Travelling whole world is the dream of many people. Travelling helps us to know what we truly are. Only while travelling, you can discover new aspects of yourself every time you visit a new city. However, time and money are the two constraints that can stop us from achieving. But with proper plan everything is possible.
Yes! Meet the woman who took 12 trips in 12 months with a 9-5 job.
1. Her Love For Travelling Started When She Was In School
Sreshti Verma is a writer who loves to travel took 12 trips in 12 months last year along with a job. For Sreshti, her love for travelling goes way back to when she was in school.
“My parents are from the hills and when I was young, taking a trip meant going to the mountains. It was after I finished my studies, I realized that I always loved being on the road and I have been pursuing it for 2-3 years now.”
2. She Covered Northern Part Of India In Her 12 Trips
Sreshti covered the Northern part of India during her 12 trips. In January she went to East Sikkim and Darjeeling. In February she hiked to Khuppar Top in Kharapathar in Himachal. In March, she trekked to Prashar Lake. In April, she visited Mumbai. In May she took the Kareri Lake trek. In June, she travelled to Dalhousie, Khajjiar and Chamba. In July, her travel list had Shitlakhet in Uttarakhand. In August, she took her first solo trip and went to Udaipur. In September, she went to Rewalsar. In October, she took another solo trip to Naggar. In November, went to Saur on another solo trip and finally, in December she went to North Sikkim.
3. She Balanced All Her Expenses
Budget planning is indeed very important. And if you are married, you probably know the importance of it. If you save money and plan accordingly then everything is possible.
“I made best friends with long weekends and as for the finance bit, I made sure, I wasn’t spending too much money. When I went to Udaipur, I could have taken a train, but because I took a flight, I chose to stay at a hostel instead of a hotel, which was cheaper. Instead of spending my money on lavish lunches, I used to eat fruits or try out dhabas in the local areas. I balanced my expenses and I made sure that I don’t spend over 10k on each trip.”
4. Plan..Plan..Plan…
Sreshti says, “One thing I would suggest is that you can do impromptu trips, but then again, it shouldn’t be too impromptu. You should be saving and not splurging on your trips. You have to cut back on how you generally spend your money in life. You need to have a certain amount in your bank account before you plan a trip, at all times, so you can travel to wherever you feel like and at whichever time.”
5. Inconveniences In Solo Travelling
For women, safety is the major issue. Most of the people say only positive side of solo traveling but there are few inconveniences that come with solo travelling which no one really talks about.
“For me, I took my first solo trip to Udaipur and I stayed at a hotel. It can be intimidating at first, and there are certain inconveniences we leave out. For example, if you are taking an overnight bus, safety is issue. But you can always take steps to avoid that by opting for ladies seat out. People often think they’ll get bored on solo trips but if you go for home stays instead of hotels, you can interact with the locals. Or you can go for hostels, where you are in touch with other backpackers from around the country.”
6. Travelling Makes You Confident
Travelling always make you more confident and resilient.
“I think we overestimate our problems. I have been to a few remote places in the hills and so once you go out, and see the conditions change, you appreciate life more. I love the survival spirit of the people and when you see they are made with the same dust and bone, you realize you are more privileged,.” she explains.
Sreshti loves to learn about different communities across geographies and would like to explore her own country before she steps to foreign lands.
Next, she plans to visit Gokarna, Alleppey and Munnar.
Are you also planning for trip? If you have any budget planning suggestions, you are welcome to share us in the comments. Things which every solo traveler experiences – important life lessons!
