Do you love traveling?
I don’t know about you but I travel a lot.
“One of the great things about travel is that you find out how many good, kind people there are.” —Edith Wharton
I love exploring new places, meeting with new people, and love to know about their cultures, tradition, and their experiences. This is something in life I crave for. But, I never documented my past traveling experiences in any form. This time, I am making an extra effort to make it possible. I hope, I would inspire you to set out on your own journey.
I’m nothing short of a rover. Traveling enrich you with new experiences that help you to be a better person than before.
One of my friends always says the one who travels and collects the stories and experiences is more affluent than those who own a multibillion dollars in the account. Because traveling gives you an opportunity to come across different people and their way of living. It makes you realize that RN you are in a far better position than others. When you travel you understand, the thing you consider important in life is not that much important. There are many other things that are far better than that and you were unaware of that.
Traveling is a crucial part of life as it changes your perception towards life and helps you to re-discover yourself. It is like food for thought to your brain. Travel isn’t just about fun and exhilaration. A significant amount of scientific research suggests that exploring a new place can do wonders for your emotional and mental health. Traveling is beneficial for your physical health is a well-known fact. Traveling and exploring new places also enhances your creativity, happiness, and satisfaction. It strengthens your bond in different relationships.
The year 2022 had been an awesome year for me. Although many positive things happened to me this year. One of the best things I experienced was my tour with friends. We planned a trip to Uttarakhand from Dehradun to Massuri to Rishikesh to Haridwar. On 24 Dec. I set out for Dehradun from Gurgaon. On the freezing morning of 24 Dec, I had to reach Delhi airport to receive one of my friends who was coming from Indore. Everything was preplanned. One of our common friends had already reached DDN and was waiting for us there. By 9:00 pm, we had reached DDN and our friend named Shankar received us where we landed. That night, we had a dinner and drink and stayed in the hotel.
You know, Dehradun is the capital city of Uttarakhand and is known for its picturesque hills and valleys, as well as its historical and cultural significance. The city is well connected by road and rail, and there are several buses and trains that run between Dehradun and other major cities in India. The city has a small airport called Jolly Grant Airport which has regular flights from major Indian cities.
The next morning, we set out for Missouri. Mussoorie, also known as “Queen of the Hills,” is a hill station located about 35 km from Dehradun. It is known for its beautiful views of the Himalayan ranges, as well as its colonial-era architecture and charming streets. To reach Mussoorie, one can take a bus or taxi from Dehradun, or take the toy train from Dehradun to Mussoorie which is a scenic journey.
We had received loads of recommendations to visit some scenic places in Missouri. To reach Missouri from DDN, We had two choices. First is to book a cab and second use a mode of public transport. So, we went after the second one. We purchased 3 tickets for Missouri. Although, We had to wait for the bus. The bus dropped us at the Missouri bus stand within an hour. As we landed in Missouri, we booked our hotel, rested for a while, and headed out for roaming around.
Three sightseen were on the top lists of us. 1. Lal Dabba, 2. Mall Road and 3. 4 Dukan. We planned to rent a bike to visit these places but ended up booking a cab due to a shortage of bikes due to the high demand for bikes and scooty. it was the peak time. They were 1k-1200 rs for bikes only for 6-7 hours. We could not get the bikes. So, we booked a cab for a local visit.
Thank god, we did that coz it was next to impossible to ride the bike on the mountainous road.
Sitting beside the driver in the car was an adventure in itself. To drive the car on the mountainous road where almost no space to side other cars was only possible coz we hired a local person named Pankaj Bheya to drive who knew all the street ways to reach our destination. Next time, we will surely roam along with Pankaj. It took almost all day to roam around Missouri. We headed out in the morning at 9:00 am and reached our hotel at 8:00 pm. In the evening, we hung out in the market and shopped for winter clothes for the family.
The next morning, We headed out for Rishikesh where our night camp was booked in the Resort located in the mountains beside Neelkanth. Rishikesh is a holy city located about 30 km from Dehradun. It is known for its spiritual significance and is considered one of the most important spiritual centers in India. Rishikesh is also known for its adventure activities such as bungee jumping, river rafting, and kayaking. To reach Rishikesh, one can take a bus or taxi from Dehradun or Mussoorie or take a train from major Indian cities.
We reached Rishikesh in the Evening, we got late. We rented the bikes and submitted our luggage to the agent of the camp organizer. We ride the bikes and reached our destination where everything was pre-arranged for us. many groups were already there. We held a camp there along with another group. All the arrangements were fabulous. We danced and enjoyed ourselves a lot. It was a very enriching experience for me in the camp. We made new friends. We all planned the next trip altogether in advance.
Traveling with friends is all about enjoying the journey together and sharing experiences. You get to spend time with old friends, make new ones, and laugh together like never before. Besides being a great way to spend some quality time with your BFFs, traveling with friends can also be a source of inspiration for you.
The next morning, we said goodbye to each other and hoped to meet them soon. We were 3 friends. We had booked 16 km Rafting in advance. We reached the starting point where rafting begins. This was the time when I did rafting. It was a horrible experience for me. Coz, in the rapid, I fell down parted from my boat. I encountered death. But by god grace, I was united with my boat by another boat that rescued me. It was a thrilling experience. I can’t forget those few moments of my life. Thereafter, our 3 days season of yoga was booked. It was a hotel where the owner was a Yoga teacher. We stayed there and learned yoga. In three days, I learn the importance of yoga in our life. Our teacher taught us Surya Namaskar which is self-sufficient if you practice it every day. Meanwhile, we visited some popular places like TET cafe, Ram Jhula, Laxman Jhula, Newly built Janki Jhula, and Triveni Ghat where Ganga Aarti is held every evening at 6 PM.
For the last three days, we enjoyed ourselves in Rishikesh. On New Year’s eve, I returned to Haridwar, and my friends headed out to their place. On 31 Dec, We said goodbye to each other.
Traveling with friends is a great experience. It rejuvenates you, gives you new perspectives, and helps you connect with people you care about. Not only does it offer the opportunity to rekindle old friendships, but it also provides you with unique experiences that you will cherish for the rest of your life. Overall, the traveling experience to these destinations is a mix of natural beauty and rich culture. And, it was an amazing experience that I’ll never forget. I’m grateful for all of the experiences that I was able to have and I’m excited to continue exploring the world in the future. Thank you, my friends, without you, this trip has no meaning.
Miss you and love you all!
In the end, I just want to say, Nothing makes a good trip more memorable than experiencing it with your best friends.