A trip to India is not complete without a visit to Goa, a place famous amongst Indian as well as international travelers.
On discussing with fellow travelers for a way to reach Goa from Mumbai, one of them suggested a 30-minute flight to Panaji, the state capital of Goa. That’s when someone from the group said, ‘If you haven’t been by road to Goa, you haven’t been to Goa at all. The journey is beautiful.’
And, it truly is. Thanks to his advice, we had a lovely drive and we suggest this to all. It does add a day to your travel time, but, if you have the luxury of an extra day, you wont regret it. The beautiful scenic road through the small jungle and the mountains was so very beautiful. Remember to take the route via Pune and then the Chorla Ghat section. It is scenic.
This travel reinforced our belief that
‘Journey is better than the destination‘
While reaching Interlaken in Switzerland, the road where there is a lake on one side and mountains on the other is a special journey. Add to this the occasional parallel running of the Swiss train track and the road. It uplifts your spirit and gives a hint of what lies in the wondrous town of Interlaken, the place from where you reach Jungfraujoch
Similarly the road in Nepal from India, where you travel for a very long distance with a river flowing in the valley on one side and the mountains on the other. It’s a sight to see.
When traveling by group tours, people are missing out on this important aspect of travel. Even if the tour is by bus, you still are missing out as generally, people are either sleeping or talking amongst themselves, not paying attention to the nature around them. Sleeping may be due to the rushed itinerary and talking maybe because of the higher number of people. While traveling in a car and passing through some wonderous area, one generally concentrates and marvels at nature.
Even small things like stopping at a roadside cafe or a tea stall, taking a detour to watch the waterfalls, or pausing to view the sunset adds to the journey. We have stopped several times just to appreciate the flowers on the roadside and once even to pluck some raw mangoes from a tree.
While traveling at dusk you can marvel at the orange glow in the sky and how it casts an orangish hue on everything around you. It may last for just a few minutes, but those moments are mesmerizing. And as night falls and you are driving out there the skies are clearer and the stars are many and appear nearer to you and your heart. You may also chance upon making a wish on sighting a shooting star.
A small detour suggested by someone might lead to nature throwing a gem at you. Traveling is not only about reaching the destination, it’s also about experiencing the beautiful and amazing journey. Don’t miss out on enjoying it.