The first time I decided to go on a solo trip (to Gokarna) a few years back, I remember feeling excited, nervous and happy. The same feelings in varying intensities enveloped me this time also, as I decided to go on yet another one of my solo trips. I narrowed it down to Mukteshwar, in Uttarakhand, since I had read about how it was one of the few offbeat places in Uttarakhand where it snowed (I have always been fascinated by snow since I haven’t gotten around to experiencing it yet) and was accessible for the most part by train from New Delhi, where I was working.
While it felt a bit different and isolated than my previous journeys because of the remote location of the hostel I stayed in, the quiet nights in the hills and the lack of other people/visitors in the hostel on the first day of my trip, it changed over the next few days as more people came. The usual feelings of camaraderie and warmth of new bonds ensued. I had an equal mix of solitude and good company during my trip, which is an important factor for any journey. So while it didn’t meet my ‘experiencing snow’ expectations, it met my quota of ‘an adventure-filled but safe and enriching’ quintessential travel experience as a solo woman traveller.
Quintessential Mukteshwar in all its glory
Catching and watching the sun rise from behind the hills.
003- Standing tall: the different kinds of pines and trees
004- Fresh and dewy pears ready to be plucked
A red rosy apple tree
Valley of white flowers
Nature’s cotton candy
Bhalu Gaad waterfalls
Aerial view of the town of Mukteshwar
Sunset hues from Chauli ki Jali
I think that solo trips can serve as liberating and learning experiences (I am aware that it comes with a lot of privilege that one should be mindful of) from which one can grow, learn as well as unlearn not just about oneself but about a lot of other things and people as well. What I enjoy most about my travels, be it solo, with my grandmother, or with friends or family, are my conversations and interactions with people who hail from there/ stay there and with those who are visiting just like me. The warmth and friendliness of absolute strangers provide a sense of a slice of home, even while away from home. Apart from the pretty skies and trees, spectacular sunsets and the different cuisines I tried on this trip, it was the furry friends I met and played with, the cook uncle who suggested the best place for me to try the Kumaoni thali and the caretaker didi at the hostel who plucked a giant ripe yellow lemon from the tree in their compound when I mentioned motion sickness that serves as memories which stay with me!
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