 The enlightened one ( Buddha as we call ) was a runaway prince. He gave up on his kingdom , comfort and most of all his identity to seek for his truth. Many of us do the same, don't we ? And which is why as travelers we can connect to Buddha and his teachings. More importantly, We don’t need to be a Buddhist to borrow some spiritual wisdom and integrate it into our (traveler’s) life. As traveling itself is one of the best ways to learn and become a better version of yourself, a Buddhist mentality can only add to the experience. Here are 5 Buddhist beliefs that we can use while we are traveling to feel calmer in the face of difficulties, immerse ourselves in our journeys and simply feel happier on the road.  THE GIANT FACE OF PEACEFUL BUDDHA IN THIKSHEY MONASTERY LADAKH. Learn to let go. “You only lose what you cling to,” said the Buddha. If we don’t try to possess a thing, we cannot lose it. and that makes it forever ours. To let go is an art that will improve our whole life, whether it be with relationships, friends, possessions or jobs. On the road: Embrace minimalism and learn to pack only the basics. I don’t encourage you to voluntarily let go of your wallet, but if it happens to get stolen, it’s no use making a drama out of it – that won’t help you. Just move on and accept your new conditions.  MONKS TAKING A PILGRIMAGE TOWARDS BUDDHA, IN TRAILS FROM CAMBODIA. It is better to travel well than to arrive. What matters the most is not the final destination but the journey itself. We’re sure you’ve heard this thousands of times before, and you’ll hear it many more times throughout your travels because it’s true. On the road: Enjoy every step of the journey. Don’t spend all your time on board a bus or a plane just waiting to arrive. Instead, use the time to talk to people, read with ravenous anticipation about your destination or listen to some local music from the place you’re visiting (which you have downloaded in advance because you already know this music habit will change your trips).  FROM A MONASTERY IN THAILAND. Get to know yourself “It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles.” Buddha said it , and we cannot but agree with it totally. All our stress , confusion and issues are rooted in the fact that we do not know ourselves that well. We are constantly figuring it out, and that is okay indeed, as long as we keep doing it. On the road: Even though traveling might seem like little more than a leisure activity, it actually changes you in a subtle way, no matter how you travel. Regardless of whether you go on short trips or year-long journeys, you will come back a changed – and in many ways better-rounded – person. We get to know ourselves when we face situations that take us out of our comfort zone.  WITH MY CLIENTS AT THE GIANT BUDDHA FROM, SPITI LANGZA ROM When we share our happiness, it doesnt decrease. If our happiness is a candle and you share the light with others, your light doesn’t decrease. Happiness is anyways only real , when shared. Christopher Mcandles ( Read " Into The Wild ") had to travel for years, and die in Alaska to realize this truth. I hope we realize it sooner. On the road: Share happy moments on the road with the local people you meet along the way, as well as friends and family back home. Take the time to send news back home – your loved ones will be happy to know you’re safe and having fun.  A SHRINE TO BUDDHA IN THE JUNGLES AMIDST OF SRILANKA. Gratitude is surest way to Happiness. There are hundred of books discussing all the advantages of gratefulness, and I am going to add to that to my best teaching learnt, reminding you & myself to take a moment to be grateful for what we have when we’re feeling low. On the road: The very fact you can afford to travel is reason enough to feel thankful, because millions of people around the world can’t even dream of that luxury for various reasons (poverty, war, political restrictions etc.). Take a minute before going to sleep to feel gratitude for all the amazing things that happened to you during the day.  MONKS WORSHIPPING BUDDHA , IN LAOS. Throughout my journeys, in places that practice Buddhism , I have found a harmony that suits my own perspectives. It's teachings connect to me most of all religions that I read and understood about. This small article is only a partial understanding of my faith in it. Let me know your thoughts on this, and do let me know what are your valuable Lessons from traveling learnt from the Buddha. Connect with me on Instagram @deepjyoti_biswas. Stay safe, and may Buddha be with You.  MOST PEACEFUL BUDDHA FROM BHUTAN. THANKS TO HIM I HAVE THIS AMAZING LIFE. MAY HE BRING PEACE TO ALL.  It was a Sunday morning of August in Kolkata, and waking up I felt a little dizzy. I thought it might be gastric effect of eating rich food for the past days. As the day went on I had a fever which felt undetected on thermometer. You know, when the temperature shows normal yet, inside you are not so well. A slight body ache could be felt too, but nothing that could make me label myself sick. If it was not pandemic situation, I would not have even felt bothered to tell my parents about it. My mother told me, we must go for the Covid test immediately next day, and for now, I should be into bed resting. I had to follow since otherwise it meant , I am going to endanger my parents as well as friends I was having plans with. After a good afternoon nap, I felt better, the fever feeling had disappeared and the body ache was not much felt too. I felt like going for a jog or to continue my own kinda day, but again had to stop myself. I was sure it is just a