80’s -90’s kids in India might remember watching “I dream of Jeannie” (in color) a fantasy comedy starring Larry Hagman and Barbara Eden. With the Naivety only eight-year-olds could muster, I told my friends that I liked the show – how the Jeannie travels or conjures up things with a blink of an eye I was teased as “Jeanie (Genie)” for the rest of my school life. So much so that I got the confidence to wear a single ponytail once again only in my late 20’s. Jokes aside, I have always been drawn towards the exotic, the Jeannie, treasures, magic carpets and the works; a calling that could be fulfilled only through travel. Yes, I Dream of Travel!
Traveller Vs Tourist
I have friends and relatives who shop obsessively for silk sarees, designer jeans and dresses or gold jewelry. There are those who splurge on suits, cars, watches, and shoes. Though I do like having fine things in life much as the next person (A pair of solitaire earrings or a Chanel bag would be welcome gifts) I wouldn’t mind wearing basic tees or kurtas bought five years ago and jewelry made up of orphaned beads to save money for travel. A lot of them consider me crazy for living this way, but they fail to understand that while shopping brings momentary pleasure, traveling fills you with memories that last a lifetime. Only a few understand that I want to be a traveller and not just a tourist.
Travel as a form of Education
Souveniors and collections
I remember buying a Shell brooch in Mysore (at the age of 9) for my mother and my first pearl earrings (at 11 after saving money for almost a year) in New Delhi. I bought my first precious gemstone in Colombo and my first silver jewelry in Nepal. Sayuri blossomed into business mainly due to the fact that I travelled to markets across the country (and yes later abroad) to buy beads and supplies. I was never afraid to experiment with materials that were foreign to me. Combining new materials with local skills and ideas is what enabled me to become a mixed media artist.
I dream of travel
- Go for cycle rides in Amsterdam and look at the tulips and windmills.
- Walk around the street of Rome and Paris and soak up both culture as well as Fashion. Well, Let’s throw in Greece (gorgeous Santorini), Barcelona (to see Antonio Gaudi’s work) and Switzerland into the itinerary while I imagine myself in Europe.
- Visit Kutch during the full moon in January, The temples, forts and palaces in Madhya Pradesh and the North East a month after the rains when it’s dry yet green
- Worship Lord Vishnu at Badrinath and at Angkor Wat
- Last but not the least Visit America – Las Vegas casinos, Grand Canyon, Manhattan and yes Disneyworld. I know, that is a strange combination yet it is completely acceptable to the child in my adult body. As the fifth avenue is way beyond my budget, even in my dreams, I‘ll exchange them for the shoppable (is that even a word?) Michaels and vintage stores. And most importantly attend Beadfest or the bead and button show and CHA. I want to take up lots of classes, shop, and meet all my blogging and designer friends from the US.
These are my dream travel plans. I hope that a very important one among them comes true very soon. Do share with me your dream travel plans and destinations. If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you?
*PS: I did visit Manhattan, Beadfest and Walt Disney World just months after writing this post. I visited Badrinath in 2017 and Angkor Wat in 2018 after 21 years of waiting and wanting. I travelled to Europe in 2019 and visited Paris, Rome, Venice and Zurich. You can see links to the corresponding posts above. Yes dreams do come true if you wake up and work for it 🙂
I hope you found it interesting
Cheers
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