Jayanti Pandey is a wanderer by heart. Thriving on seeing the world and sharing her experiences via the trails she curates to offbeat destinations in India and some selected ones abroad. These curated destinations are offered under the aegis her travel company: One Life to Travel.
A lover of books, an editor by profession, a translator in the Italian language, she divides her time between Gurgaon and Dubai.
For Jayanti, home is where the heart is; and her heart could be in the Himalayas or equally in a remote cobbled street medieval hill town in Italy.
I have known Jayanti for some time now and her positive vibes and humble nature has won me over the day I met her. She is one of the nicest person in the travel industry and her spirited smile shows the beautiful soul she is from inside. Jayanti runs a very successful travel venture along with maintaining a perfectly balanced personal life. Her favourite travel companion is her lovely daughter, Asavari.
Heart of a Wanderer
1. How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
- Fun loving
- Adventurous
- Zara hatke
2. What made you fall in love with travelling?
My first memories of travel are accompanying my father when he used to tour the remote areas of UP as head of the district administration. Hearing him talk made me very curious. Later, thanks to elder brothers and sisters being stationed in different parts of India and abroad, I got an exposure which perhaps not many get a chance to experience.
3. Which is your favourite destination in India and why?
It is the mountains which call me and in the mountain regions both Spiti and Munsiyari have my heart. The untouched landscape, the starkness of the regions, the feel of being so close to the high peaks and the nearness to the stars, the quiet of the atmosphere, the mystery which surrounds.: I have felt that perhaps this is heaven or the closest to it. The experience is not wordly: it is beyond.
4. What’s the longest single journey you’ve taken so far?
My solo Europe trip on the Eurail pass for 6 weeks when I was all of 25 years old in 1990. The longest I have stayed in a place and travelled is 6 months in Italy. I was based in Perugia, the capital of Umbria where I was studying at the University. From there I tarvelled almost the entire length and breadth of Italy. This was in 2007.
5. According to you, do you think one has to be rich to travel the world?
Reaching a destination requires money yes. Experiencing it can be done in different ways not all of which are expensive.
6. Given a choice, would you leave your job for travel?
I don’t have a job anymore. I am self-employed. But hypothetically speaking, No, I would not leave my job to travel. I would find the balance of working and travelling. Having done that, I know it is possible.
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7. Did travelling make you a better person?
Yes, very much. With each travel I have evolved and found a deeper connect with myself. Travel has helped me have better interpersonal relationships. It has made me patient and resilient, adaptable and adjusting, has made me realise that less is often a lot; and that it takes very little to make me smile.
8. What are the 5 essentials that you always carry on your travels?
Of course cash and passport. My camera, my journal, my phone, some of my earrings and my red umbrella.
9. How do you travel sustainably?
I aim to do train journeys; stay in homestays, buy local, eat local; carry my own trash and water bottle; volunteer for an activity to be able to interact with the environment.
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10. Are you a planned or impromptu traveller?
A bit of both. I like to have my broad destinations, where I am basing myself out of, in place. Dates should be in place. The in-betweens I keep very flexible. This of course is more doable abroad than in India.
11. One quote that expresses your wanderlust?
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist”
Oscar Wilde
12. Name a person who inspired you to travel.
My father
13. What is the one thing that scares you while travelling?
Being mugged.
14. Your advise to people who wants to start travelling.
Relax. Be confident. Do some research before stepping out. Travel light to be able to travel longer. Respect the environment Have an open mind.
15. Who are your two most favourite travel bloggers/writers?
Authors: Bill Bryson, Pico Iyer.
Bloggers: I read Shivya Nath, Neelima Vellangi and Lakshmi Sharath.
What a lovely piece. This so makes me feel like traveling and exploring 🙂 Thanks for this.
Wonderfully expressed thoughts of a person who is clearly “zara hatke” at heart, and a kind traveller as well. Thank you for bringing this story to readers.