cold, since Covid 19 is heard to be showing it's presence through throat pain, and a little breathing disorder. Both were absent in me. Next day , still without having any health problems , I kept my commitment of getting checked for Covid from the government hospital. The test was painful , as they insert the testing bud into your nose and take the swab close from the brain. The same process is done to your throat. The pain inside , lingered for the day, as I returned, and only felt better and better. Just to prepare in case I have Covid, I called a friend of mine , who had suffered it with his family, few days back. After hearing me out, he asked me to try to smell the perfume bottle. A little weird request but I went for it. And BAAMM , as I sniffed the bottle , I had no smell ! Absolutely nothing! My friend said " Congratulations , you're up for the game ! "  THE TEST REPORT Agreeing to my no smell symptoms, what I knew the test report came positive , and my parents went for their tests too. My house was sealed by the corporation of Calcutta, for a next 14 days at least. There were helpline numbers to call and get essentials, though , my friends and my dad's , volunteered to help us. I was glad to see that inversely to all the news that was going around, people in my vicinity were not treating us as untouchables. To be honest , once the report comes out , you are a little scared. You take extra notice of how you are breathing, if there is any problem. As stress and fear grew on, I remembered, that in many discussions , I had written that Covid 19, isn't as dangerous as the news had preached. Now me being afraid of it, seemed so hypocritical of myself. I took a deep breath , chanted my Buddha mantra and said, I have already told people, that I have a good immunity, and that Covid would not hurt me much. It was now time if I believed in what I had put faith in. Gladly, I was able to gain my confidence, that like my friends and people I know who had recovered well, I too shall go through this fine! And believe me when I tell you this, it is this faith that did most of the work than the medicines. For when you are not afraid , or stressed , science says your body and immunity definitely works better. I also decided, I will only take the immunity boosting pills and no Antibiotics, that were prescribed to me. I am not telling this decision is for everyone, but surely it was for me. I believed in the body and lifestyle I have created over years living in mountains , and surely this was it's peak test for now.  MEDS & KEEP Checking your oxygen levels. After a fight with my parents, I did convince them that I will not take antibiotics, unless I have a fever or cough and cold, that seems very troublesome. By this time four days had passed, and honestly I felt anything but sick or what is potrayed of a Covid victim in media. Also gladly , my parents did not test positive and the people I had came in contact, none of them had any symptoms too. This was my basic routine that I followed in my qurantine days. Wake up around 10 and take three medicines which I surely recommend. It has no side effects. 1. limcee 2. Zincovit 3. SNEC30 ( Ayurvedic and most effective ) I took the SNEC 30 two times a day, the rest only in morning. Apart from it, drank two cups of kadha. Four cups of hot water to gurgle and drink. Two times hot water vapour for myself. ( I found this from my friend, as the vapour helps to kill the virus if settled in nostrils). I ate well, as my taste was still there, and I ate heavy protein with meat and egg everyday. I saw movies , wrote things , read books and most importantly still did small workouts in room, keeping my sweating on in the evening. Bit of prayer and meditation chanting my mantra, as normally as I do everyday before sleep. Except for the smell which was still vanished, I was feeling very fit, enough to climb mountains. Yet as to the norms I was inside the room isolated, but friends and people who called me , helped me have a good time indeed.  Good food and good things to keep your mind occupied in isolation days. Finally after 14 days completed, I took the test again and was tested negative. I survived and realised a story I had heard a long time ago. " Once a prisoner in US was sentenced to death. Two scientist thought of experimenting on him. They told him, he was to be executed by a venomous snake bite. On the day of execution, he was tied to the chair blind folded. And a non venomous snake was left near him, for him to feel the presence of the creature. The prisoner could hear the hissing and understand the inevitable presence. The snake however, was not allowed to bite. The scientist pierced the prisoner with two safety pins in his feet, and the prisoner died immediately. " Remember my friends , Corona is going to happen to everyone , almost. The spread can't be stopped. However , if you keep you immunity strong and healthy, and your faith intact, it will only mild affects on you, as it did to me. Of course if you know, your immunity is not so great, you must take added precautions, but even then , believe in your own strength. While climbing mountains , I always tell this to my clients. Our bodies always give up, as it feels pain. It is our will that helps us climb the impossible heights. It is such for this pandemic or for recovering from any sickness I believe. Your will & faith matters more than your physical conditions.  TREKKING AGAIN BACK IN MOUNTAINS AFTER RECOVERING. As for now, I am all fit , and it has been a month since I have survived my part of pandemic, and am back on my Adventures, to climb Mountains again.
