Over the Hills and Far Away

Wasn’t it Saint Augustine who said, “Life is a book, and those who do not travel, read only a page of it.”

For me, travelling has always been one of the most fascinating things to do in life. It frees me from the everyday monotony of life and makes me think outside my own little world. It makes me think above my “own little world” and helps me discover that there are 5.9999 billion other “own little worlds”.

My life is mostly limited to the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu. I have achieved some bookish glories and have collected a few academic certificates, but my lifestyle is defined chiefly through the everyday chores that help me survive. Travelling opens me up to the reality, teaches me lessons and gives me food for thought that will teach me, not just to survive, but to live.

Travelling has two sides to it. It is not just about parties in Vegas or beach trips to Goa. It is also about the roads less travelled where people and places reflect reality rather that an illusion of wealth and luxury.  I am not an experienced traveler and have never travelled far and wide to glorious and rich places. As a student, I do have budget constraints and my discovery is limited only to some parts of Nepal and neighboring India. But these few instances have been worth sharing and thinking about.

While the bus runs along the highway, I glance at the remote house at the top of an estranged hill. I think about how the person living there might be earning his living. He might have never even heard about Paris Hilton or George Clooney or all those people to whom material possessions come easy. The world seems to be diversified in terms of the kinds of people, topography and ways of life. It seems so ironic how these totally unrelated aspects make the earth round.

I was in Jhapa a year ago, through Habitat for Humanity. I was accompanied by a team of twelve South Koreans. Our job was to build a house for a poor family residing there. On one side, I spent time with the Koreans, whose lives were defined by tall buildings, PDAs and iPods. And on the other side, I met a group of people who had to struggle everyday for just a meager meal. The house we built for them was the biggest gift they could ask for. Yet, these two kinds of people were working, eating and living together under the safe roof for about 10 days. This is where I felt the magic of humanity. I realized I wanted to be a ‘we’ person. Had I not taken that opportunity, I would still be confused about where life would take me. I now have the passion to take my life where I want to it go to.

Traveling frees your mind. It helps you close the tough chapters in life and start off again. It helps you get away from the wrong things and begin anew, with right ways. From Kathmandu, there is nothing as relaxing as a weekend to Pokhara or a long drive to Dhulikel.

Trying out new things while traveling is equally exciting. A canyon swing at Bhotekoshi made me realize I was not a fearful coward after all. Whether it be experimenting with a new dish or riding the metro train in Delhi for the first time, it helps you do and see things in a better way. It gives you creative ideas to work on.

Traveling need not always take you to the brighter side. It has its rocky roads. Not being able to adjust to idli when I travelled to South India as a kid, getting so scared of water that I could not feel the thrill of rafting, travel agents suggesting dirty accommodations, these are just some of the instances. But there’s always a sunnier side. Lin Yutang, the late Chinese writer and inventor, puts it perfectly when he says, “No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.”

For me, travelling is a way of adding more pages to my book of life. I am always on the lookout for an opportunity to pack my bags, hit the roads and add some Reality certificates to my list of achievements.