Journey of Dreams

For men in olive greens…or as we call them the men in ‘OG’, travelling has been a one big added benefit, at least for some of us who are bitten by the travel bug.  We get to live all over India and if good fortune comes our way then perhaps we get global deputations or two like I did. The opportunity to see places teaches many valuable things about other cultures and ways of life.

But there is a difference between those who travel to gain knowledge about the world and its people and those who travel for pleasure as well…for if you derive personal pleasure then you gain the power to feel the soul of the place and your journey becomes a spiritual odyssey.

               

As I look back I could say with confidence, and I am sure Bebe will second me on that ,that  all our journeys  across India  in service of the nation  have been one of  the most rewarding perks of  soldiering, and our tour of duty has been one long  tour …a cruise through time over many decades .It had been an opportunity for us to get off the beaten track and travel at your own pace and experience many mysteries and fascinations which abound in India.

You can say, we are inveterate and addicted travellers…..so our travel plans are forever on the make. I would love to share my ‘Story- maps’ with you as we go along. Story –maps of places are stories with images and words as every place has a story. It could be geological, historical, personal, or inspirational. Just being a casual tourist does not excite me in the least, what excites me is to recreate the place in time … a kind of a bird's-eye view of a moment in time… 

Not just seeing History but to understand that place "read the landscape" and see the impact that geography had on the lives of people, not only today but in the years gone by. What an experience it can be to stand at the actual spot - seeing, hearing, smelling, and feeling the energy and aura for yourself. This is where you can really start to have fun.

Travelling gives me the opportunity of meeting new people; locals especially love talking to you and that really helps me to understand their way of life their language and local delicacies. Being a foodie these flavours add to the background colour of the place.

One of the most beautiful things our mind creates is memories…and like most of us, we cherish them….So it’s best to take the camera wherever you go. I take mine and I try and take as many pictures as I can so that I can reminisce over the experience.

But there is a downside to it, this habit of mine drives my friends and family mad because whenever I return from a holiday jaunt, they have to see my photos and hear my accounts …..repeatedly.

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