If anyone of you, is surviving Covid 19 and wants to talk to me about any suggestions or advices , feel free to connect. And yes if you think you have an immunity strengthened by will power and good lifestyle, join me in my Adventures in the mountains! Hope to see you soonest!  Patriotism is one of the most debated and hot topic of our current times. By definition it means, the amount of love one has for it's country or native nation. Generally, most men and women love their own country, though the intensity and level of indulgence might vary from person to person. This difference also comes with our level of awareness and perception, from the region we find our affinity for. In that context, I was wandering to myself , how much did traveling affect my love, for my country ? I certainly had my answer as I retrospect through my experiences from the different corners of the nation. My love is certainly shaped by the truth I was fortunate to see with my own eyes. But before, I share my opinion on how much traveling one country , shapes our love for it, I was also interested to know what other people thought about this. I took to my Facebook and Instagram and asked for people to write their opinion on the following question " Is it necessary to travel to Truly Love your own country ? ". What followed is interesting answers from both faces of the coin with some insightful explanations. Here is a try to sum it up in this blog , the views that shows correlation between travel and patriotism is at all necessary or not. More importantly , the reasons behind it.  So many people might have never traveled much, do they not feel Love for their country ? I made a fascinating observation from the responses to my question. Most people who did not travel a lot, or those who generally are happy with vacations and two week long holidays, justified that it was not necessary to travel to love your country better. Obvious to say, the people who cannot think of their life without wandering aimlessly and perpetual travel, felt the opposite. I am gonna uphold both their explanations, before putting in my opinion. But before you read the opinions, you must understand, to travel or not to , is but a human choice. There is no good or bad about it. Hence, you must keep a neutral mindset before understanding why the two groups think differently.  The people serving in Army , the job with most connection to one's love for the nation. It is true that many a people did not necessarily see the length and breadth of their country, before contributing their whole lives in the service of the nation. People doing social work and helping the citizen of a nation for the love of their country are very devoted. Their actions speak for their patriotism, which might not be an effect of the travel they might have had. A similar case study is of the people serving in our army and other defense forces. One cannot question their intent , who brave the rough conditions in protecting the people of the nation. Most of them are not wanderers or have not traveled a lot before fulfilling their duty in the love for their nation. Love for one's country can come from the books one read or other mediums that might have interacted with us, to build a nation's image. It then serves to built a pride inside of us and make our identity as citizens of the nation, to find happiness in feeling belonged. So definitely, the explanation given here, that it is not necessary to travel to love your country better, is justified. However, perspectives differ and both can be simultaneously on point.  Traveling helps to integrate two different worlds of the same country. Those who traveled far and wide, simply had a beautiful explanation why traveling is necessary to love your country. Most of them put forward the idea, that traveling in a country as diverse and beautiful as India, enriches your love for your nation, when you see, touch and smell them live. It is one thing to read about the Taj Mahal and know of its architecture and every mind blowing information, And another when your pupils get shocked to take the flash of white marble gigantic monument with your own eyes. It is one thing to know its history through movies and songs, and another to smell the marble or touch it's masterclass craftsmanship decorated in it's the wall. Truly travel might forge experience that builds on the love, and truly cement your pride for your nation much better. Also when you travel the different parts of the country, you help them to grow financially. Your contribution in actions towards nation is much more worthy than words or slogans. When you travel, you also inflate the bond between the different people from the different part of the country. Since, the people who host you in their home stay or hostel, or in their region also get to know about your diverse lifestyle in some distant land. So it is a national integration process, when people travel their own country. It can be also pointed out, that army or people serving in defense are exposed to indirect traveling a lot. That also gives them a varied insight of their country which definitely adds up to their patriotism. With such strong reasons, it is justified why so many people who travel thinks, it is absolutely necessary to wander and see far lands of own country as a sign of patriotism.  