Rest on the Itinerary

From what I have observed, many people go on holidays only to return even more tired than before. A holiday to my mind, should be a time to relax and rejuvenate, to pause, breathe, feel the place and allow the body and mind to find their natural rhythm again. Yet so often, vacations turn into another kind of race. Travellers rush from one tourist spot to the next, ticking boxes as if peace could be earned through mileage or photographs.

Even at Kathgodam railway station, one can hear taxi drivers calling out a list of destinations, each promising more than the last. The higher the count, the more tempting it may sound to the weary visitor. Nainital, Bhimtal, etc are no different. Ask any local driver and you’ll be offered a tour of fifteen or so “must-see” spots, each with a viewpoint, a selfie corner, the popular roadside shack, and the perfect backdrop for social media.

Somehow, in the hurry to see everything, the essence of being somewhere is lost. The mountains, after all, do not reveal themselves to those in a rush. They open up slowly, to those willing to linger.

Somewhere along the way, the meaning of travel itself has become blurred. Words that once carried distinct shades of purpose like vacationer, holidaymaker, traveller, tourist, globetrotter are now used interchangeably. Yet they speak of very different intentions. A vacationer and a holidaymaker enjoys leisure. A traveller moves to experience. And a tourist often rushes to consume. Perhaps if we remembered these small differences, our journeys too might begin to feel gentler, slower, more meaningful, and become more enjoyable. There should be a clear distinction between those who take a vacation to truly unwind and those who travel to cram in sights, experiences, and photographs. The first kind returns lighter, rested, and perhaps even quietly transformed. The second comes back with crowded memories and a weary heart.

Here in the hills, I often see both kinds of travellers pass through. Some arrive at my place still moving to the rhythm of their cities with their phones buzzing, their minds running ahead of them. But after a day or two, the mountains begin their quiet work. The absence of crowds, the unhurried mornings, and the gentle routine of nature start to slow them down. The birds steal their attention, the breeze carries away their urgency, and the silence with the occasional music from the wind-chimes begins to do what no itinerary or checklist ever could.

They begin to enjoy the food even though very different from what they may have expected. They start to notice the small things – the fragrance of herbs drying in the sun, the rustle of wind through oak trees, the soft hum of bees near the rosemary beds, shapes in the cloud formations, and even tiny spiders hurrying around underneath the wild flowers. And in those simple moments, the holiday finally begins.

Most of our guests discuss with us about the various sightseeing options too. I recommend some places, mostly off the beat, and with nature all around. Out of the days they relax here, some plan an outing for a day or two and spend rest of the time just relaxing, doing nothing. Perhaps that is what travel was meant to do – not to tire us with too much movement, but to bring us closer to stillness. For rest is not in the number of places we visit, but in how deeply we inhabit the place we are in.

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