The Right Way to Travel
Beyond Backpacking, Hitchhiking and Solo Travel
I want to travel solo, or so I tell myself every other month when I am tired of work and can’t get myself to align with people around me. I keep assuming that traveling alone would solve all my problems—that I’d discover a new side of myself, become less afraid of trying exotic cuisines, and grow more extroverted. But I seldom ask myself why I feel the need to do all these things. Why is it important to meet this "new side" of myself? Does my palate really need to be so refined? And why do I need to become more extroverted? During my more recent trips, I have been trying to find answers to these questions. But in the process, I came to know more important things about myself. I will come to those in a bit. But now, I must tell you a short story.
I went on a 7-day trip to Kerala with my family. It was 2018, and I was young and unaware. I went wherever my family took me, ate wherever they ate, and stayed wherever they stayed. I saw beautiful mountains, lush forests, and serene backwaters, but what intrigued me most was a glass of water served at a restaurant in Munnar. The water was lukewarm and had a pink hue. The waiter explained it was a herbal drink made by boiling a medicinal herb in water. I didn’t have the presence of mind to note the name of the herb back then. I didn’t even think to document the trip well. Sure, I clicked pictures, but they didn’t tell a story, and I didn’t do a great job of preserving them. Only fragments of the rich culture I experienced remain as memories, which may easily fade in a few years. But the trip made me realise that traveling is more than just sightseeing. It’s about meeting new people, learning about their way of life, and taking in these experiences to enrich our own lives.
Now more than ever, travel has become a big part of popular culture. Countless people share their travel experiences, and others feel the pressure to do the same. Some want to stay in luxury hotels, some want to go backpacking, and some want to explore the unseen. This brings me back to my original questions: Why is it important to meet this "new side" of myself? Does my palate really need to be so refined? And why do I need to become more extroverted? The simple answer is that I, too, am influenced by popular culture. I imagine that if I travel, I’ll become a better writer, gain a deeper appreciation for the history behind different cuisines, and connect with locals to understand their culture. But none of these experiences are limited to just one style of travel. I don’t need to travel solo to achieve them.
I recognise that each way of traveling brings its own kind of learning. Solo travel lets you set your own pace and enjoy time alone, helping you connect with yourself. Backpacking encourages you to explore with fewer belongings, pushing you to adapt and connect more deeply with the places and people you encounter. Hitchhiking adds spontaneity and adventure, taking you off the usual path. It relies on trust and opens the door to unexpected encounters and memorable stories shaped by the kindness of strangers. I’ve been tempted to try each of these travel styles, and even explore a few more. But I’ve realised I don’t have to stick to just one. I can mix things up and find what I enjoy most. Embracing different styles of travel and exploring varied destinations has helped me understand a bit more about what truly inspires me to travel. And guess what? It’s about more than just discovering a "new side" of myself.
One of my biggest, and perhaps most cliché, inspirations to travel is food. I’ve always been a foodie, appreciating both simple flavors and complex textures. I still salivate at the thought of those buttery croissants in Pondicherry. The endless varieties of biryani in Hyderabad are hard to find elsewhere, each telling a story of its own. The soft galauti kebab with ulte tawe ka paratha in Agra set an impossibly high standard. The chicken 65 in Chennai remains unbeatable, and so do the momos in Guwahati. One dish, though, that truly stands out is something I tried in Shillong: Jadoh. It’s a rice dish, often served with vegetables or meat, and you can find it at nearly every eatery in Shillong, especially served for breakfast. The mix of simple yet surprising flavours makes it truly unique.
Another layer of inspiration comes from wanting to understand different cultures. Beyond food, it’s fascinating to see what people wear, the festivals they celebrate, and how they adapt to their terrain and climate. Having lived near the coast all my life, I’ve always been curious about what life in other places would be like. I enjoy experiencing both the best and worst of a place’s weather, analysing the cost of food in local restaurants, and seeing how accessible public transport is. I notice how locals decorate their homes during festivals, what indigenous markets look like, and the styles of local architecture. I’m also interested in how different languages sound from place to place. For example, in Guwahati, I could understand Assamese, but just 100 kilometres away in Shillong, the Khasi language felt completely foreign.
Then there’s the collector in me that fuels my love for travel. Every place I visit, I take a little piece of it back with me. I bought a packet of bath salts from Auroville—still waiting for the day I’ll have a bathtub to use them. The bag I picked up from Fancy Bazaar in Pondicherry gets used almost every time I go out. A white dream catcher from Guwahati hangs above my bed. But my favourite souvenirs are fridge magnets. I buy a few from each place, keeping some for myself and gifting others to friends. To me, they’re small pieces of art, especially when handmade from clay or hand-drawn, capturing the essence of each place. I love them as conversation starters, and one day, I hope to cover every side of my refrigerator with them.
A recent inspiration for my travels has been books. I always set aside time in my itinerary to visit independent bookstores, as they often carry unique titles that capture the essence of their locales. While most stores have the classics and bestsellers, some stores carry rare finds unique to their culture and history. In Pondicherry, I discovered Pondicherry: That Was Once French India by Raphaël Malangin, a French school teacher. In Hyderabad, I came across one such gem, Beyond Biryani: The Making of a Globalised Hyderabad by Dinesh C. Sharma, which delves into its transformation from a princely state to a modern metropolis. These regional books are often hard to find elsewhere or expensive to order online, making them valuable finds on my travels.
All of these inspirations have shaped my travel style into what it is today. Now, I prefer taking longer vacations, traveling slowly, and planning my itinerary well in advance. I research each place to find offbeat things to do. I prefer to travel off-season. While I travel, I focus on taking photos that tell a story, capturing the essence of the place through its food, streets, and people. I also write as I go, which lets me look back, reflect on my experiences, and find inspiration for my next trip. Sometimes, I simply unwind on a beach or enjoy hopping from one café to another. I’ve embraced the simplicity of homestays and hostels over luxury hotels. I choose public transport instead of pre-booked cabs. I now value packing light over bringing everything. Although I'm always on the lookout for the best café coffee, I like carrying my Aeropress for when I want more than one cup.
Having found my own approach, I make sure I don’t get caught up in definitions. I don’t like putting myself in a box. When asked if I’m a tourist or a traveler, I tend not to answer because I’m a bit of both. Labelling myself as one and looking down on others isn’t something a true travel lover would do.
There’s more than one way to see the world, and there is no “right way to travel.”
"Does my palate really need to be so refined?"
This was a great question to ponder about. Loved it!