel?

Some do it for Passion. Some do it for a relaxation. Some do it for time pass. Some do it just like that.

Travelling around the world needs lot of time and a good amount of money and most importantly, a perfect companion. There are few who prefer to travel alone. When you are alone, you confine or restrict yourself though you may explore places at your wish and will interacting with localities and doing all that you wanted to. Does it have any fun quotient? Certainly not.

Only when the joy is shared with others, it gives you an immeasurable happiness. The companion need not have to be your better half always because not all would have been married when they started to travel. Hence it can be your best friend or your parent.

I never had the habit of arguing with others though I knew the other person was wrong or incorrect. It does not mean that I possess less knowledge. It is just that I respect the other person's views. I wouldn't expect it to be reciprocated since this open-mindedness always differ from person to person. Some confine to a smaller radius thinking that they knew anything and everything thereby underestimating the potential of others. It is this attitude which would pull down even a born genius even without his/her knowledge.

I have been taught to be obedient,patient and listening all the time and open up for opportunities and possibilities since the world has to offer so much. It is this which made me to book my first overseas trip exactly 10 years back. I was not married then and I was working for an MNC Bank for its back office operations. I noticed how the westerners use to enjoy their life by travelling at least once in a year. Hence I too decided to follow their footsteps.

Firstly, I applied for a 2 week mandatory off in my office and then I applied for a personal loan for travel. I got all of them approved. I was then left to decide the place of travel. I zeroed in on Singapore and Malaysia since I have heard a lot about it. Since I haven't travelled outside India, I thought this would be the safe bet. I should not forget to mention here that I have my granny and few others in both the countries. Hence I booked a ticket for me and for my mother.

My mother had been to Singapore more than 5 times. Still, it was me who helped her in doing most of the stuff in the airport be it with immigration or other things. I was neither afraid nor was I tensed.  We were warmly received by my granny in the Singapore airport who came along with her daughter-in-law and her baby boy. I had the mindset that it is one of the cleanliest places in the World and it got further enhanced after seeing that city. Though I always believed in keeping my surroundings clean, I have exercised more precaution when I was there since even something done without our knowledge(ignorance) can attract heavy fines over there.

I had a gala time over there for the next 2 weeks with majority of the time being spent in Singapore and few days in Malaysia.

What have I learnt?

1. People are more friendly than you think.

2. It is only we assume that they unhelpful which isn't the case

3. In case of doubt, ask. Never assume.

4. Always get to know about the country you are planning to travel, in advance unless you have a backup there.

5. Know about the local temperature, food, culture, travel modes, currency preferred and used and to some extent, the local language as all these would come handy in case of an emergency.

6. Keep an emergency contact no always. Keep your passport and other travel documents safe and try to memorise the local contact address so that you will not get lost in a foreign nation.

The video portrays the beauty of us - the travellers that we are not alone. Can it be done any better than this?

Its time you too said #YesToTheWorld