Should I save or travel?
Travelling for the gram? Nyah! Travelling for the likes of it!
Before you think travelling is my new found hobby, discovered in the covid age, no it isn’t. As a family of four, we have been traveling since I was 2.5 years old. Twice a year we would visit different parts of India and our parents loved to show us things that we read in books (for e.g India Gate). After my dad’s demise, travel was at halt for several years, until my sister took the baton and decided to take me along with her. 10 years later, my first trip was to Goa (unlike other Goa plans, mine was successful in the first go).
Well enough of family history. In this newsletter issue I will try to address the burning question that most young professional have “Should I save or travel?”
Note: This issue is purely based on personal learnings and might not fit everybody.
Should I save or travel? This question can be answered by you only, but I can help you get some clarity.
Quick assignment for you. Answer these questions:
“What do I like?”
“What are my plans?”
“What are some things that I want to purchase before I turn x years old?”
“How do my finances look?”
“What do I really enjoy?”
If you ask me, I do not fancy buying a car, or a house and my monthly spending is comparatively less (I like clothes and food, but I try to spend within a budget without compromising in quality). I enjoy taking a few days off, spending time in a different country, learning about people, their culture, their history and see the wonders of the world. In my recent trip I saw an active volcano, saw lord Ganesha and Shiva and learnt how Indians made a temple thousands of kilometres away from home, that was a WOW factor to me. The experience is what I pay for (thanks to my elephant memory, I will likely remember most of it for a very long time, if not, I have a travel journal with travel highlights and a lot of shenanigans).
Done with the assignment? Did travel fall into the list of things you want to do? If yes, let’s get straight to the point!
The first and most important thing is MONEY (If you have watched ZNMD and think that passion is enough, I am sorry to disappoint you, you cannot buy plane/train tickets with passion only). Before you spend any money on traveling, make sure you invest, and plan your finances. Ask yourself questions like “How often do I want to travel?”, “What is the maximum I can spend?” . If you can, make a separate account and keep dropping some amount every month for your travel budget (once you are outside, you would want to indulge into luxury or make purchases, so plan your surplus as well).
Make your own itinerary (Google is literally your best friend). I have heard a lot of folks complaining about how they did not like a place because they watched some reel. This step is crucial and also very time taking. For the trips where I am accompanying my sister, she does the hard work, but for the rest, I do my own research + ask friends who are locals or have been there for recommendation.
Travel smart. Here’s how:
Have credit cards that can get you miles.
Book your tickets in advance.
If you are travelling international, be thorough with the visa process and book your tickets only after you get the visa (before that, you can book fully refundable tickets, visas can be notorious).
Book stays that are near the city centre.
Research about local transport system, and how it works.
Research about food options, the city or the country you are visiting might not have food you prefer, so you will need to plan accordingly.
Carry medicines! (Something for flu, digestion, stomach issue, fever and allergies)
Always carry cash, and if you are traveling abroad, also carry 0% forex cards.
Knowing few words in local language is helpful, if not, make use of Google translator (English is not as common in many countries).
Make sure you have a health insurance.
Send your stay and flights details to close family and friends (especially if you are traveling solo)
Bonus: Add an airtag or similar tracking device on your luggage.
And that’s it! With this, you are travel ready!
P.S. - If you have read till the end, THANK YOU. I wrote something out of my typical genre, but something that I really enjoy. Let me know what you would like to read about in the next issue either here or shoot a dm @HaimantikaM