Why Travel

The importance of seeing new places and people...

Hey friends,

Greetings from Kullu, Himachal Pradesh!

I am nearing the end of my summer break and trying to travel as much as possible. Right now, I am in the mountain town of Kullu in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh. It has been six years since I’ve been here. Curiously, this is where I began my trekking journey, and it is only fitting that I returned during my last year at university. 

My friends who have been following my travels say that I’m truly living the life. I have been truly fortunate to travel over these last two months. As I reflected on this, I thought about the fundamental role travel plays in our development. 

• It’s easy to get comfortable in our homes. Travelling exposes us to new cultures and allows us to see how other people live. This broadens our perspective. The simple act of going to North India for my higher education (I’m from Bangalore) has shown me a vastly different culture, and I’m a more rounded person because of it. 

A portrait from Himachal. This state has some beautiful people…

• It has made me a more confident person. For many of my travels, I’ve had to go to remote locations, places that aren’t on most people’s lists. So, I’ve had to go alone and figure out much of the journey on the fly. That has made what once appeared daunting relatively easy now. 

  

  Because I stepped outside my front door, I’ve gotten to see landscapes that few ever witness…

• It has boosted my photography. I’ve managed to shoot so many people and animals from different parts of the country and even the globe. I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg—imagine the photographs that await!

  

  This is a Balinese Long-Tailed Macaque I took on Mount Batur, a volcano in Bali, Indonesia. These monkeys reminded me so much of the bonnet macaques I’ve seen growing up in south India. I took this shot to show the monkey in it’s habitat, with the whole mountain ridge in the background. And yes, those are people on the ridge…

• It has forced me to earn some money. Given the frequency I wanted to travel, I had to pay for it myself. So I tookup a part-time job at university, which gave me some money that could finance these trips. Money well spent, if you ask me!

Ultimately, travelling gives you stories. I can’t say it better than that.

Travel doesn’t necessarily mean going on a fancy, abroad holiday where you stay in luxurious hotels. At least, it doesn’t mean that for me (I stay in hostels most of the time). It could even mean visiting a neighbouring city and seeing how different it is from your own. 

So, if you get a few days off, consider spending them somewhere other than your home. You’ll be glad you did. 

Postcard

I took this portrait of this lovely lady on the outskirts of Jaipur, Rajasthan. I never would have gotten to see the lovely colours of this state had I not endured the 6 hr bus journey to get there from Delhi. Only because I traveled…

Favourite Quote

There is nothing to be gained by dwelling on what is past, or worrying about what may or may not come to pass. All we have is this moment right in front of us. It is precious, and the more you stay present, the more peace you will feel in your heart. - Eric Dinerstein

Have a creative, wild and inspiring week!

If you’re new, welcome to The Owlet! My name is Ishan Shanavas, and I am an Artist, Photographer, Writer and Student of the Natural World.

Here I talk about my work, along with curating the most interesting ideas on the internet. I confine them to topics like Nature, Culture, Photography, and Art but often fall prey to other genres.

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