Aarti Panikkar is all about travel. The 34-year-old covered 22 countries by the age of 33 and she now has her eyes trained on the remaining. Aarti laughs as she says: “My goal was to visit 15 countries by the age of 30, settle down and have a baby. I, however, got married at the age of 30 and had a baby at the age of 33, with 22 countries off my list.”
Aarti says that the travel bug bit her during a trip to Singapore in 2005. Going through a rough patch, it was on an impulse that she decided to take a break in Singapore.
“I did a lot of travelling on my own while in Singapore and enjoyed it. I loved talking to strangers, learning about the culture, relishing new dishes...,” says Aarti, a senior consultant at Ernst & Young.
Aarti Panikkar | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Her last trip was to Europe while she was five months pregnant. Alone. “I had to go to Dusseldorf, Germany, in connection with work. As I had the weekends and a few long weekends off, I would take off then.” She admits that her family and friends were concerned at her travelling alone while she was pregnant, “but they knew how much I loved to travel.”
The travel buff covered six cities in six countries — Budapest, Vienna, Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, Dusseldorf and Dortmund. Although fond of adventure sports, Aarti, who has gone skiing in Scotland, lugging in New Zealand and river rafting in Indonesia, says she took it easy during the Euro trip as she was pregnant. “It was just a laid-back touristy trip to each city. It left the adrenaline junkie in me slightly dispirited though.”
People, she says, are extremely considerate to pregnant women in Europe. “There are separate lines for us at museums, heritage spaces... and separate seats for us on trains and buses. At Monet Garden in Giverny, though there was no separate queue, I was shooed to the front of the line by those ahead of me in the line. The people are also a lot less wary when they see a pregnant woman,” she recalls.
She adds: “They strike up a conversation and even look out for you when they know that you are travelling on your own. After getting used to the courtesy extended to expecting mothers in Europe, I was in for a disappointment on my journey back to India. While travelling on the airport shuttle bus, the men just sat and watched as a heavily pregnant me stood in a crowded space.”
Aarti Panikkar | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
All her trips, be it solo, or with family and friends are self-charted, with most of the research done online.
“I read a lot of blogs, Google up images of the various places listed and then decide on the itinerary. I usually add Nature, adventure and culture on my list.”
Mobile apps help her in charting distances, checking the weather, finalising modes of transport and so on. “I did my entire eight-day trip to Sri Lanka for ₹30,000. The amount includes airfare,” says Aarti, who used local transport and stayed in hostels during the trip.
So, what or where next? “Well, I need to get my four-month-old son, Zian, a passport. Hopefully, my husband, Syam, and I can travel with Zian soon. We might visit Maldives. After all, discovering new places and immersing into new cultures is what living is all about.”
Travel tips
As a safety measure while travelling to the cities, Aarti saved her emergency contact numbers as a display picture on her mobile phone. “I also carried listed copies of the numbers in my wallet and handbag in case of an accident or emergency.”
She took along medications for headache, fever, upset stomach etc. As toilets were available in each compartment of the trains she travelled in and at subway stations, she did not have to wait till she could go. “Also in Europe, there is a policy that obligates restaurants to let the public use their toilet facilities for free,” Aarti says.
Although, the often long journeys aggravated her back, she took precautions by carrying a neck pillow and a small cushion for support and comfort. She travelled light, with only the absolute essentials stuffed into a small backpack.
Travel app companions
Rometorio
Helps you find the best way to get to your destination.
Accuweather
Provides weather forecast, both local and international.
Waze
A GPS navigation software app that provides traffic updates