Chai time with Pickyourtrail - what's brewing on our 2018 bucket list!

‘Wake up, wake up, wake up it’s a brand new day’ echoed through my disarrayed room for the nth time. There’s no way I can snooze it now. It was already ten minutes past 9 and I have to be at my office at 10. I cursed my alarm, cursed myself for sleeping late, cursed my bed, cursed my office timings, cursed the alarm tone lyrics, and what not! It’s a Monday for christ’s sake and how can that be a brand new day. Sad, Mundane Mondays.

Just when I thought today was gonna be just another day, the scene behind my blinders proved me wrong and reassured, it’s a brand new day after all.

It was raining.

Our bungalow office in T. Nagar, at the heart of Chennai, is not a regular office space. Inside the office were multiple rooms, each room carrying their own story. While the things that we do on a regular basis vary, the cause was the same.

Love for travel.

Despite the rain, people started pouring in one after the other and the scent of the petrichor was too much for us to resist that we sat down for a hot, steaming cup of chai.

The topic of discussion: What is on your bucket list and why?

The warmth of the cups pressed into our hands against the cold weather got us talking from our hearts rather from our minds and here’s what everyone had to say.

Hari, Co-founder – Trans-Siberian Journey, Russia

Was it the KGB? Or the fact that I end up with an aftertaste that feels like love after I listen to Russian? Or the surnames that have a larger than life feel when you hear them? Or the fact that they are ganged up against Europe & US? I am not sure what tugs my heart when I think about Russia. Europe is quaint and beautiful. US is comfortable and grand. SEA is polite and subservient (A huge thing given most Indian travellers are treated like refugees). ANZ is vast and adventurous. Russia is mysterious and surprising. The culture. The language. The people. Even their national carrier – Aeroflot has some mystery. You never know if it’s going to arrive on time. 😉 It’s a nation that was cut off from the world. And still, continues to remain for large parts. But that’s what adds to the mystery. The sheer joy of serendipitous discovery. Can’t wait for what’s in store on the Trans-Siberian journey. 🙂

Vignesh, Manager Ops – Las Vegas

Vegas became my top bucket list destination when I first saw the movie Hangover and I totally fell in love with it. This was during my college days when I was a big fan of Electronic music & partying and I knew Vegas will fulfill all this. My recent craze for poker has also been an addition to why I want to visit Vegas, as Poker is a way of living there and I want to experience playing poker in one of the biggest casinos. I wish to stay at Caesars Palace like in the movie and if I am rich enough at that point of time, I would definitely book the same suite as well. And, I am also a big fan of fashion and shopping. So, I’m sure the second I put my feet down on Vegas, I’m going to be mesmerized by this Sin city.

Varun, Junior Designer – Japan

If I was asked to choose only one destination to travel to in the entire world, I’d yell Japan at the top of my lungs and start packing my bags instantly. My love for Japan and its culture grew multifold when a close friend of mine went to study there and posted pictures of her experience there regularly. The whole “Mindfulness of others” attitude that is practiced in Japan makes me want to visit even more. Also, the fact that I’m a huge anime fan attracts me towards Japan further. Unwinding at the beautiful Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden has been at the top of my bucket list since I found out about it. Also, I can’t wait to splurge on their tasty food and candy with the usual flashy packaging!

Srinath, Co-founder – Norway, Iceland, Bolivia, Alaska, Patagonia

I assume I am too young to make a travel bucket list. When you travel, read, and meet new people, you realize your bucket list is a never-ending wish list. But if I had to create one then it will have Mountains, Lake, and Milkyway on one canvas. 2009 had Ladakh, 2015 had Galloway, 2017 had Wanaka. My bucket list would be picking this canvas for each year. Hopefully, on the next trip, I will be somewhere in the remote wilderness of Norway, Iceland, Bolivia, Alaska or Patagonia.

Ajith, Customer Happiness Manager – Rome

I’ve always been fascinated by history. Ancient Greece and Rome, in particular, have intrigued me. Their history is widespread across the world. Fast-forward a few hundred years and Christianity was introduced to Rome. It gave rise to early modern Rome and their architecture is breathtaking. Take the Colosseum and St. Peter’s Basilica, for instance. Even after a century, they stand firm and continue to be an architectural wonder. There is so much Christian history around Rome today – the Vatican museums, Spanish steps, and the numerous basilicas of saints. Rome is definitely worth the visit for its culture, history, and architecture. Walking around Rome among structures hundreds and thousands of years old is sure to leave you wanting for more. Rome is right on top of my bucket list. Can’t wait to experience their culture.

Lony, Asst. Manager Ops – South Island, NZ

It was a rainy day back in my hometown Arunachal, I and my friends were stuck due to a landslide. We were instructed by the army officials to take a different route. Fearlessly we decided to hit the long hilly route back home. I would say I haven’t enjoyed such a ride and it was the most beautiful day I would never forget. Since then, I started researching about mountain and bike rides. Jotted down the places on my bucket list and checked a few till date but the one destination that tops my list is the South Island in New Zealand. I want to cover places starting from Christchurch, Franz Josef, Queenstown, Te Anau, and Milford Sound, in South Island on an Enfield. I have been following up blogs on the rider’s experience across these routes and would definitely want to ride on the best route & make it an amazing experience.

Narayanan, Marketing Head – Eastern Europe

A travel bucket list is something that’s never-ending. You knock off one and three more gets added in its place. At the top of my list right now is Eastern Europe. Quaint, small towns with a lot of history and architecture is my thing and Eastern Europe (Czech, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, yada yada yada, the list is long) has enough and more for someone like me.

Krishnamoorthy, Manager Ops – New Zealand

Called the adventure capital of the world, New Zealand is one country that can satiate the needs of any wanderlust adventure traveler. I am a normal B.com grad from Chennai who happened to join Pickyourtrail by chance. From the day I joined and started learning about destinations, there has always been a personal ‘awe’ towards NZ. This could probably be because of the number of clients I have handled in this destination or purely because of the sheer culture and adventure this land has to offer. People in New Zealand are very sweet that it makes me want to backpack right away to this land of wonder. It has been a desire to travel to this dreamland and head to the beautiful city of Auckland for some fun shopping and of course not to miss the Skyjump experience at Auckland Skytower. The cities I would definitely not miss are Rotorua, Christchurch, Franz Josef, and Queenstown. To summarize. The people, Culture, Adventure and the mountains of this land makes it a dream destination for me.

Bhavika, Content Writer – Italy

For the longest of time, I didn’t “fill up” bucket lists. That kind of commitment seemed too intense. So, I settled for the next best – dreaming. And even now I, rather hesitantly, use the word. Where do I want to go next? That is a very long list – from little cafes in Amsterdam to the lakes of New Zealand and the midnight sun of the Arctic. But, there’s one place you always dream most about, one place you are convinced you will find your home at. For me, that is Italy. And my idea of Italy doesn’t necessarily begin with the canals of Venice or a road trip by the Amalfi or a pitstop at Naples. My idea of Italy is a conversation with a local, a walk in one of its many quaint towns’ streets, a hunger pang snubbed in the afternoon by a slice of pizza, walking up to the nearest fountain for a refreshing spray. My idea of this country is a conversation piece here and an internet research there. I may not know the country by heart but, I intend to try.

Meanwhile, what is next on your travel list and why? Put them in the comments section below.

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