Thank you for reading my travel stories!
About Me:
My name is Sharmila Das. Despite not being a professional writer, I scribble down my travel journals and experiences in my notebook. This helps me document, relive, and capture my fresh memories, feelings, and thoughts. These travel stories are my diary of my travels around the world. I hope you enjoy reading them.
Where it all started:
My first wanderlust experience wasn’t very pleasant. In my childhood, I lived with my grandparents for a couple of years. I was famous for wandering around, and my grandfather’s sister used to find me in different places. Ultimately, I got lost exploring my surroundings one day. I copped many a beating, firstly from my Dadu (my grandfather, generally a quiet person) and my mother, for getting lost in my curiosity to see the world around me. My grandfather was stressed thinking about what he would say to my parents if I was lost under his care. He told my mother, ‘Take your daughter back. I can’t take responsibility for her anymore.’
In my older school days, bunking classes and wandering around with my like-minded friend, Madhabi, was a part of my life. Over the years, I have developed a strong appreciation for the journey that leads to the destination. We were not fixated on the destination only; we loved both the journey and the destination. In those days, we would just pick a rainy day and catch a bus and enjoy the trip to the airport, go inside (allowed at that time), watch the people getting off and boarding the planes from the rooftop and occasionally wave as if we knew them. We were keen to see the take-off and landing of the flights and come back all wet like dogs, and the teachers, fuming, would make us stand outside the class for a long time.
My father hardly took any leave from his business. Yet if he said ‘Yes’ to a holiday, we could easily spend a few months before we returned home. In those days, we sometimes travelled with our extended family, and I immensely enjoyed the company of my cousins. As we grew into our late teens and early twenties, we were not allowed to travel independently, which is so common nowadays. Now, I have spawned the love of travel in my daughter. Being only young, she has already visited 40 countries; she may even have visited more places in the world than I did (thanks to me). Our family dynamics have always been a driving force behind our travel experiences.
If I had wings:
Once, our English teacher in high school ordered the students to write an essay. The topic was, ‘What do you want to be in life and why’. I thought, ‘What do I want to be in life? Do I want to be a doctor, accountant, lawyer, engineer, or teacher?’ None of these professions appealed to me. I always daydreamed of spreading my wings and flying away. I knew for me being a ‘traveller’ would suit me perfectly. I quoted Khalil Gibran,
‘Will ever the day come when Nature becomes the teacher of man, humanity is his book and life, his school?’
I feel dreamy when I think about going somewhere. I thought I definitely wanted to be a traveller, and it would be easier to be one than try to be one of those. I never liked to read academic books. I lived on novels, short stories, and travel stories. These travel stories fueled my imagination and sparked my desire to explore the world.
Like many parents in India, my parents would not be thrilled with my unconventional career choice. The societal norm was to pursue professions high in the socioeconomic structure, such as doctor, engineer, or lawyer. These professions were seen as stable and respectable. Like many others, my parents wanted me to have a secure future.
I couldn’t believe my ears when the teacher said, ‘Most of you want to shine in the future, which is commendable. However, Sharmila has shown courage by wanting to be a traveller.‘
Travelling teaches us so much. We learn about people, their history, language, nature, and culture; most importantly, we know to be independent. Our teacher liked this idea so much that he read my essay to the class. These experiences have broadened my horizons and enriched my life in ways I could never have imagined. This teacher instigated my passion by approving my dream.
One of my life’s most challenging and life-changing journeys:
Admittedly, I was not very comfortable when my husband decided to move to Australia. Home is always the place you come back to. Uprooted from my own world, I felt that I was lost. It took some years to return to myself and call Australia home. My personality totally changed here for a long time. I lost my wings, at least for some time.
Becoming myself again:
Life took a turn when I was blessed with two beautiful children. We started packing our car and driving out of Sydney 3 or 4 times a year. This rekindled my passion for travel, and I felt my wings fluttering again. Travel became a means of rediscovering myself, and I embraced it wholeheartedly.
Now that my children have grown up, I take the slightest opportunity to travel anywhere. My daughter is the source of my encouragement—it is mutual.
When seeing the world, I don’t discriminate when choosing my destinations. Spending time beside the river where I spent my childhood is as important to me as visiting the Eiffel Tower.
I have many good memories of travelling with family and friends to many beautiful places. I always thank Almighty for the opportunity to travel and see other people’s lives across the globe.
My husband says I am always under a ‘Spell’ and ‘Dreaming‘.
Why shouldn’t I be? The Call of the Far always moves me no matter where I am.
I may not have the chance to physically travel the whole world, but my imagination is not a constraint.
As the great poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote, ‘I am free to lose myself anywhere I wish in my dreams.’
Again, happy reading. Cheers!
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