Travel Diaries

My travel diaries are quite compressed in regards to the world map yet extremely colorful in terms of content. I have been a regular privileged voyager at the outlandish parts of India during my childhood, expanding my cultural tolerance and (probably) enticing me towards writing. During the last few years, I have visited the stereotyped European locales namely, Paris, Rome and Switzerland. However, as an observer what woos me the most is mesmerizing Malaysia and flirtatious Japan. My travel quest is definitely not limited to but shall undoubtedly be incomplete without these two iconic destinations.

A priceless event occurred during a summer trip to the exotic Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the late 1990s. During those days, adolescence had just touched me with its empowering hands resulting in a trivial tiff between my folks and me. In a fit of early rage, I decided to take an impromptu afternoon stroll in the outskirts of our 5 Star Hotel, attempting to calm the angry voices inside me. Just as I was about to return, my fleeting eye caught a glimpse of a young 7 year old dressed in rags, flaunting his right amputated leg but in contrast flashing a radiant smile straight back at me. Initially puzzled by his happy expression adverse to his apparent situation, I glared back with anger and hatred. As we stared for a what seemed like forever, it suddenly dawned onto me the simple yet inexplicable message the boy was sending out - Live this moment is what his smile seemed to say. As I ogled at the gates much after he left, those revealing eyes conveyed a lesson that I choose to keep with me forever. Don't regret the past (as cliche it may sound) life will be over before you blink, so smile for today.

Some memories don't fade with time, only get stronger.