The Thrill that is Travelling.

Backpacking around the globe has a unique joy of its own. More than anything else, it is the thrill of getting to know so many people in different parts of our world. We don’t even need to look at other countries; for starters, one can be easily mesmerized by the sheer diversity that is present in our own country. We only need to emerge out of our four walls and embrace the earth we are living in!

Though I do not endorse any gendered narrative that focuses on the supremacy of women when it comes to cooking, yet I have no qualms in stating that I have a distinct flair for preparing meals from every place I have ever been to. I believe that this has got less to do with the fact that I am a woman and more to do with my receptivity of flavors. How is that possible? Well, you see, I was not born as a perfectly normal child. Contrary to my brothers and sisters, I am dyslexic; and it took me some time to realize that though my education faced a stiff opposition from dyslexia, my flavor receptors were way more advanced than other people of my age.

My love for travel gives my love of flavors and food quite a distinct edge. I waste absolutely no time in trying out the local delicacies whenever I travel to a new place. As soon as I have tasted it, I go hunting for the locally sold ingredients that give the food its particular taste. This follows for all places I visit; be it somewhere in the North East that is revered for its chili oil along with steaming momos or some peculiar tasting curry prepared with coconut milk. The sheer range of food available in our country is amazing! As soon as I get hold of the ingredients, I try my hand at cooking them. I will definitely not brag about it, but my dishes almost always end up tasting like the delicacies just the way they tasted back in the mountains or at the beach.

The best part about traveling for food is that the moment you step a foot outside the country, you are going to be taken by surprise by extant varieties you had not heard of. While some places craft the best cheese in the world, there are other places that prepare exquisite chocolates. From gratin dauphinois to risottos the food the world has to offer is just as vibrant as the food that is found within our country. Just as I try my hand at preparing meals from our country, I also try to do the same with all the cuisines of the world.

Talking about all the food in the world has really made me wonder whether I would have been able to acknowledge and appreciate the cuisines of my country and around the world if I had not been able to travel in the first place. I have realized that there is no way I could have known and experienced all the things I have come across till date were it not for my love of visiting new places.

I have seen how many people travel. They call themselves tourists yet their plan of visiting new places is reaching the hotel and spending the rest of the day under the shade of trees planted within the hotel compound. Sure, we all need a place to crash after a tiring day’s journey, but that is only after we have been able to experience the new place to its fullest.

Traveling new places means interacting with the environment of the new place, meeting new places, trying out their local dishes and, of course, local sight-seeing. I love interacting with the locals wherever I go. It gives people a sense of the vast world they are living in and, at the same time, convinces the person that all human beings really share a subtle kinship in the way they think and adapt to their environments.

Traveling does not just comprise enjoying the comforts a place has to offer; it should also encompass the thrill and experience of dwelling within mud huts or preparing meals in the open fields. It should include being a part of the greatest melas the world has ever seen; places that define and then redefine the colors of a country. 

Most importantly, traveling opens a little door to the vast world! The human soul that should always be fed on new experiences and knowledge finds vast pastures to walk on through travel. It is almost as if traveling helps a person open the eyes of his soul; and through the vision that is gained, the person is able to grow into a better Human Being.

Written by Gouri Gutpa

Week 7, February 2021