And I thought I was a Solo Traveler...

How to be a Solo Traveler

2015 was coming to an end. This time I had plans of spending New Year with some special members of my family with whom I have never celebrated my New Year. However, God has a separate plan for me. Last minute I got to know that my special family who lives far from me could not join me. And I have denied all other plans made by my friends. Do I have to spend my New Year alone? No way! Nirmala, go for Plan B.

 

Life has taught me to always have Plan B whenever you plan something. Plan A doesn't work all the time. My Plan B was going to Manali with a bunch of 100+ unknown people. Solo traveler which I am, was excited about it. Safety was my main concern which was void as I know the trip organizers very well. 

Difference between Traveler and Tourist

I am a traveler, not a tourist. I do not need a tourist guide, neither do I need a DSLR camera. I do not set expectations when I go to new places. But yes, I have some minimal checklists. For this trip, trekking in the snow and making a snowman are my wishlist. 

The day of my exciting journey came. I met Deepti who was another solo traveler, who was my room partner in the hotel in Manali. Journey had not started yet,  but I was already liking it. I enjoyed the company of my newly found friend so much that I wondered myself Are we seriously meeting for the first time or do we know each other for years?

First impression is the last impression...  I totally disagree with this. I was pissed off with the Jing-Bang group sitting next to us in the bus. They were so loud and noisy and cranky, I wished I could throw them out of the bus. God, give me some peace...  I prayed. But later  after talking to them, I realized, perhaps I was being too old fashioned. They were just bunch of harmless energetic young people who came to enjoy and celebrate New Year, far away from city life. They had full rights to go crazy and be crazy.

Happiness is when your wish comes true unexpectedly. I always wondered... I have friends from almost all corners of India but I don't have a single Gujarati friend. I wish I have one. I was surprised to know that my third hotel room-mate cum trip partner is a Gujarati. Neha reached Manali 4 days before us. She had her extended plans of visiting the nearby villages which sounded super cool and exciting. I have seen my parents watching Gujarat based Indian daily soaps which I hate from the core of my heart. But this fascinated me to know about the people of that part of India. Neha turned out to be totally different from the Gujaratis I saw in TV serials. She is a sweet and sophisticated woman, a rare breed, I must say.     

 

The best part of traveling Solo is you do not return Solo.  You come back with some fond memories, some good friends, some learnings, some souvenirs. I come back with a story as well. There is definitely a story to share from every solo trip I make. So, what is my next story...???