Traveling is Possible Proves
Middle Class Indian Salonee Sanghvi

09 April 2017 | Salonee Sanghvi

What motivated you to travel on that first trip? Where did you decide to go and why did you choose that place out of all others?

My first trip was when I was 9-10 to Europe (France, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland). My brother (2 years younger) and I were invited as part of a dance troupe to represent Indian in a Folk Dance festival. We were amongst the youngest in the troupe and the only ones travelling without either of our parents.

What obstacles and fears did you have to overcome to travel that first time? Whether this was just finding a house sitter, figuring out how to save up enough money, or becoming confident enough to travel on your own.

This was the early 1990s, before mobile phones, internet etc so we had no idea what the world outside was like. It was not only the first time we were travelling alone, but also the first time we were travelling out of the country. Sky high call charges meant we could barely even call back home. Added to that both of us were vegetarian i a time when no one even knew what that meant. But we coped as well as only kids can and the only snag I can remember was handling money and exchanging all the different currencies since this was pre-Euro.

Who was the most fascinating person you met on the road? What made him/her fascinating and how did you meet him/her?

I've met some amazing people on my travels but the one I admire the most was a 50 year old Chinese lady who was travelling solo through Eastern Europe. She only spoke Chinese in a region with hardly any Asians and was forced to communicate only through gestures. She also didn't have a smartphone to be able to google or translate. Despite the difficulties she was extremely curious and determined to learn and explore as much as she could. I loved the jest for travel she had.

What is your most treasured travel experience? Why is this one your favourite?

When I travel I love to do thematic walking tours which are run by locals. Two of the most amazing tours I did were the Communisim Tour in Belgrade and the Dual Narrative tour in Hebron with an Israeli and Palestinian guide. Both enabled me to get such a different perspective on contentious topics like Communisim and Palestine. The on ground reality is so different from what we read or commonly understand. It totally changed my mind set and made me realize how portrayals of countries and people are often to suit the audience while reality may be completely different. I am far more open to visiting places I otherwise wouldn't have.

If you could travel anywhere in the world where money wasn’t an issue, where would you be and what would you be doing? In essence, describe your idea of the perfect traveling experience.

I've always wanted to do an extensive round the world trip for a longer period of at least 6 months, starting from Japan into Mongolia and China, heading south to Indo-China (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar) and then a sojourn in South America.

As an Indian it's hard to do a trip on the go without much planning since we require visas for most destination. I'd love to go on a trip without any bookings going wherever interests me. I'd be terrified the entire time, but I think it'll be a rewarding experience.

Now that you know traveling is possible for Salonee; do you still think it's not possible for you?

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