Monthly Archives: September 2013
Face Your Fears: Travel More
So I ask this question all the time. “What stops you from traveling?” The responses are always the same every time. “I don’t know if I can get the money.” “I dont know if I can get the time off from work.” “I do not know the language.” “I don’t want to travel alone” What it all boils down to is the four letter F word, the one that holds back from so many things… FEAR.
I will have to admit traveling used to fear me too. As a matter of fact, my first trip to India to meet one of the dearest friends in the world (and still my dearest friend in the world) was my first time traveling outside of North America and I was scared to death. It was one of the few times I have ever had butterflies in my stomach and for a good reason too. The trip did not quite go as planned. It failed miserably and my fears were in the right place. What happened you ask? Let me tell you the quick version of the story.
A Horror Story
My flight in Chicago was delayed 3 hours which made me late to the “MAZE” known as Heathrow; which caused even more of a delay. The airline was kind enough to set me up on a different flight that would have me arrive almost 24 hours after original to India. My friends were going to be at the airport waiting for my arrival in the New Delhi Airport. So I requested the flight to be rerouted to arrive earlier. It would still be behind my original arrival time but not a full day behind. Four hours after my original arrival, I had landed in New Delhi International. I made my way to the luggage carousal and waited for my luggage and waited some more and kept waiting. My luggage was lost. I had my information of my hotel and reservation in my luggage (and new lesson was learned here).
I filed a missing luggage claim and exited around 4:30 am to catch a taxi; my friends have already left at this point and so did all the taxi drivers. Some local guys were “nice” enough to help me. As I started walking to their car I knew what I was doing was not totally right here. I was low on options and had to do something. They took me to a “tourism center” where they lied about reservation of my hotel and then took me to another one. The hotel owner charged me 10x times the cost of my original place, yes I was being ripped off by a very common scam. I paid the extra price due to jet-lag and wanting a place to just sleep for the night.
After paying the outrageous (yet fine price for an American) I got to the room I was able to contact my friend who was wonder where I had been. The trip was so much better after being with her… until I had to leave. My flight back home was cancelled (and thus this trip started my hatred towards American Airlines). I was forced to buy another plane ticket because I could not make the rescheduled flight provided. Eventually I made it home safely thanks to friends in India and family back home.
Why?
Why am I telling you this story? My job is to inspire people to travel, not to make them scared to travel. It is true, you have right to fear travelling. Things will happen. Things will happen that are out of your control. Those things are only small things. I was with my best friend in the world, one who would make me forget about all the things that had happened before I saw her. We had fun exploring the Taj Mahal and relaxing in the mountains of Rishikesh. The fact is that I got through it all with friends and family to help. Things are gonna happen, ESPECIALLY when traveling. I learned this from that trip and since learned how to be more prepared.
Facing Fears
That trip did not stop me. I faced other fears after as I started to travel more. With my lack of ability to swim, I swam in the ocean of Philippines. I faced my fear of trying a language I never tried before in Indonesia. I faced my fear of traveling alone by visiting Colombia on my own with my very broken Spanish. I faced my fear of heights by parasailing through canyons and over cities. I faced my fear of open oceans by speedboating past a storm to get to secluded area of Panama. I faced a fear of my blindness by caving through a dark cave w/o glasses or contacts. I faced my fear of flying… by just plain out traveling.
Conclusion
Traveling can insight fear, but even more so it can make you conquer your fears. I have since learned 4 languages, taken amazing ariel photography, meet an amazing life long friend (who speaks mainly spanish) and just learned a lot more about life. I know you have had those fears when traveling. I know you have learned a lot after facing them. And it feels good huh? It just seems right afterwards. So what can I say? Face those fears and travel more. Go take those chances, take the unsafe route. Learn more about yourself and travel more.
Have you had a fearful story like the one here? I want to know your crazy stories. What fears did face? Leave a comment below, send me a tweet on twitter using #pathlesstravels, or post on my facebook. Heck even send us a message. Let me know, we want to share your outrageous stories with others. Happy travels 
Gokarna, India - A paradise on earth
There are places in the world that have stopped moving ahead. Before we judged the ‘kind’ of movement, hear me out. The places I refer to, reserve things from the past for the future to boast about. When they try embracing the new and advent, they are deep down dolling in the reminiscent of their culture and past for the traveler on his prima facie, all geared up for him to fall in love.
Make way people, I refer here to Gokarna, India.
Gokarna never occupied a place in the tourist map of India. It is indeed not a beachside party town with the grooviest of people around. It is a temple town with the best beaches in the country! Gokarna has four beaches in total ; Kudle, Gokarna, Paradise and Half Moon beaches, wherein each these have their own special charm. When the HalfMoon beach has a lot of hippie crown, Kudle is frequented by families and budget travellers.
Early mornings, the narrow lane leading to the temple in Gokarna town has cows chewing cud and roaming all over. With just one ATM at a nook of this narrow road, we wonder if we went back in time. Shops have wooden shutters that the owners dismantle in patience. Flower sellers and refreshment stalls open, owners praying the abodes for a good sale that day. Chants rise from the temple early morning and then the air turns spiritual at a go. A fisherwoman walks past the winding hill road with basket full of mackerel; fresh from the sea.
As we walk by and reach the top of Yoga hill, we see the beautiful beach of Ohm, majestically merging the horizon and assuring you, that you are indeed in a paradise!
I wanted to get lazy; doze off listening to the sea and talk to the waves, see a million stars above me at night, tickle my taste buds with fresh sea food, walk barefoot on the night sand at Kudle, be there; witness life. Gokarna was just the right place to be!
Gokarna has small beachside shack houses at Kudle beach for backpackers. These are super-cozy, warm and very reasonable for a budget traveler. For a meagre amount of INR 150/- per day this was a bargain indeed!
Trekking through the Yoga hill to Ohm beach and Gokarna beach for that adrenaline rush, sipping cold coconut water at the beachfront for the immense pleasure it gives, hogging on some brilliant seafood over candles and wine and shopping for curios and accessories; my prayers for a fabulous holiday were answered. At night, in the cold air, one sits on the chilling beach sand, the galaxy up above looking down on you, playing the guitar and enjoying the waves that come by; Magical !