Thrill Of Travels

Dixya Poudel

Travelling is exhilarating with implications on the love of nature and enduring extension of one’s horizon. As such, the rewards of travel are once in a lifetime experience which is why tourism is such a lucrative industry. And travels include pilgrimages as well which are taken for a religious intent. Though it may sound mundane, pilgrimage can be quite an experience. Having visited various pilgrimages, I can say that the experience is quite novel. 

Temples are often located at rural and remote areas atop a hill that visitors can reach after a strenuous hike. One can thus sightsee remote areas and also gain a religious experience. People take travelling quite seriously. There are books about travels called travelogues that elucidate the travellers’ perspectives on life, before and after the travels. Visiting new places and meeting new people widens one’s horizon, leading to a shift in one’s perspective.

Thus, people visit remote areas, trek hills, scale insurmountable peaks, swim in far-off lakes and take pride in such escapades, however brief. And it is no easy task to take. Tourists have to risk their health while visiting new places where the food and drinking water might be unsanitary. Remote areas don’t have health facilities and the climate could be harsh. Yet, people find that the positive sides to travel outweigh the negative ones.

Then there is the matter of comfort zone which refers to an individual’s level of ease and familiarity with his or her surroundings and environment. Psychologists encourage their patients to extend their comfort zone. If we consistently seek the same safe environment while shirking from new ventures, we become cocooned in our comfort zones which can then limit our growth. 

Reaching out to new friends, sightseeing abroad and taking the risks to grow are examples of extending our comfort zones. These are reasons enough to take travel ventures. Personally, by travelling to pilgrimages across Nepal, I have come to realise not just the natural beauty of my country but also have taken one step further towards my faith. As a Hindu, I do love to visit temples and pray for my own and my loved ones’ good health, happiness and wellbeing. Granted that I require an encouragement from my family to participate in travels, I have found that I prefer travelling after all. 

Nepal is really gifted in natural vistas with Himalayas on the north, the plains in the south and the hills in between. It isn’t thus surprising that tourists flock by droves to Nepal, boosting its economy. It could clearly be an economic investment for the nation to keep building its prospects as a tourists’ destination. Presenting the nation to the world might have been a difficult task decades ago but today with the advent of internet and the social media, advertisements are low-costs or even free. 

Many villages in Nepal which are connected online have set up homestay services highlighting the allure of local culture since experiencing new culture is an aspect of travelling. And travelling ultimately gets etched in our soul. With each step taken into the unknown, we become a seeker on the path of a unique quest. As Ma Jian has said, “Everything I was I carry with me, everything I will be lies waiting on the road ahead.” Happy travels!