‘I have to see the entire earth before I die!’
Early start
My family is very progressive. I have studied abroad and I have lived an open-minded kind of life. I am not a small town girl that most people, think but my parents have inculcated all the ethical values and discipline of a small town girl in me. At the age of 12, I had travelled all over the world, so the small town effect did not come on me. I travelled to Dubai, Mauritius and more as a small kid too.
Travel keeda
I love to be in an air-plane. I love the feeling of entering the airport! I wish to see at least five to six new countries in a year. And I wish to travel repeatedly! I just returned from the passport office today. My number one passion is not singing or acting but travelling. I have to see the entire earth before I die! I have a huge travel keeda, but none of my friends and family understand this.
I have been scuba diving since the past six years now. I love to visit island destinations. No sooner do I get even three or four days off, I go off to have a diving experience and then return.
London is my all time favourite. New York, Maldives, Iceland, Africa… In fact, if you ask me names I will name all the countries because not only do I love to visit, but I also bring back something or the other from each country.
Uncharted territory
I have not yet explored South America, but I aim to do it next year. Brazil, Chile and Cuba are on my wish list. I want to hopefully try and finish a part of the map.
Traveller not tourist
When I go to any place I have no obsession with buying things. I try to go there and live there like a local. I will go buy grocery from nearby shops. I live by the map. If you ask me about any country I will be able to give you the actual locations in terms of roads. It is a sense of achievement for me. I like to know every country in the same manner that I know Mumbai.
Bonding galore
I have made friends, especially on scuba diving trips. Indeed that culture is very different. We all are together in a boat for a few days. I have gone to such places where it takes three days for you to reach your destination. You are in the middle of nowhere and get disconnected with the other world. Being with those people, I make friends as this keeps my energy intact.
I have made friends in Amsterdam and other different places too.
Packing list
I am an ‘over-packer’; I pack extra as I would not know what my mood will be. I am an efficient packer. My friends also ask me to come and pack their stuff. My spot boy also may ask me to buy another bag to accommodate the stuff, but I remove everything and stuff it in that bag itself, leaving him surprised.
Travel hiccups
Once, I had reached my destination but my baggage hadn’t. I then had to fly to another country. Fifteen days later I was still without my bag. Finally I landed in Mumbai but those bags are missing till date. I have missed my last ferry at times. It would then be very difficult to find a hotel amidst the jungles. I have also missed trains. I have experienced so many hiccups while travelling but I love travelling and accept this as part and parcel of the experience.
Work and pleasure
You never get to see the places you are shooting in, as you are working. However, shooting for Namaste England, London was like home. The London summer is good. We relaxed. For me, it felt so weird… the places where I lived and studied I was now shooting at, and people were watching me. I was updating people about where I lived and from which grocery I would buy stuff. It was fun shooting with Arjun and the team there.