19th January 2010, I was at the Mumbai airport….off to South America- diverse, friendly, culturally-rich and the continent filled with super-hot women… no, that wasn’t the only reason to go there. But in many ways, it was to be an epic trip, backpacking 45 days through Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia.
The guy at the check-in counter grounded my flight of naughty thoughts….’Sir, you will change flights in Paris for Rio. But your passport does not have a French transit visa. Sorry sir, you will not be able to board the flight’
‘YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BOARD THE FLIGHT!!!’: The ground beneath my feet disappeared. Suddenly the dream felt like a nasty nightmare. There was certainly a mistake- the travel agent had told me I don’t need a visa in Paris since I was to stay within the airport. But, by then it was too late, friends, I could not take the flight that night…But, I was back within twenty four hours to take the next flight to Paris. Loaded not just with a transit visa but a 90 day Schengen visa. This feat the night before, sympathetically, was considered impossible by the airline staff- they expected to see me after a week.
Friends, there is so much to learn from travel……
So much you know, like:· Travel agents know nothing about transit visas OR
· Booking a Kingfisher flight is not the only way to be sure you won’t reach your destination
· Airline staff serves bad news with such panache that you doubt they are actually happy about your hapless situation
But to travel is to surrender to the uncertainty of life…
And the world is worth surrendering to; isn’t it? From the beaches of Rio to the streets of Paris; from the crowded Kumbh mela to the lonely desert of Patagonia; from watching elephants in Africa to the great wall of China and of course this auditorium in National college. This world is an intriguing place.
And today let me share three reasons why every man or woman; young or old, ugly or handsome should travel:
1. Travel, it just might change your life:
Many heroes of our world found a vision for life during their travels…One such was Mahatma Gandhi who found his crusade while traveling on that train in South Africa and thank god for that, today, we live in a free country.
Have you found your purpose in life? If not- travel! Because traveling out also means traveling within…Even Mohammed said- ‘Don’t tell me how educated you are; tell me how much you have traveled’
2. Travel, because it is the best teacher you will ever find:
In those twenty four hours after I was denied the flight, travel taught me a wonderful lesson: that if you truly, passionately want something- YOU WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN! Like king khan says: ‘that if you really love something; the universe will conspire in your favour …’. The universe in those 24 hours conspired to get me the visa and a seat on the next flight, which was overbooked by 7 people. Since, my friends, nine people that night decided not turn up for the flight …Yes, travel is the best teacher you can ever find. It teaches you to live, it teaches you to give; it scares you; yet teaches you not to be scared, it puts you out of breath. It makes you do things that you would otherwise never do. It teaches you to trust; it teaches you to grow, to be mature…
It has made me learn, that my small house that I share with my beautiful mother- is the only thing for which I need to yearn.
3. Travel, it will keep you humble:
If humility is a virtue, then travel is a harbinger of it. When you travel you are not a CEO, not an achiever, not rich either- you are just YOU- just another traveler. But that is the beauty of this world, you don’t need to be CEO to be loved nor will your money buy you friends.
You will realize that less is more, a backpack and a broad smile is enough to see you through.Friends, there are numerous excuses for not being able to travel: no money, no time, too many commitments, I am married and I have toastmasters session on Sundays ….but life is counted not by the number of breaths you take but the moments that take your breath away..
Joshua Fernandez captured the essence of travel beautifully, he writes…
I travel with my voice, I travel with my hope
That something new, would spring into my horoscope,I travel to many different places, mix with many races
Know tribesmen by their faces and little girls by their laces
I travel with or without money, so here’s my testimony
The good, the bad and even the ugly
Every experience is worth life’s journey
For I will always marvel, whenever, whenever……I travel
So friends, lying in my room is my backpack…it has my dreams, my hopes, my worries, my fears….memories that I have collected over years. And pictures of some of hot my ex girlfriends too!
I am ready to get high on this journey called life!When are you packing your bags? It is about time you travel to unravel the mysteries of life.
And yes, one more thing, I did travel to South America for the hot women!
