IT’S THE JOURNEY NOT THE ARRIVAL THAT MATTERS
Road trips and it’s changing meaning for us in the last 15 years!!
The mountains of Spiti
Valley
A change of latitude would help my attitude, this saying goes holds true for most. Living in our National Capital Region (NCR) comes with its own problems. The climate is harsh hot summers & cold winters and all sorts of pollution but it also has its own benefits. Like its perfectly located a few hours drive away from the hills of Uttarakhand and Himachal on one side and the desert and jungle safaris of Rajasthan on another side. One can experience the cool weather in summer and also experience the warm weather in the winter respectively.
Every few months me and my better-half Mihir, pack our bags, strap the kids to the car and go off on a road trip. Depending on how much time we have on our hands, the trip ranges between two days to two weeks.
We have been going on road trips since the early days of our marriage which is roughly 15 years now. When we were in our 20s these road trips had a different meaning. We were young and raring at the time, seeking adventure. Those trips also meant the strengthening of our friendship, finding our comfortable space together, our common ground for the life we were starting together. We went on our first road trip across Rajasthan in 2009. Which we went in our new and first ever SUV, a Mahindra Scorpio. That itself had added a kick to the entire trip as it was our dream to have an SUV before hitting our thirties. We went on a 7-day trip cruising across various cities of Rajasthan like Jaipur, Udaipur, Bikaner and finally to the deserts of Jaisalmer. While returning there was extreme fog on the road and Mihir drove 17 hours straight until we finally reached home. What we learnt that day was patience and adjustment with one another. Facing hard times together and learning to stay cheerful throughout. What I learnt was to trust him with my life at least on the road. After that we went on many road trips. Sometimes to the hills, sometimes to the desert, sometimes to the snow-laden areas, and sometimes to very high altitudes. Sometimes taking our relatives along but mostly just us. All unique experiences that somehow influenced us in shaping our relationship.
The travels to Kashmir and Himachal. (2008-2011)
Sometime later when we had kids, a different dimension got added to our trips. When the kids were more than a year old, as we were teaching them how to eat and walk and talk, these trips were like handholding them and introducing the little ones to the outer world. As they got older it started feeling like our crew of two people got increased to four. We were not just showing them the beauty of this earth and the wonder of nature but also subtly hinting to them that this could be also their adulthood escape when they would need it. And road trips are about heat, sun, harsh wind, pitstops, sometimes dirty or no toilets, sometimes good rooms and sometimes bad ones, Maggi and tea, and the beauty of nature outside. So, we somehow feel these trips expose our kids to the realities of life and teach them to enjoy it despite the little problems and disadvantages they face.
The more recent ones to Spiti, Agra, etc (2022-23)
But most importantly when Mihir and myself, got over our just adventure-seeking phase and entered a more matured phase and life like everyone else lashed at us, these trips became a more soul-searching kind of thing. This further got refined as we became entrepreneurs and life thrashed harder. As you all know entrepreneurship has its few highs but more lows. One is exposed to all the weakness one never thought existed within themselves and sometimes all on the same day. Most days the scales are tilted with your failures outweighing the success. With time one develops the amazing skill to sleep over your troubles and wake up feeling like a new baby ready to explore again. One’s ability to recharge and rejuvenate with a positive outlook more often becomes the need of the day.
Our trips now have taken a new meaning. Now a days we take small road trips, not too much on the itinerary. We also try to include short treks, long walks, jungle safaris, sitting along the river banks, or spending time reading or writing. Another important thing we do is spend time discussing our individual goals and expectations of ourselves. We also consciously try not to deeply discuss our problems. This time that we spend rethinking and realigning ourselves helps us come back rejuvenated and keep going despite hindrances or failures. Because what’s more important is the right attitude to keep going no matter what and success will follow tomorrow or the day after…
