Safarnama: A Travelogue

In the blink of an eye, this year has come to an end (well, almost).

2019 has been quite eventful for me. With completing three amazing years of blogging, one year of CA articleship (training under a practising chartered accountant), clearing the intermediate level examinations of Chartered Accountancy, and so much more, I cannot be happier enough for how things have turned out.

And what better way than to end this year with a getaway! My parents, brother and I went off on a vacation to the lovely city of Jaipur, Rajasthan. This vacation has to be one of the best things that happened to me this year.

To begin with, the time spent with family is always the best. I could not be more grateful to get some quality time with my family, away from the otherwise busy lives that we all lead. And the best of all, I’m glad that it was Jaipur. I had always heard a lot of stories about how charming this city is. Which is why I wanted to see it for myself whether it lives up to the hype. Fortunately, it does!

Jaipur is divided into two parts, Pink City and New City. Pink City is the old Jaipur where the majority of the buildings are pink in colour. The new city is, as the name suggests, the modern and urbanised section. The city is covered by seven gates and each is as beautiful as the previous one.

What I loved about Jaipur are the well-planned roads and the cleanliness. Even the narrow by-lanes and crossroads are extremely clean and well maintained. The best of all is the people of Jaipur. They are super sweet and friendly and make you feel welcome.

We got to know so much about the royalty and the lives they led. We have all seen how they portray the lives of kings in movies. I would assume that it was all a tad bit exaggerated. However, it isn’t. They actually did lead such lives in the past. With all the finery, robes, weapons and massive palaces.

It is nothing less than a treat to the eyes to see the palaces and the forts. What’s more amazing is the fine architecture and planning that ensued back in those days. The sculpture and art that adorns every inch of the palace are beyond beautiful.

All these years whenever we have gone off on a vacation, we were “tourists”. I can proudly say that we were “travellers” this time around, at least to some extent. After exploring the usual attractions of Jaipur, we set out on our own around the city.

Some days we explored on foot, and some days, it was the e-rickshaw (rickshaw which runs on battery, and not on fuel). I must say, these were the highlights of our vacation. I truly felt like a local resident rather than a vacationer. We got ample time to look around the local markets for shopping and try out the local food.

That’s the beauty of travelling to new places. You get to improve your understanding of the people, their customs and traditions. For me, travelling is learning. It is like a real-time history and geography lesson. You also expand your horizon and build your perspectives.

Travelling is an escape from the mundane lives that we otherwise lead. Getting away from the hustle and bustle helps in calming your mind, giving it a much-needed cooling down period. It is like hitting the reset button. You get back relaxed and rejuvenated.

Of course, the cherry on top of the cake! Travelling creates lifelong memories to cherish. You look back in time, flip across the pictures you clicked, relive all those feel-good vibes, the fun and the craziness.

As the dialogue goes from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani,

“Kabhi kabhi kuch baatein humare yaadon ke kamre ki itni khidkiyaan khol deti hain ki hum dang reh jaate hain.”

Contradictorily, sooner or later you start missing home. And when you get back, you learn to appreciate what you have a bit more. Because let’s be honest, there can be no other place like home.

I’m glad this vacation happened. It is like the perfect end to this roller-coaster of a year for me.

Have you travelled this year? Please do share your experiences in the comments below!

Until next time, stay blessed! 🙂