Traveller of the Week: Anand Soundarya

For a boy born in a small town in India, travel seemed like a faraway dream, but our traveller of the week, Anand Soundarya, never stopped dreaming and now he is a true world traveller. He’s trotted the globe from Bali to Thailand, from Italy to Spain.

Anand chats with us about what motivates him to travel, his greatest takeaways, and where he’s headed next.

Flytographer Marta in Venice

5 Questions with Anand

What do you love most about travel?
The feeling of fulfillment in making it to your destinations in a country/city, in trusting your discernment and intuitions for every twist, and that sense of strength and independence when you are travelling by yourself. I love this sense of accomplishment for myself. And did I also mention that you get “resfeber” at its finest? The restless beating of your heart before the journey with a mixture of excitement, anticipation and a little anxiety.

What’s the most memorable trip that you’ve taken?
This is the most difficult question. Each of the destinations, whether it is Japan, Amsterdam, Belgium, Bali, Seoul, Taipei, Thailand, the list goes on…are all memorable for me. I can talk endlessly about each one of them. If I really need to pick one, it would be Amsterdam where I travelled early this year.

Any advice for solo travellers?
Yes, please do an extensive research of a place before the trip. A good way to reduce the anxiety is to prepare a plan so you won’t feel lost and worried. I will not say plan every hour (leave some for serendipity), but do a study of the travel destination blogs. It really, really helps. And yes, a GPS (pocket Wi-Fi) is an important device to be carried.

What inspires you to travel? What are your biggest takeaways from your trips?
Believe it or not, I did not travel when I was growing up. I had dreams of seeing the world, tasting world cuisines, but this was most likely unattainable for a boy born in a small city in India. So, it is my dreams which inspire me to travel, to learn more, to see more and accept more.

When I see so many different perspectives around the world, my belief is that it is ok to stand out and accept a little more from life. Embrace the challenges and mindset change, it makes you fulfilled as a person. The stories I come across and the connections which happen along the journey inspire me to keep travelling. And most importantly, learn to believe in your guts when you are in doubt, it seems to already know the answer. I really thank god for giving me the vigour and ability to travel.

Where are you planning to travel next?
I am already in my trip to Italy. I head to Venice and Milan this week. During Christmas, I have booked a trip to Spain (Barcelona, Seville and Madrid).

“I had dreams of seeing the world, but this was most likely unattainable for a boy born in a small city in India. So, it is my dreams which inspire me to travel, to learn more, to see more and accept more.” – Anand