This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Anu Verma, a trauma recovery coach , podcast host, and author of the book "Victim 2 Victor."
13.09.2024 - 15:49 / insider.com
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Minreet Kaur. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Whizzing around in a tuk-tuk in the Sri Lankan city of Kandy, I felt exhilarated as the rickety vehicle weaved in and out of the traffic.
It was just as thrilling as the ride I'd taken along bumpy roads with a busload of locals between the island's capital and a gorgeous beach.
The sense of freedom and independence was overwhelming. At 43, I finally found the courage to travel alone.
Until July this year, I'd only been away with family members, usually my mom. The one time she didn't join me was the honeymoon I spent with my former husband in 2008. The relationship lasted a year, and I moved back in with my parents. I've been single since then.
Before and after my marriage, I spent every break with the people who raised me. I'm from a traditional Sikh family, and traveling as a unit is often customary.
Related stories
I never went on vacation with girlfriends, for example. But I didn't feel like I was missing out. I always had fun with my close relatives.
Over the years, we have visited places in the UK, such as North Wales, and flown to Canada and India to stay with our extended family.
My dad, now 76, joined us. Around his mid-50s, he decided he didn't like traveling much and generally preferred to stay at home.
Luckily for me, my mom was more adventurous. She's easygoing and a great travel companion. We've been to cities across Europe, such as Valencia, and further afield, to Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi.
Mom was up for anything. Our most hilarious vacation was in Cyprus. One day, we went on a coach trip and got off at the wrong stop, ending up in a resort town that was party central.
There were all these young people on the beach, half of them naked. But Mom went ahead and enjoyed herself, thinking it was funny.
Unfortunately, we couldn't travel during COVID. I missed it a lot because it broadens your mind. It made me feel a bit trapped in the house.
Then, my mom contracted blood cancer at 72. I'm a freelance writer, but I am now her primary carer. I coordinate her medical treatments and handle all the paperwork.
In many Asian families, it often falls on daughters to take responsibility for their parents as they get older. It's a respect thing. I'm happy to help. but it's difficult when you're trying to juggle it with work.
Mom noticed how hard it was. Despite her health issues, she recognized that I needed to spread my wings. "You should travel again, even on your own," she said. "I'll be fine."
I realized I was the main person holding myself back. It was a combination of guilt about leaving my parents and fear of stepping out of my comfort zone. But I knew I was getting older and should
This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Anu Verma, a trauma recovery coach , podcast host, and author of the book "Victim 2 Victor."
Luxury cruise line Regent Seven Seas Cruises is offering nearly half-off trips around the world for next year.
From #BookTok to celebrity book clubs to high-profile literary film adaptations, it's safe to say that reading hasn't been this cool in years. So it's not a big surprise that our favorite nerdy pastime has also begun to seep into the world of nightlife.
Waiting in a rental car line is high on my list of things I try to avoid after a flight. This was confirmed on a recent trip to Washington when I saw hectic crowds squeezing around the construction at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. This time around, I avoided them all with Kyte, a rental car company started in 2020 that delivers cars right to you or offers pick-ups and drop-offs at lots near select airports.
There are two types of train trip: The long, slow, and often luxurious train journey that takes you through beautiful scenery that you book specifically to spend time on the rails; and the speedy, no-nonsense, cheap train ride you take to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. In the first category, you’ll find grand trips like Australia’s The Ghan, South Africa’s Blue Train, and Britain’s Caledonian Sleeper. In the second, there are trips from London to Brussels in just two hours, from Rome to Venice in four hours, and from Miami to Orlando in three hours. And if you’re a train traveler who belongs to the second category and likes getting places fast without flying, there are plenty of trains in this world that do just that at speeds previously unimaginable on land, including the fastest train in the world and its closest competitors.
If you’re planning a trip to Denmark, Italy, or the United Kingdom, the U.S. State Department urges you to exercise increased caution. In September, these popular European vacation destinations had their warning levels elevated due to the risk of potential terrorist attacks.
My husband and I went on a 10-day luxury African safari trip for our big summer vacation.
Breeze Airways is launching its first-ever service from one of the major airports in the Washington D.C. area — and planning four new routes in the process.
I was chest-deep in bathwater, listening to the sound of soapy foam popping. I'd timed the moment so that when the clock struck midnight — and I turned 40 — I'd be soaking in a bubble bath on the coast of Algeria. I needed an elegant backdrop as I stared my future in the face.
Sure, Edinburgh has the castle atop the Royal Mile, but the often-overlooked Glasgow is just as fun, less crowded, equally beautiful, and offers plenty to do for families.
For cruisers in the mid-Atlantic states who don't want to take a plane before embarking on their itinerary, the cruise terminal in the Port of Baltimore is an incredibly convenient place to begin your journey. But if you are flying, it's also only a 15-minute drive from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). According to data from the Maryland government, in 2023 more than 440,000 passengers departed from the Port of Baltimore.
Sep 13, 2024 • 8 min read