How one woman plans to travel to 10 countries in 365 days on a low budget?

Now this is a follow up post on my previous travelling post which received an overwhelming response from friends and family. I was touched by the kind of motivation I received from everyone. Thoughts like 'Go for it, Rupal' and 'You can do it' to 'We gotta do it for ourselves' spurred me on.  Not to miss was my mother expressing her desires to take me through this and accompany me on a trip. At the same time, I also got messages from others like myself who had hidden dreams long unexpressed. Several notes exchanged to the tune of - 'I want to do it too but...' to 'I wish to go to Europe too..' to 'What will I say at Home? .....Then the answer to it all is, the husband will bathe with wet towels for a week, the kids won't do their homework properly, the maid will cook Aloo for 7 meals...But Life Will GO ON...Sab Ho Jayega....

The biggest motivation above all was a certain friend who has planned the entire itinerary for me and spoken to me at midnight ordering me to book my tickets. Long talks telling me' 'Karenge yaar, I will take you' were the wings to the dreams. Another friend who is joining from foreign quarters leaving her nest unattended too was the final nail.

So here is the plan. I am finally going to do a few solo days and a few days of group travel with these 2 lovely girls who're willing to live my dream. The first trip is scheduled soon and will be covering the Balkans in a tryst to cover 4-5 countries. We're going to fly, drive, stay in hostels, eat cheap, local food and make it to 40 in 40. We're going to sit and worry if the kids are fine back home or if the household has been infested by ants but we're going to do this. I say 'WE' because I have realised in the past few weeks that one woman's dreams can be lived by her alone but cannot be conceptualised by her alone. It is the 'WE' that will make it all possible.

Also on the offering is an open plan to visit Cambodia and Laos(Nov/Dec 2019) and seeking active company for that. If you're the one who has never done anything for herself in the last few years, then give me a call. We shall plan to do this together. Also seeking advice from seasoned travellers on what are the best itineraries that can be done on a low budget in 2020. Budget and time will always remain the main constraints for me to complete these 40. Budget- Because I cannot use up my small family income towards only my whims and fancies. On a lighter note, my friends even suggested crowd funding for this. The proud husband absolutely shunned the idea and is funding it now. Time- Because I am not only Rupal, I am also a wife, a mother, a business owner, a daughter, a daughter in law and a home keeper. I need to ration my time and check lean periods at work, check kids holidays, check the husbands schedule etc etc. There is a whole lot of planning that has to be done before I can book the next holiday. But as my friend said- Ho jayega, Rupal. Sab Karenge!

Gratitude towards Family and Friends who will be providing much needed support in my absence.
Much Love for everyone who has motivated me in following this dream. If I ever write a book, you will have a mention. ;)

Blessed
R

To Travel Or Not to Travel: Quest to 40

Around the same time, last year, I starting prepping up for Mohit's 40th Birthday. What to gift? What to do? How to make it special blah blah...During the same time, I remembered that I was going to hit 40 too. Soon if not sooner. And I did some soul searching on what I had achieved and what I wanted to do before I hit the coveted 40. One random flash in my mind and I hit upon the idea of 'Travelling to 40 countries before I turn 40.' After all, I loved to travel. So wouldn't that be a great mark to sit on when i turn 40 years of age? The idea sounded too cool.

Fast Forward to June 2019, while vacationing in Scandinavia and sitting in my 30th country. I remembered the vow I made. All the time realising that I was 15 months away from my birthday and 10 countries to do. A huge ask. A strain on budgets. A large pool of time. Something inside me told me that I needed to do this for myself. I needed to have a goal and go all out for it. The 'Ja Simran, Jee le Apni Zindagi' moment came when Mohit backed me to say , 'You have my support, Go do it!'

So here I am, with around 400 days to go and 10 countries to visit. I am planning itineraries and exploring locations I have always wanted to visit. I am shunning other expenses because I have to allocate resources for this. I am prepping the kids that I will be missing in action for a few days each month or so the next year. Last but not the least, I am preparing myself to travel solo. Because if I need to do this on a budget, I need to do it alone.

So if you are a friend or family who loves me and wishes to see me happy on my 40th, then do me a favour. Visit a new country with me. Pick up the phone and choose one of the below mentioned itinerary and say 'lets do this together'. I promise to have a good time together.

I am not a tourist but a traveller. I will explore. I might have to do some countries in a hurry, maybe less than 24 hours at one place. But I will enjoy them. I am doing it for a purpose. And the purpose is ME.

Suggested itinerary- Pls remember all holidays will be low budget. Cheap Airlines, Airbnb stays, road travel(wherever possible) etc etc...

August 15 Weekend-5 Days(Open)

Seychelles & Madagascar

September 13- Birthday Week(Penultimate 39)- 7 days(Open)
1. Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium
2. Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary

Nov 3 Week- Dad's 70th Bday Celebration(Part Family, Part Open)
1.Cambodia, Laos
2. Bhutan

March 2020- Anniversary with Husband(Sealed with a Kiss)
Jordan, Israel, Egypt

April 2020- 4-5 Days(Open)
1.Japan
2. Bhutan

June 2020- Family Vacation time(Committed)
Croatia, Slovenia, Leichtenstein
Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Montenegro