To Love your Country, is to know of its every face. The Good, The bad and the ugly too. Now, it is time for my opinion on this topic, and it is a bit complicated one. Any form of love has no definition or criteria to go through or adhere to. Its personal choice how we love somebody or something. Similarly the love for one's country can be differently expressed and adhered to by different individual, and it's justification should be satisfactory to oneself only, and not to others. With such a view, I believe, it is necessary to travel if you want to love your country better. Here is my explanation to it. When I started traveling, not all times, did I feel proud of everything my country has to offer. I could see the dark sides of my culture and society that I so openly felt pride in, until I visited different regions. It is often true, that unless you travel, your idea of any country, even your own, will be stereotypical and limited. Your ideas coming from anything but your own experience, will mostly be flawed. Such flawed reasons might be narrow minded justifications of loving your country. One might think all is good in their beautiful country when it is not. And another might think, nothing is right at all. You might ask why your country does not take the necessary steps to right the wrongs, and might feel a less pleased for your nation. Take the example of Kashmir. Some of us may be happy with how the government is dealing with it, and some of us are totally against it. However, unless you are someone who has lived in Kashmir for a little prolonged bit of time, you will not have actual insights, you truly need to understand the complications there. More often I see, people putting their opinions on Kashmir, either for the government or against. It does not matter much to me, since personal opinions like perspective can be different and yet to be respected. What does matter to me is to know that those people have, either never visited Kashmir, or may have been there just for a vacation of maximum two weeks. Now I hope you understand how much of truth can someone dig up in such a less time, or just by sitting at home and collecting his or her facts through news and media, which is always a propaganda in play. It is absolutely necessary to see everything about a country, the good , the bad and the ugly. Because my personal opinion is, only when you can accept all the faces, can you truly be able to love it in its wholesomeness. And that will be for me a full view of patriotism and not just the pride that an identity brings without justification or my own experience. I am not saying, Travel is the "only thing" that brings about this learning experience, but surely travel is of all the most effective way, to participate and pamper your patriotism. Why else do you think , great citizens who pushed a nation through their patriotism had raw travel experience and wandered around the whole of country. You can take the examples of Gandhi , Bose or Swami Vivekanada, or the likes of such , and you will find one thing in common. They did travel through their beloved land to understand it better, which helped them to make an impact full change in long term. Think about it.... ! THANK YOU ALL WHO PARTICIPATED IN GIVING THE RESPONSE TO MY QUESTION THROUGH FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM STORIES. PLEASE CONTINUE TO ENGAGE AND CONNECT, HOPE WE TRAVEL SOONEST ENOUGH. 
 Once over a heated argument with my father on the maintenance of our house in Calcutta, he said " I know , it doesn't matter to you. This repairs and all, you would just vanish , if the problems remain. That's what you do best. " I wondered about it for long and then accepted it. My kind of people, often depends on travel , to get out of the face of an impending stress in life. I know a hundred and more people, who would just pack off their bags and leave when life knocks a little out of them. I am also included, in this list. It is true often at times , when I feel it is too much shit to deal with , I Vanish! In years I have also believed that, this is my super power. This super power is called ESCAPISM , and in psychological term means " mental diversion from unpleasant or boring aspects of daily life, typically through activities involving imagination or entertainment. Escapism may be used to occupy one's self away from persistent feelings of depression or general sadness. " So does this necessarily meant I or my kind of people , mostly all those who long for travel, or find our way out easily without being attached to problems, are depressed or sad ? A brain storming session had to be underway.  We also admit that we believe travel as a form of escapism, but it doesn't make us feel bad. When I asked in Internet yesterday for opinions , about how they felt using travel as a escapist method, most people justified , it is necessary sometimes to go and take off. I mean just leaving with your backpack to some distant destination, is kind of the best " F Off " that can be given to current problems in life. It was also justified as a healing process , rather than lamenting over a certain place and bearing the different waves of stress coming at us. However, like every story, there's different sides to it. And I had conversations with those who thought using travel as escapism is sheer stupidity and evokes much problem.  