Day 17: What Inspires Me?

The theme for today's July Photo A Day Challenge is Inspirational. There are so many things I can list. But then, I was stuck on travelling. I find it inspirational and healing, in a way. I feel better if I travel often, though my often is not very often! I feel guilty of not travelling when I look at pictures. There's so much to see! But at the end, travelling inspires me to do lots of things - to step out and see the world, to be humbled by the people I meet, to try and know other cultures, to dream and to have plans of completing those dreams... And so much more!

This was shot in Kerala, on my trip there in June. It's a picture I love since it is very typical of Kerala too :)

An Insatiable Thirst

I came across a blog today morning. About this guy travelling the world, 61 countries if I remember it right. Till he was broke and that's probably the reason he had to get back.

I didn't have a chance to go through it at all, except the latest post. And he mentions about how he has to stop travelling for a while. It made my heart break for some reason. Just the thought of not being able to travel, after someone has covered 61 countries. I don't know how he feels about it. I'm sure he is sad somewhere. But I would've felt handicapped if I had to stop doing it after such a long time.

It made my heart break, in a nice way probably. Made me think, made me realise how much there is to travel. And I haven't even started yet. Made me wonder why there are certain things in the world that make you think twice from doing something, especially travel. There's so much, just so much to see in the world, explore. 

It made me want to weep. Weep with the thought of how much I'm missing out on, by not travelling. How much I'm going to find, treasure once I do start travelling like crazy. How much there is of learning outside my comfort zone. How much I will connect to myself while travelling. Yes, I am counting my blessings and I do feel fortunate to have travelled how much I already have. But there is this urge, this insatiable thirst of going somewhere again. Not that I'm an out and out traveller, but I desire to be one sooner.

Which also arouses a hope in my heart that the person I spend my life with needs to have an interest in travelling. At least some amount of interest. I would love to see the world through another set of eyes, combined with mine. A different perspective every time we travel, even if it's the same, it'll be worth cherishing.

There have been only 2 weeks that we've entered the New Year. All I wish for is to travel like crazy this year - wish for me and for everyone around :-)

Siddhartha And The Irony Around Us

I was reading 'Siddhartha' by Hermann Hesse in the train, on my way to Nagpur. I was very excited to start the book. Buddha has always charmed me. And this excitement and charm made me finish the book in 18 hrs. flat!!


So here I was, reading this book about Siddhartha, who gave up all of his possessions in search of the ultimate. And there was so much of irony around me! I was surrounded by people who didn't take a minute to to take out their worldly possessions! As soon as the train started, everybody was busy with their laptops, music players, etc. We do carry our world together, don't we! No wonder people don't come across that feeling of 'missing' something or someone! For all you know, unlike Siddhartha, we might google for 'the ultimate'!


For me personally, it feels great to access the net after a whole of two weeks! I didn't miss it, but I like coming back to it. Why is it that we want to carry our worlds with us, is something I wonder so many times... Chuck the technology advancing etc. part. I don't care! What happened to spending time in the train by reading magazines, books, talking to fellow passengers? Yeah, we fear that the person next to us might be dangerous. All these old charms are dying. And I feel sad to witness this, but still hope that they will be alive.


In fact, when you're travelling with your friends and relatives, why do you need your laptop anyways? Oh yes, to keep your naughty child busy by making him addicted to such things. Instead of teaching him manners, you keep him busy with the laptop and let him irritate the other passengers, after he's done with playing on the laptop. You also like to watch that movie for the nth time with your friends, instead of catching up or having fun in the journey.


Whatever happened to looking forward to train journeys with your friends and family, planning what you will do during the journey.... It wasn't like people never travelled alone when we didn't have laptops or such things. I agree on the fact that we have more ways to pass time alone nowadays, but it makes me sad to see people carrying their worlds with them. It's actually a form of addiction.