Diary of A Travel Blogger From Mauritius To Everest

Jayanti left home as a penniless student and has since travelled from Mauritius to Mumbai, Nepal to New York and even Mount Everest, then published a novel on top of that. Here she shares with us her travel experiences.
Name: Jayanti Anubhav
Occupation: Author (Published Novel: To Live Once Again)
Current Location: Mumbai, India
Favourite hot place to visit:
The Republic of Mauritius. Although I am more of a mountain person, seascape invokes plenty of positive and poetic energy in me. And, of all island nations that I have explored, Mauritius is my favourite hot place. The turquoise water beneath the azure sky, sugar-white sandy expanses and the rocky cliffs emerging from the water like vigilant guards keeping a close eye over its terrain, make Mauritius a spell-binding drama that will remain etched in your heart long after you bid good-bye to its beautiful terrain to return home.

Most happening city you’ve been to:
As per the popular definition of ‘happening’ I must give this one to either New York City or Bangkok, Thailand. But, happening for me is a place which has plenty of character and surprising elements to keep me excited throughout. It can also be a bucolic village somewhere in Nepal. Every city or place that I explore for the first time is the most happening for me at that moment because every piece of land is different, exciting and has a story of its own. I try to listen to the untold stories about the place and when I discover something not specified in travel books, I feel a rush in my blood.
Best airport for stopping over in:
Without a second thought- Dubai International Airport. The iconic Terminal 3 has everything to keep you engaged while you wait to board your connecting flight. You don’t have to rely on a book or music for company for long tiring hours. Undoubtedly, a shoppers’ paradise with relaxing spas, calming gardens and some of the most scrumptious culinary delights, it’s an airport that will make you stop and say “Life’s good.”
Most dangerous place you’ve been to:
So far, haven’t really been to a place that can be categorized as ‘the most dangerous’.

The most calming place you’ve been to:
For me, Nepal is and will always remain the most calming place ever on the planet earth. Pokhra and Kathmandu both have been my most favourite places since childhood. I have literally lost count on the number of my visits to the exquisite land of majestic mountains, vernal valleys and sylvan vistas. There’s something extremely calming in the crisp air of Nepal that has the power to heal. It was heart-breaking to see the nation devastated and broken due to the recent earthquakes. But, I am more than sure, not before long Nepal will rise and shine again.
The most incredible view you’ve taken in:
Bitten by the travel bug years ago when I was defying all possibilities of being termed as a human (in my teens), I have always found my answers in deep valleys and high mountains. All thanks to my school that believed that excursion was a good way of learning, I had my first brush with the Himalayas at very early age. However, that first awe-inspiring view of the Mount Everest not just refused to fade from my memory but began to haunt me as I progressed in life first as a banker and later as an author. Mountains were calling and I had to go. And finally, when I came face-to-face with the Himalayas again, I felt all my insecurities, worries and inhibitions gone. However, very recently, at Rohtang Pass at an elevation of 13050 feet above mean sea level, in the state of Himachal Pradesh in my own country, the majestic mountains presented me with some of the most overwhelming sights of my life. The humongous snow-capped peaks over the glaciated mountains are life-changing. The Rohtang Pass is a mountain pass on the eastern part of the Himalayan Pir Panjal range. One of the most dangerous roads to drive or ride in, Rohtang literally means ‘Pile of corpses’, a name earned due to people dying while trying to cross the pass.

Best cold place you’ve been to:
During the Everest Base Camp Trek, where the temperature gets so low that at times it would make you promise to yourself that you will never ever visit the Himalayas again. Needless to say, it’s a promise that no one can keep after breathing the air at an elevation of 15-16000 ft above sea level. The Himalayas is an addiction that can only end with life.
The thing you don’t leave home without:
My tiny diary, which has always been a subject of speculation amongst family and friends, a pen and lip balm. It is when I am travelling I am flooded with emotions and tales brew up in my heart. Carrying a laptop adds extra weight as I mostly backpack. And yes, I just can’t deal with chapped lips. Lip-balm has the power to make or spoil my entire day.
The hardest journey you’ve done:
I am an impulsive person. Maybe this is a bonus or the side-effect of being creative. Once I left home with barely any money to survive; I was still a student then. I spent nights in railway waiting rooms, ate street food, wandered in remote villages of India but when I returned home, I wrote my first novel.
The most incredible food you’ve tasted:
I eat to live and eating for me is nothing but an additional burden and waste of time. So, I guess, I will leave this question unanswered.
Somewhere you’re yet to discover:
Norway is a dream yet to be fulfilled. Dramatic fjords, ice fields and a spectacular coastline along with heaps of antiquity and heritage of this Scandinavian beauty bring it to the top of my list of the places yet to discover.