Even if we escape our reality through travel , the transformations that we seek in our surrounding doesn't happen truly on the road. It's just a phase , our journeys , untill we reach back in our lives again . Same family and friends , pull you back to your identity that you were. You might have outgrown for the time you traveled away , but now when you came back , you are looking right into the things that sparked you to escape. The problems never really go, you need to solve them. The only thing travel does is delay the inevitable facing. That was mostly the summary of the reason from the people , who thought travel as an escapism is not a good thing. For them , the true lifelong transformation in humans come by the daily habits and practices we do everyday when we find ourselves settled. It is realizations and actions and solutions that enhance the process , and not walking off, in search of a better view. An acceptable perspective indeed. Glad I took opinions on my network through facebook and instagram, it does give a variety of outlook, and perceptions to think on.  It is true that when we come back home, we find everything as before. This is why most travelers go through a thing called Post Travel depression. If you ever take a long trip and come back , you will feel like crying. Thinking nothing is exciting anymore in life. Everything that is good has gone with the trip. This is why travel as an escapism might be futile, indeed. However , there is more to travel. A lot of people also do travel for the sake of knowing things and places. It is a purpose of our otherwise inconsequential life , to seek things beyond our grasp. Life beyond the known, is what makes our time worthwhile. It also enhances their abilities and makes them a better person. So in one sense , travel for escapism surely, is situational too. We can't only put travel into the shadows of escaping our mundane. Some people truly are in love with their home, as much as their quest for foreign lands and balance both of them out quiet well. It will be unjust to call them escapist I believe.  Finally I would like to put a perspectives here, for the ones that believe travel as escapism isn't a stupid or bad thing to practice. I will admit , I fall in this group , and would like to clarify our point of view. I agree it isn't a good idea to just shut your problems, or to delay it. Having said that, I also believe, we NEED to choose our problems. Let this sink in a little bit. Throughout school and living in society, we might think that every human needs to necessarily fix some issues in their life. After all that has been the lesson for years, that has been what we saw or been tutored about. But who is to say , the lesson has been wrong all along. If you studied in 14th century , science would have taught you that earth was the Center of Universe, and the people believed it. But now we know, the truth. Similarly, the problems or issues a human must face according to social and schooling lesson, need not be true for all individuals. You might not necessarily identify some grave problems as issues to be important enough to attend in your existence. And that is absolutely okay, I believe. In the end, just like the different God's we believe in, we can believe in different approaches to life, and so look for our different problems and different meanings to it. So, if some of us think, facing an relationship issue is less important than solving through the visa process for a foreign land, it is absolutely fine. It is fine as long as we don't demean the ones who are passionate about their relationships problems.  In the end , life and all it's aspects are to be lived exclusively as per our liking. That is what, makes us an individual. Our thoughts are different and yearnings too. Accordingly to our happiness, escapism can help us to bypass some problems that are simply not worth our attention or precious time. And more than often times , the travel you take , equip you with better wisdom to solve the problems that you might discover still growing in life. It also induces the habit and change of perspective for the long run evolution of us, the transformation into a healthy existence, or how we seek to be. Hence, it is absolutely okay to walk off, anytime you think life isn't as you want it. It takes the same courage to walk off , that it takes to face a problem. And why even face a problem , that is not worth your while!   A few days ago, in a conversation with a friend, I mentioned , how I am so used to the slow mountain life. The life I chose, away from the ever ambitious chase of things, in some corner of the Himalayas, in the tiny village I live. How without that I cannot survive well. However, to put me in my perspective, my friend made me question how did I then spend now more than hundred days in a city. I do not even remember when was the last time I did such. Probably when I was yet to graduate from my college, and had no choice but to. Even now, my choice is nothing but a survival mode, however, it does me good to retrospect, how am I actually surviving. I am not going to sugar coat the frustrating times, however, it is also true, life in this survival mode, has taught me things or two. What is funny though is the observations , and things that have been happening with me. Here is a try to put them in one article, so may be some of you might message me and say " Oh yes, Deep, I had the same feelings in recent days. " .  I see mountains in the clouds. It's a whole different landscape, in a city. Architectural wonders and a man made concrete jungle covers the vast expanse of the eye sight. There is no end to it. It is of such contrast for someone, who lives in a naturally beautiful village in Himalayas, where the greatest mountain range in the world covers the earth mostly. Every day in the evening during the sun down , I go up to the roof, to have a little workout session ( Isn't helping me against being fat , yet keeps up the fitness ). Then I try to comprehend how men used so much of their valuable time and energy to build up such unnatural settlements for their own species, and now when we live here, we want to run away. Safety and security surely , our species has provided for, surely, with our strongholds, and easily accessible lifestyle. Yet it does not quench the thirst fully. Makes us always feel incomplete. In such sense, even when I am living with more luxury than I ever lived on mountains with for last seven years, yet I find myself delusional. Walking around , secretly, waiting and asking for a glimpse of a mountain in the far horizon. At times the clouds somehow, shape up to give myself some hope. I also if not fully content, try to be as much as happy as possible. Isn't that what all of us living in cities do, " trying to be as much happy as possible" ?  