From the Editor’s Desk

31 July 2022

As the song by legendary Pink goes,

‘Cover me in sunshine

Shower me with good times

Tell me that the world’s been spinning since the beginning

And everything will be alright’

 The word ‘Travel’ was coined somewhere in the 14^th century it has been claimed. We are all well         aware of the famous explorers who went out and about looking for adventure, jewels and much  more. We know of explorers who found what they were looking for and some who lost their way and discovered completely different worlds altogether. We don’t always land where we want to be in life either but it’s always about the experiences you gain from life’s adventures that we all crave. 

COVID didn’t curb our enthusiasm for travel, if anything it has made us want to travel even more. Ever since travel has opened up again, be it staycation or those trips far and wide, the travel business has taken off. We have all been busy planning that next family vacation, that grand reunion, milestone birthday or even a destination wedding. 

What is it about travel that perks you up? The planning, the journey or the destination? Or is it simply getting away from the mundane that makes you wander across continents. Whether you are the one for the hills, or the beach, every travel diary starts with a dream, a plan and an itinerary. 

How you travel gives a glimpse of your personality. Whether you are the one turning left at the plane door or the one with a rucksack full of wild dreams, every travel story is full of adventures. Well not everyone is a free bird who can just pick up a bag and leave, but we all try. A lot has been written about travel and its impact on mental health, learning and education. You almost always imbibe the many cultures you touch upon during your travels and the food you relish finds it place in your weekly meal plans or those special dinners out. Above all travel broadens your perspective and makes you more tolerable. Every time you take a trip, you come to realise how much more there is to see, to experience, to learn.

For me travel means to unwind, to get away from it all. I love to travel to places of historical and cultural significance but I am not one for travelling solo. I am also the one who gets quite anxious when packing or getting things ready before you leave. But that doesn’t stop us from going places. I don’t have a bucket list of places to travel to as many have, but I have been to places on many peoples lists. Vietnam scores quite high on my list. The place has this calming feel to it. Depending on what region you travel to, you can feel different energies around you. One gets to experience the same rush in Hanoi as you would in Mumbai but at the same time you are deep within nature within a couple of hours drive at Halong Bay. There is so much peace around those serene waters of Perfume river. 

Whether you are a serious packer or last minute grabber, the light traveller or the kitchen sink carrier, every traveller has a story to tell. What’s yours?

We invited our readers to share their stories for this issue and many have indulged us. THANK You for taking us on your journeys. This issue also highlights the world post-COVID, where things looked a lot more closer to normal than last year. In the last quarter we celebrated Herath/Navreh and Zyeth Asthami together with our amazing community members and took part in sporting events like marathons and community badminton event. We look forward to many more such events in the months to come. 

We hope you are enjoying the English sun and taking the time out to rejuvenate during these summer months. Remember, the world is full of places waiting for you to explore them and what better day to start but today!

Like Dr Suess says, ‘Oh, the places you’ll go’

Here’s wishing you all a wonderful summer.

Sheetal, Shivani, Anjan

(Team ISBUND)

Read the full issue here.