Meet and Greet: Sahitya Vasudevan

Welcome back to our Meet and Greet Monday! Today, her Adventures gets to chat with Sahitya Vasudevan, HERA moderator and writer.

Quick-fire question

HERA: What’s your favorite way to travel? Planes, trains, driving, etc?
Sahitya: Plane.

HERA: Hostels, hotels, or homestays? 
Sahitya: Hotels.

HERA: Are you a planner or do you go with the flow when you travel?
Sahitya: A blend of both. I do my homework of the main sights and once there, I wander and go with the flow. Years ago, I went on an impulsive trip to Florence, wandered around admiring the sights but somehow missed the Duomo, it was just one street away from where I was having lunch! Lesson learnt.

HERA: Would you rather explore landmarks or local favorites? 
Sahitya: Again a blend of both. I love to do the landmarks but also explore the local favorites.

Soundbites

HERA: Tell us about the thing you do that you’re most proud of . Why are you proud of it? What about it is inspiring to you? 
Sahitya: I am grateful and proud of the many wins in my life. These are not fancy designations or pay packages but wins of greater value. I am grateful of the fact that I help people through their own gratitude journey. Its warms my heart to know that I add value to someone’s life. Also incredibly proud to be a part of this amazing sisterhood Her Adventures. It’s so much more than a bunch of people discussing destinations or sharing a common love of travel. Its a strong empowering sisterhood that bonds beyond travel and supports in many incredible ways. Proud to be a part of the core team.

HERA: What is your favorite travel tip, piece of advice, hack?
Sahitya: Be a mindful traveller. Be respectful of other cultures. Travel to discover yourself and not to tick off the top sights list. Focus on being in the moment and not for Instagram or any other social media. Take the road less travelled in a mindful & sustainable way.

HERA: What is your travel style? How would you describe it?
Sahitya: I enjoy combining the joy of travelling with the company of family or friends. But sometimes I yearn to wander solo to completely immerse myself in the travel experience.

Let’s get into the details

HERA: What’s your favorite place that you’ve ever traveled to? Why?
Sahitya: London because it was the first time I planned my holiday all by myself. This was in 2010 when my son & I spent 5 days in London wandering and exploring on our own. Years later, my friend told me that she still uses my itinerary as a guide for friends who visit London. Also Colombo was my first truly solo independent international travel.

HERA: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from travel that you’d like to pass on?
Sahitya: Learn to cherish the moment. So many awe inspiring experiences to enrich our lives.

HERA: Was there a time you ever wanted to quit? How did you deal with that situation, or overcome it?
Sahitya: It was past 6 in the evening and I was rushing as fast as I could towards the ticket counter when I saw the guard gesture to me that it was closed. I was standing outside the National Museum in Colombo Sri Lanka and this was my last evening in the city. I had just finished a long busy day at work and was racing to visit this Museum. I just stood there and caught my breath. I missed this I thought as I retraced my steps to the main gates. That was when something caught my attention. In the beautiful lush lawns was the big marble statue of the Buddha. Calm, serene and complete opposite of what I felt at that moment. I walked closer to the statue and sat down on the bench close by. My aching feet and tired shoulders silently thanked me. It was at that moment I realised that its not possible to do everything and it’s ok not check off all the items on your list. Life is a journey not a race. I spent a few quiet moments of contemplation there before I hailed an Uber and headed back to the Hotel. This is one of those life lessons I learnt.

Follow Sahitya on Instagram!