Markets are a good place to keep yourself busy. While the lock down has eased a little, markets have opened up. Here I find a nice time that intrigues my brain , trying to differentiate between the different products on offer. More than you need to live, yet your life is incomplete without having them. That seems to be the motto of the exchange in city markets. To start with the morning fish market, is good to see , all the different kind of fishes, albeit names of which I do not even know. that seems " could be tasty to cook." . I see people coming in from great distances now, to buy fishes and varied other items. Mostly , all of us are home, and cooking a fine meal to satisfy our appetite. It is seldom found in cities, people having this very luxurious item to use, it is called TIME.. Having it now, due to the situation, helps them to live like how they want to. Also free advice from strangers on how to cook a certain fish or crab helps. After all, advice are always free around here. Most of the people , have been indulged in the "work from home" scenario, and are the ones who are mostly happy to be staying at home and enjoying what seems like little pleasures of life. After all, it has been long since they actually spent time with their families or partners, cooked meals together or even enjoyed every bit of space of the apartments they pay hefty EMIs or Loans for. It is indeed good to see, some of the humans rejoicing, Makes a day bright ,ain't it ?  Empty spaces makes up for a wonderful sights. With lockdown being lifted, I also take excursions in the city. Places , I had no plans of visiting before, seems interesting now. It is due to the fact that, I had taken this parts , granted. Now after being caged for so many days, every wild flower that comes out from anywhere seems beautiful, and I look at it with same intent as I did to the orchids on the forest of mountains and national park. Suddenly when , I have no option, I started taking care of things I have, rather than seeking the far away beauties. Is it a mere coincidence or basic human nature, to think greatly of things that lie away, than for gifts we already possess. Fault surely remains with me, to have never given the appropriate attention and importance. This made me realize, spring is as beautiful in the city flowers, as it is in the meadows of the mountains. It also helps, that most people are still weary of the virus that plaques huge amount of victims, and keeps to home, avoiding unnecessary travels. With less human interactions, the nature can bloom to its original glory. All I have to do, is give my finite concentration to feel it's beauty.  Parks are good to walk around and keep the anxious mind in check. People like us, who are always on move or outdoor activities, can be considered worst addicted to our habits. Our minds overthink, when our energy levels cannot be put to use in activities that burn the energy. Same happens to me , as I am in city, devoid of hiking or swimming. The city parks and walking in it comes to the rescue surely. What is funny though , is all of us, are wearing mask and practicing social distancing with fear. We survey each other, with utmost suspicion , as carriers of a deadly virus. We neither smile or greet , and politely pass off. After all, we are a culture who is expert in practicing social distancing , since we are used to our age old heritage and laws of untouchability and its practices. As if, to our reward of social pretentious faces and fine performances of putting a act, in this life, our karma has blessed us with the use of beautiful masks, that gives us more days of life on earth now. Surely, it is enjoyable for us, that we have a apt reason, for not having to talk or smile to people that we absolutely hate, now. Hding our true faces in the mask.  Road trips helped to satisfy the never ending urge to wander, a bit. While my natural way of life has been lost, a "neo-normal" life has also come into practice. Just taking a road trip somewhere, that is green and natural is enough to calm the soul for now. It is like a lullaby to a baby , who knows now how to sleep in this chaotic world. The road trips do not need destinations now, like before, all it needs is road and some company. The google map helps you get lost, and then you find a spot for yourself. Without a reason, just to halt and take in whatever possibly you could. You do not need a mountain, or a beach, just anything that you have not experienced, is enough for now to feed your explorer inside. You silently understand, there were more to every kind of life, than you realized or ignorantly passed off. Judging them by value, by profit, or by what it adds up. Now, even if it adds up nothing, you consider it beautiful just for it's existence. This time. it is yet to end, and the future is still unsure. I do not know for how many more days, will I adapt and see through this life that I completely ignored. When the