Hitchhikers are crazy, they sleep on the roads, bump into uninvited weddings and take lifts from truck drivers or strangers on the highway. Solo Traveller and Hitchhiker Mohit Gupta has truck loads of stories to divulge and here he shares his first experience or how he commenced:
Tell us something about yourself:
I’m a student at sight, but a traveller and a wanderer at heart. I aim to explore every part of this planet as this is what gives me peace and happiness. I love to read (No particular author), as soon as the book is interesting. I also love to write. Basically about what’s in my heart, but sometimes I also tend to write about my travels. I am a foodie as well.
How many countries and Indian states have you visited?
I have visited Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Goa and Maharashtra. I haven’t covered the entire country yet, and it is one of my goals. I have visited the U.S. A.
What’s your favourite destination? Tell us about your journey to that place and why it’s so important
One of my favourite destinations is Saputara. I was doing solo travelling and hitchhiking for the first time and it was one of my best trips so far. It started as a disaster because I was not able to stop anyone on the highway to get the lift. But then a very sweet aunty stopped her car and offered me to travel with her. She dropped me at Surat and also, offered me to stop by and have a meal with her when she heard that I was travelling solo.
When I arrived at my hotel in Saputara, I was already 2 hours late. As soon as I checked-in, I went to the room and immediately geared up to go explore the city. The first day was full of exciting hilltop views, Paragliding, and adventure park. It was an exciting day. But the best thing about that day was when at night there were some people lighting a campfire near my hotel and dancing and singing around it. And it was even more exciting when they gladly accepted me into their group, and we all danced and sang like there was no tomorrow.
At the beginning of the second day I was a bit tired, but I guess it didn’t matter because Saputara was calling me. I went to see the waterfall, the most memorable moment of my trip, and the cold breeze played a huge role in it. I went boating in the evening and saw the sun dive into the water taking away all my stress and tension with it.
I came back the next day and in the same way I went. Hitchhiking. But this time it was a lot more fun and easier.
What are the most popular places to visit at the destination?
There are countless of attractions in Saputara. My favorites are Sunset Point, Paragliding Point, Jain Ganesh Temple, Adventure Park (It’s not so big, but it’s really fun) and also the boating at sunset time. For me the most memorable was boating because that was my last event there and it took all the stress and tension and weakness with it. And looking at that sun, diving into the water was the most soothing thing in that entire trip and probably the most memorable memory too.
Tell us about your fears and anxieties when traversing solo. How you keep them at bay?
One of my biggest fears is not being able to enjoy myself thoroughly. I travel solo because it gives me a peace of mind and it also makes me happy. And if I’m unable to do so in while travelling, I feel as though my journey is incomplete. I feel like I’ve missed or forgotten to do something really really important, i.e., to be happy whilst doing it.
What’s your favourite travel quote?
My favourite travel quote is “ A tramp, a gentleman, a poet, a dreamer, a lonely fellow, always hopeful of romance and adventure “
- Charlie Chaplin
What’s your way of seeing a country?
I see a country as a place I’d like to explore, no matter how small it is. Whenever I visit somewhere new, I try to take atleast one memory of that place with me in my mind. A traveller can always find something worth remembering, wherever he is, and I am one of those travellers.
Advice for the first time solo travellers and readers
If there is something I can say to the first timers, it is that try and do everything by yourselves. If a problem comes, face it. It might be hard at first, but with time you’ll learn to tackle those problems. Also, don’t depend too much on others, because in the end, it all comes down to one person, YOU.
Where are you off to next?
I am planning to go to the South now, probably Tamil Nadu or Kerala.
