Why travel escapism is my ultimate reset button

It may not fix everything, but it does give you the space to breathe, reflect, and reset.

31 January, 2025
Why travel escapism is my ultimate reset button

Come December, my family (including my now six-year-old twins) and I will complete our 21st trip. Timeline, you ask? In the last four years—that’s an average of slightly over five trips a year. My partner and I realised our love for travel even before we got married—trust me, we planned way more for our first trip together as a married couple than the wedding itself. As we were contemplating moving out of Kolkata (in search of better career opportunities, a fatter paycheque, and a truly adult life), one of the reasons we chose Delhi was the Himalayas. And as life happened to both of us, we got sucked into the seductive allure of travel escapism.

Now, don’t get me wrong—life isn’t bad. We both have jobs that we (more or less) love, and when it is going well, it feels like a great web series—drama, comedy, and occasional plot twists. But let’s admit it, even the best shows need a break. Enter: Travel. Yes, we all go on holidays to temporarily run away from our problems and catch a break. But for me, travel always offered something more: A change in perspective.

For instance, my impromptu trip to Shimla on a random Thursday morning. A few years ago, when I was feeling stuck in a job and trying to make sense of every decision I ever made, I realised I needed to disappear for a bit. Shimla, with its winding roads and the Himalayas in the backdrop, seemed like the kind of place where I could find some mental space. What I didn’t expect was to miss a turn while walking back to my hotel at 10.30 in the night, and then discovering an entirely new route. It was a bit scary and frustrating (my dinner was done and the only thing I wanted at that time was to crash on my hotel bed), and yet, by the time I reached my room and changed into my pyjamas, everything felt...lighter. And that’s the magic of escaping to new places—there’s something to be said about the beauty of unfamiliar surroundings.

But travel escapism doesn’t always require a plane ticket or a grand plan. For me, it could just be a train ride away, or even a road trip (PS: A personal favourite—we did a nine-day road trip to the remotest places of Himachal Pradesh to celebrate the first birthday of our twins). Escaping to new places makes everyday stresses feel smaller by comparison. While I tend to plan everything to the T almost always...don’t get me wrong, I do love my to-do lists and organisers (big stationery lover here!)...but I equally love it when travel gives me the joy of not having a plan.

Image credit: Anirban Saha

 

Let’s face it, not all holidays are idyllic. Sometimes you’ll find yourself on a turbulent flight, or arriving at a place only to realise it’s nothing like the Instagram photos (been there, felt that). Yet, even in those moments of frustration, travel forces you to think out of the box and be present. You stop overthinking, stop obsessing over the little things that don’t really matter, and start focusing on what’s right in front of you—whether you see your train leaving the platform as you rush to the station, or a dodgy hotel room, or a once-in-a-lifetime sunset.

Speaking of unplanned situations, in March 2020 came COVID and all our lives changed in ways that seemed almost apocalyptic. For me and my family, it meant no travel. But if I have learnt one thing from my many travels, it is to never stop planning your next trip. As we endured the never-ending Zoom calls, binge-watched every web series possible, baked banana bread, and made Dalgona coffee, my partner and I also could not wait to pack our bags again and just go somewhere. The first chance came in December 2020, and we were off to a three-night trip that did not involve flight travel (the rules were simply too many, remember?). But this time it felt different. We’re not just going on a trip anymore; we’re sort of exacting justice. It was not about the destination anymore; it was about reclaiming all the lost weekends, anniversaries, and visits to quaint villages on top of mountains. This time around, it was personal.

Post the pandemic, our perspectives changed. Now, we don’t bat an eyelid before treating ourselves to that upgraded room with a view, or splurging on that ridiculously overpriced wine because, in the words of every influencer, “You only live once”.

Revenge or not, I do still use travel to escape. As I sat down to write this piece, I couldn’t help but wonder why I escape? Maybe it is to remind myself that life is bigger than the narrow scope of my everyday routine. Deep down, I am very well aware that travel doesn’t fix everything, but it gives me the space to breathe, reflect, and reset. When I return from a trip, I always feel a little lighter, a little more grounded, and a lot more grateful for the chaos that is life.

Lead image credit: Pexels 

This piece originally appeared in the November- December print edition of Cosmopolitan India.

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