"If you cage a bird for too long, it will forget how to fly."
To begin with I have a few confessions.
1)Confession 1:I am a food addict. Not just the type that hogs at a particular dish. I like to taste and try varieties. I even enjoy experimenting with my cooking style. Sometimes it is delicious but then sometimes it is .......Arrghhh! Don't have a word to describe it.
2) Confession 2: I love reading. Not the academic stuff or the scholarly literature. Any random book I feel like reading. Reading about different places, different people and different customs and beliefs fascinates me. Honestly there is so much to read and learn that one lifetime is not enough.
3) Confession 3: As a kid I wanted to learn many languages. Unfortunately I did not have enough passion for learning languages. In fact I can only manage passable Hindi and English. But I have picked up many words and phrases from different languages and I use them a lot in my daily life. Mostly it is Bengali, Kannada, Bhojpuri, Maithili, Telugu and Arabic. Some I learnt from books about those places some I picked up from my stay in those places. Certainly not enough, but sufficient to irritate others.
It naturally follows that I love travelling as it combines all the three things I just confessed my love for. Almost every other person will immediately respond "hell I love travelling too!"
Let me give you a reality check.
Signs that you really love travelling:
1) You just have to go out on a Weekend. A weekend spent at home is a weekend wasted
2) You have your dream destinations listed out. And you keep ticking them one by one.
3) If you are going out for a long trip, you find out all about that place. The major tourist attractions, the historical importance of the place, best local food joint and their specialty dish, the languages spoken there, the common greeting words, the local folk lore or any other interesting thing.
4) You would rather not sleep and waste money on lodging if it cuts into your budget for sightseeing. In fact all you need is a rucksack or a backpack and enjoy all attractions. Even a night time stroll.
5) You will take pictures of sights that mesmerize you. It is not absolutely necessary for you to be in the snap yo make it memorable.
6) You will interact with the local people and find out more about each place you visit.
7) When you are travelling food may not be the most important thing at some places. You will skip a meal in order to try out the one local dish that was a bit expensive.
8) You don't always need company to visit a place. Sometimes alone trips turn out to be more fun.
9) Budget is hardly ever an issue.
10) Spontaneous trips are something you love
Signs that travelling is not your thing
1) You like to relax at home on weekends and only go out for a movie or food.
2) You travel with a heavy baggage of your best clothes and accessories to ensure that you look good in all pictures.
3) Any picture taken of anything must have your face somewhere in the frame.
4) You decide your budget beforehand and more than half of it is for lodging.
5) Nothing can interfere with your meal timings even if you are on a trip.
6) You must have good company before you even plan a trip.
7) "Folk lore, history? Not my thing. Is it beautiful?"
8) " What will I do by learning even a word of local language? I have to stay there for like one day. I'll manage."
9) The moment you get back from a trip you just have to share pictures immediately. "Why else did I take all those selfies for?"
10) Alone trips are a strict no no. After all we plan trips with friends so we can relax and gossip.
This is it. I am done with my stereotyping. Most people are going to say "What is this rubbish? This guy is a self proclaimed know-it-all. I love travelling and I am still going to write travelling as my hobby in my resume." Well thank you for the name-calling. You are entitled to live in your fantasy world. I am entitled to my opinion.
PS: This bird had been trapped too long in a cage. Tomorrow it will be released. A few days to strengthen its wings and then time for a reality check. Does it still remember to fly?
