Home is where my suitcase is!

AdventureTour amp tasteRelaxingEducationalAncient amp historicalMoving from one city to another and surviving on bare essentials is the perfect sojourn for singersongwriter Amanda Sodhi A Washington resident Sodhi moved to Los Angeles and later to Mumbai and Kolkata but it was at the fag end of 2020 that she decided that she was done striking temporary roots without knowing which place shersquod like to call home She put the furniture at her Kolkata residence up for sale downsized her belongings to one suitcase and began a new journey to discover lsquohomersquoSodhi who enjoys travelling solo says she first travelled alone when she was 24 and visited the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas Her friends were busy and no one was available to accompany her It was liberating enough for Sodhi to say everyone must travel solo once in their lifetime because it is empowering a lesson in independence and helps you learn to get out of tricky situationsRoss Island AndamanldquoThe realisation that I needed to find out what lsquohomersquo meant came when I was sitting alone in a shikara on Dal Lake in Srinagar during the Diwali of 2020 I thought why do I need to stay put in one place Why not live and explore different cities until I find a place that feels like homerdquo Sodhi tells midday from Srinagar where shersquos currently put up She titled the experiment Twelve Steps to Home and decided she would not just experience but document too Sodhi has decided to release a single or music video with footage from the places she has visited once her journey winds upHer first stop was Hyderabad and since then she has moved from the Andamans to Ooty Manali Imphal Puri Chandigarh Delhi and has stayed at various places in Kerala and KashmirldquoManali Manipur and the Andaman Islands were always on my bucket list Although I had already visited Srinagar Hyderabad Ooty and parts of Kerala earlier I wanted to spend more time there Chandigarh Delhi and Puri were not on my initial list I spent a few days in Coimbatore Kolkata and Hampi as wellrdquo Sodhi adds ldquoI have made some amazing friends A group of locals in the Andamans took me to some incredible places In Hyderabad I reconnected with old friends and made new ones I was also invited by a resort in Kerala to stay in a tree house bang in the middle of a forestrdquoAharball Waterfalls KashmirHowever itrsquos not all rosy In Kerala she had to negotiate a filthy hostel In the Andamans she didnrsquot have access to clean drinking water or WiFi And in Srinagar she was stalked by a man who followed her to the homestay where she was put up ldquoI eventually had to report him to the policerdquo says Sodhi who insists though that India isnrsquot dangerous ldquoI have never felt like my life was in danger but yes eveteasing is a realityrdquoSodhi tells us about a footinmouth moment in Puri Orissa ldquoI had no idea that elderly women usually wear sarees without a blouse in the warmer months Presuming that they were underprivileged I tried to donate something to one of them and she was offended I looked around and realised that dressing this way was the norm EmbarrassmentrdquoSodhi says she tries to keep her budget in check by finding accommodation on Airbnb where most hosts are happy to extend monthly discounts Her average monthly rent ranges from Rs 7000 to Rs 15000 with all meals included or kitchen access She takes a flight to cover a long distance and an AC bus if the drive is under 10 hours ldquoOnce I get to a place I use public transportation as much as possible to stay within budget Last year I was lucky since many locals showed me around too Itrsquos nice to see a destination through the eyes of someone who knows a place insideoutrdquoOver a year into the travels she is no longer pushing herself to move to a new place every month It can get both physically exhausting and mentally draining This year she plans to divide her time between Hyderabad Srinagar and DelhiWhat to do inHyderabadraquothinspExperience the magic of qawwali on a Thursday at night at Yousufain DargahraquothinspWalk through the Sunday book market at AbidsraquothinspEnjoy a cup of chai against the backdrop of the Charminar raquothinspKhajaguda Hills is the perfect uncrowded place to experience the city at night or at sunriseAndamanraquothinspHave a Bambi moment at Ross Island if you love deerraquothinspGo to Khurmadera beach itrsquos one of the most tranquil in IndiaraquothinspTry your hand at snorkelling if yoursquove never done itSrinagarraquothinspWitness the magical Dal Lake come to life early in the morning with the floating market Take a trip to Pampore to see the saffron growers at workraquothinspArqEGulab is a 500yearold shop in downtown Srinagar where you feel like you are time travelling If yoursquore a history buff explore the ancient ruins in Martand and AwantiporaraquothinspThe prettiest views are at Pari Mahal and Hari ParbatraquothinspFind someone who can take you for a day trip to the Golf Coursemdashitrsquos vast and gorgeousKeralaraquothinspStay in the tree house at Vythiri Resort when yoursquore in Wayanad and feel like an adventureraquothinspExplore the Alleppey backwaters with the locals by taking a public ferryOoty CoonoorraquothinspFind someone who can sneak you into Korakundah Tea EstateraquothinspA cup of tea at Fernhill Palace is a rare royal experienceWant to hear from youWe are looking to visit and write about interesting places of stay and travel near and far If you wish to host us for a fair engaging experience review write to us at smdmailmiddaycomWhat to eat and whereSrinagar Nnadru pakoras haak warimuth masala lavasa kehwa and nun chaai The makki ki roti made in ghee on the way to Doodhpathri is deliciousImphal Pakoras made with chivesDelhi Potatocheese momos at Majnu Ka Tila gooey jalebi at Dariba in Chandini ChowkCoonoor The cheese at Acres Wild They also run cheesemaking courses for those who stay there