Let me begin with a cautionary disclaimer. No fragment of this article is intended to cause harm to anyone in any possible manner. There is no intent of denigrating one over the other.

Acquisitiveness & Apathy:

In a world that’s increasingly becoming competitive and constantly thriving to outperform each other on many fronts, the cultivation of poise and good deportment is a distant possibility to many. Hailing from the Information Technology industry and about a decade of involvement in the corporate world, I can admittedly proclaim the fact that it’s a harsh bitter experience, on the longer run, with daily chores taking a toll on the physical and mental well being. It leaves behind a strong sense of perturbation. There’s no denying the fact, a career in the Information technology industry is among the best opportunities that one can thrive in for a bankable and prosperous life. However, with high pay comes a series of daunting tasks.

The only buzzword in the Information Technology industry, that has remained constant over the years and will always be, is its core aspect of constant transformation. In order to survive in this fast-paced industry, one must always stay relevant. This includes weeks of frequent training to acquaint oneself with latest technologies, in addition to the insanely long working hours. Together, these activities, deprive one of the much-needed work-life balance. Fortunately, I was blessed with the ability to foresee the dreadful consequence of this lucrative yet deceivingly rewarding career. After a deep analysis of the type of work I will have to perform every day, I devised a mechanism that lays emphasis on the optimal usage of time thereby accomplishing perfect work-life balance.  Read on to know all about my mesmerizing Himalayan Adventures and enthralling Travel tales! It’s been five incredible calendar years!

Remember!

Life is not always about money, hefty bank balance, luxury, and any such accumulative wealth.

Rather, it’s the essence of perceiving the true interpretation of life.

The Beginning & How did Travel get the Better of Me?

As a teenager and during my early twenties, my interests were on computers and sports.  At high school, I was popular among my friends for my skills in athletics.  I was, then, a sprinter.  It gives me great privilege every time I get to see and feel the distinguished medals and certificates across varied competitions.  Being from South India, especially Tamil Nadu, sports always took a backstage.  And, it was no different with my interests.  With a heavy heart and reluctance, I had to let go off any aspirations in sports. Four years later, I graduated as a Computer Science Engineer and my professional life took shape.  Nevertheless, Travel and I are no strangers.

The travel bug had caught me very early in my life.  However, it was the summer of 2014 that defined the scope and meaning of travel. I was beginning to feel the detrimental effects of long working hours and unhealthy lifestyle. It’s never easy working in the IT industry, especially, if you don’t have a long-term vision and carry passion about the work you do. Typically, you would see most people sketching ambitious career plans, trying their luck on the illustrious American dream, chasing prominent people for a possible climb in the organizational ladder, among other aspects. The array of options available within the organization could easily send anyone into short and frequent dizzying spells. Though, this was a crucial phase of my life, I was beginning to realize the meaning of real happiness. And, yes.

Being happy is always a state of mind and differs from one person to another.

When you are among the tens of thousands of a major workforce, the probability of getting caught in the homogeneous thinking pattern is more likely. It takes sheer determination and guts to stand out from the rest. I believed accumulating more money and a resplendent designation doesn’t always mean happiness. I agree, such aspects herald the arrival of wealth and a sense of accomplishment. However, these are short lived and provide momentary happiness. This very notion laid the basis for a life changing journey and was an intellectually rewarding decision to me.  And, yes.  I love my professional role as much my passion of travel and photography!  There has never been a situation that demanded preference of one over the other.  That’s how much liking and respect I have for all that I do!

The Himalayan Debut:

My trekking adventures began at the beautiful and vibrant Kodachadri hills in the Western Ghats in the winters of 2014. The concept of sketching your own route map using GPS and related instruments to reach the summit and back is something I admired. Additionally, you get to meet like minded folks that share and discuss the same kind of thoughts doing the rounds at the back of your head. The most fascinating part of this journey is camping in the meadows and gazing the night sky!

The year 2015 was a blessing as it brought with it a chain of travel events, both official and personal. At the culmination of a rewarding corporate travel, I was back home and desperate to plunge into the high-altitude adventures. Weeks and months of unwavering analysis on orchestrating a trek to the Himalayas was brought to fruition during autumn of the same calendar year. There was a euphoric sense of accomplishment even before kicking off my journey to the magnificent Himalayan ranges. The rest is history. Since then, there has been no stopping. On several occasions, mitigating my professional and personal challenges back home were painfully exhausting occurrences.

However when you have a vision and willpower to handle obstacles, the luck favors you!

This is especially important while traversing across the mighty Himalayas! Since my debut in 2015, I have been on as many as ten challenging trekking adventures, with consecutive Himalayan treks in successive calendar years.  The satisfaction of balancing profession and passion is beyond any words could possibly explain.  It has to be felt! Goosebumps guaranteed!

And, this is what I call lasting wealth:

Here’s a list of them with links to the actual blog! And more to follow in the years to come!

• India’s Fifth Tallest Waterfall – Dudhsagar Falls
• The Tenth Highest peak of Karnataka – Kodachadri Trek
• An Amazing Beginner Himalayan Trek – Hampta Pass
• The Highest peak in West Bengal – Sandakphu
• Diverse Terrain & Natural beauty – Sar Pass
• Tresses of Lord Shiva – Sivalik Hills
• The Highest peak in the Ladakh region – Stok Kangri
• The Second Highest peak in the Western Ghats – Meesapulimala
• Among the best winter trekking destination in India – Kedarkantha Trek
• Journey to the base of Mount Kanchenjunga – The Goechala pass

To Sum Them Up:

Over 50 destinations, 10 Trekking Adventures, Rewards & Accolades!
Dedicated Travel Blogging Website!
Whoa! It’s been a fantastic travel experience!
All these alongside my professional responsibilities!

Truly Ecstatic and Delighted!

Let me know if you liked this blog in the comments section below.

Feel free to share this blog with friends, family and anyone that could be interested.  Hit any of those social media icons on your screen to share this blog!

And, do subscribe to my travel blogs at https://www.xplorewithvijay.com, So you don’t miss out on fascinating travel stories.