While most of us are scared of of traveling and in fact it doesn’t look like the travel market will open up until next year. Yet, travel is what I have been craving since the lockdown. We’re entering into fifth month of the lockdown in India.

By the end of 2019, I thought I would make 2020 my year of travel. It even started really well — I did a short 5 days trip to Phuket with my colleagues. I was planning for Vietnam by end of March. And then Italy in the European summers. Thankfully I hadn’t booked any hotels or flight tickets. Most companies in India aren’t providing refund in Direct cash but in wallet amount. You don’t want your money to be held up in some wallet when you can’t use it.

One thing that I realised due to the lockdown is what I really want from my travels. New city, culture, weather, and food is all fine. But what I’ve been traveling for the last few years is to disconnect from work. It speaks of my inability to disconnect but that’s what we are nurtured into these days at work. Your employers value you more if you’re available at all hours. Asnchronous communication channels like slack makes it impossible to have even an hour of peace. Everyone’s working more than 13-14hours a day and “productivity” is up the roof.

I’m not sure when my next travel is or where it will be but I’m saving a lot more for travels. Perhaps even take a sabbatical? Who knows!