As a child, Indira M (70) longed to explore the world. But it was only in her sixties that she had a chance to push the geographical envelopes of her dreams. In 2015, as Indira soaked in the boundless South African savannah on her first solo international trip, the child in her was elated.
She was finally living the dream.
While articulating her first-ever safari experience, words fall short, but her visual vocabulary jumps to the rescue. “There were herds of them,” she says, describing the elephants, lions, and giraffes that paraded across the savannah as she and the group watched on.
Though technically strangers — Indira prefers the word ‘friends’ — the group bonded over the collective awe of watching nature’s best work unfold.
On every one of her solo trips, Indira’s fondest memories are of strangers transforming into friends.
“I’ve never been worried about making friends; we are of the same wavelength. We open up about life. Some of us bond over similar experiences that we’ve undergone. We understand each other. Age is no boundary,” she shares. Perhaps it is the novelty of the moment or the new horizons, but the bonds forged during these trips are special, Indira adds.
She jokes, “During my first solo trip, I was just hoping that I would enjoy it after spending so much. Aside from this, I wasn’t scared at all.” On second thoughts, she adds, “It was a trigger that made me love travelling. It’s what got me started.”
Now, Indira can be heard endorsing solo travel to everyone she knows. There’s a certain quiet power in finding yourself beyond familiar home turf.
35 countries and counting
“Beyond her wildest imagination” is how Indira describes most of her solo travel adventures.
The South African safari, of course, tops the charts. It has a dual significance; not only was it the forerunner of Indira’s solo escapades, but it helped her find herself in the place she loves best — nature.
“We explored Johannesburg, Cape Town, and saw the wild animals, and admired the tourism models in these locations.” Since then, Indira has found herself discovering new ribbons of land every year.
The intrepidity of the experiences, she says, adds to the thrill. Years of falling into a set routine mean that solo travel lets Indira break out of the mould.
“I always wanted to travel,” she reiterates. “Before I was married, it was because of my financial position that I couldn’t. Then, I had children and a family to look after. During those times, even when I thought of travelling, I did not know about the option of travelling solo in a group. But this concept has given me independence. Somehow, worry or uncertainty did not set in.”
Now with her children settled, Indira feels she’s ready to turn that corner in her life and embrace the adventures.
As her daughter Rohini Rajagopal writes in a Vogue article, “Amma, a biochemistry teacher, had to put on hold her travel aspirations till retirement, till the financial freedom granted by a monthly pension and a provident fund. She wanted to see the world but in a safe, predictable and cost-effective manner. She did not necessarily care for inner awakenings or the giddy thrills of backpacking across borders. Isn’t this kind, the less sexy but more pragmatic version of female travel, also worthy of celebration?”
Rohini shares in her mother’s pride at taking solo travel by the reins and turning passion into purpose.
‘There’s a vacant room; do you want to join?’
In 2010, Indira’s husband passed away. “There were some senior citizens whom I would meet often. They were taking a trip. One day, one of them needed someone to share a room with,” she recalls, reasoning that during trips, there’s always the concern of finding someone compatible to share a room with.
“So she asked me if I would be keen to join. My children encouraged me to go. And that was the beginning. That’s how I got my confidence.”
From being wistful about exploring new horizons to ticking places off her bucket list, Indira has come a long way.
Every trip is laden with experiences, memories, and hiccups. For instance, that time in Istanbul when she forgot the code to open her suitcase and her group had to prise (read: break) it open. Then that time in Japan when she fell and hurt herself.
But in every sticky moment, kindness always makes a cameo.
“When we travel in a group, we behave like members of a family. Everyone helps everyone,” she reasons.
Her message to everyone who shies away from solo adventures because of the what-ifs is to just dive into the deep end. “I started later in life. But I want to urge others to start earlier. It adds to your confidence, shapes your personality.”
Underscoring why solo travel is special, she says that if you were to take those same journeys with your family, you’d always find yourself worrying about whether everyone’s okay. “Solo travel gives you a space of your own. It offers you a private bliss. You begin to see the world through your eyes and your perspective,” she reiterates.
While Greece and Egypt are on the cards, Indira has already completed over 35 countries. The list is set to expand. In fact, as she’s chatting with us, she’s already packing for a trip across Scandinavia.
As a mother and daughter — Indira’s mother is 96 years old — she perfectly understands the challenges of resisting labels and taking time out for oneself. “But every woman should. These experiences that you have during your travels are going to last in your mind. For 365 days, you see to everyone’s needs. Take a break. You need it.”
All pictures courtesy Indira
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