survival matters, I will choose to do things that I took for granted, and still be happy. I hope I remember this, when all is well again, and when I can tell this story of how I survived in the place , that I thought I never could. T  Do connect over, if you had same thoughts like me, in the last 100 days. Also connect if you are used to a life of wander, and now stuck in survival like me. This state of being , like prisoners in zoo , has had both ups and down. Today I have decided to share with you the darker side of existence during this times. I will admit it took me quiet amount of thought to believe, that I will be vulnerable enough in front of you, and vent out on the unwanted feelings. In years of wandering , I have come to believe that honesty is better to keep, life simple and frank. In a age of think positive , and be positive , I do not know if this post will come out to be a little pessimistic. However , If my venting , matches with your situation, then be assured your and my misery is the same. We are both in the darker phase of the locked down. One of the effects of social distancing and isolation from home, is that we are left, much more than usual, with ourselves. Who are we when we are no longer reflected in the faces of the people around us? Who are we without all the external recognition? No praise or even rejection. No feedback at all to define us. This might have left us lost. Or, uncomfortable and unsettled. Maybe you’re feeling a little of that?  I do not sleep at night , only to sleep from morning seven to two in the afternoon. It started with the thought that days are better slept than to be feeling purposeless and locked in room. At night, I feel everything, often inexplicably. Joy and sadness. Thrill and anger. Frustration and ease. And, of course, fear. But also, of course, excitement and connection. To feel it all requires courage. Emotional courage. It takes a lot to be curious about ourselves, after all. Often I avoid myself most , like a ostrich putting his head deep into the hole , in the dark. There it sees nothing , and has a feeling no body can see it. Exactly how I try to do with my thoughts. Yet this lock down, has been extending and it was inevitable that my dark thoughts will come crashing down. So after keeping myself lost and happy with new cooking recipes and Netfix shows that I did not even enjoy, for around 50 days of the locked down, I could not bear this helplessness and uncertainty of life that has been thrown to us. I am a highly social person , an extrovert , who likes to be with people and do new things every moment possible. It makes me good at my job, of being one of the Best Guides to travel with , yet it does not make me a sorted person, in this times of patience and introspection. No matter , how many videos and podcast from Spiritual Gurus, I hear or read, it just does not make this situation any better. I guess you can relate , that it is harder to be followed, those instructions than to advice our friends , when they say , they are feeling lonely. It is our basic human need I guess to share and to listen, to communicate and to crave bonding.  But with no way out , any sooner , I guess we have to slow down to face ourselves, what some of us have long avoided. It can be scary and exciting , but most importantly do we have the courage. To admit, to accept our darker side. It is one thing to be all alone in the mountains, with survival in mind , and another to be helpless locked down in uncertainty. And as a part of stepping up , I am sharing this, with all of you , that yes I am also miserable now in the locked down. Yet now that I have shared , I feel a little more at peace. Admitting my human side, my monsters that rumble up in my ever overthinking brain. The greatest lesson though from this has been to tolerate myself, even with all my fears , and all my insecurities. May be the most valuable lessons are learnt in the hardest times. Times which we often dislike and we are forced upon , rather than choosing. In a world that runs so fast , and is connected so well, I kept hopping from place to place. Taking in the adventures and wanders, only may be, to keep my brain busy from the monsters that lurked in mind. It is futile to run from them, as they are mine, they are ME. And today or the other , I had to own them. So here it is , I accepting them , and trying to make peace with it. I am also amazed that when I called some of my friends, who live a same life on road, they have been feeling the same, and did not know how to share and who to share. That I am not alone, makes me believe , that you are not alone too. Talk to people who feel the same. Even if some of them says " They are Doing Great in the Locked down ." , Do not get deter , and call up another. If not any , let me know, I will share the misery we both carry. There is no shame in finding life hard at times, especially , in times like this. Even if it seems unending, this lack of freedom , I have my hopes that we will see each other in travels by July!!!!  |
Note from the Author," Travel made me rich and free. Magic and miracles are true , once you wander on the roads to places different and divine. I have collected so many thoughts and stories while being a Tour & Trek guide for last seven years. Sharing with you all, those memories and stories , and wishing you all , that someday you guys travel far and wide too. I am not a great writer , so ignore my grammar and spellings, read it with feelings, and you might just be affected with the wanderlust to hit the road" Categories
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