Each one of us has a place or thing which provides us solace and helps us escape from the dull routine of our daily lives. For Debasmita Dasgupta it is travel. “I can travel alone whenever needed, sometimes to escape from the real world I run away somewhere close to mother nature” she says.
Debasmita Dasgupta is a data scientist and a travel enthusiast. In her interview with Storiyaan, she shares with us some of her traveling experiences and advice for solo trips for women. She delves into her dreams and passions and leaves us all wondering about the exotic locations spread all over the world.
Interview
Questions and answers
People often tend to be dreamers and not doers. What kept you motivated to grind for your dream job?
I wanted to do something that really matters. I have had faith in myself and believed that I will make it and not give up even if it takes years. Today, my work doesn’t feel like work anymore. I am doing what I’m good at and I love it.
The IT sector is known for its cut-throat competitiveness and long working hours. How do you manage to balance your love for traveling and your job?
When I am given a project or an assignment I prefer to work overtime and complete it days before the deadline. This way I can get some days off and I can take out time for my traveling. I also carry my laptop with me in case there is an emergency and I need to work.
What drew you to take up travel consultancy and how is it panning out for you?
Taking up travel consultancy was just like a hobby, or something I would like to experiment with. There were no goals to be achieved here. But now, since I have made this I will continue blogging. It doesn’t matter how many views I get because I enjoy doing it and it is all that matters.
Apart from beaches, you have also explored mountains and have undertaken monsoon treks. Tell us about your most daunting feat.
While trekking a waterfall, me and my friends took a jeep safari and the ride was so bumpy that we felt our intestines were moving inside our body. After getting down from the vehicle, we had to trek down to the waterfalls and I slipped and landed on a big rock. Till today I have that lower back issue and it’s been two years now.
The motto of Travel to Tan is to “Travel with no regrets!” But was there any moment in your journeys when you hit a major glitch and regretted it?
I have never associated traveling with regret. Even if I am broke, I somehow manage my finances and travel. But once, when I was in the Maldives, I saw a few people using drones to capture the bird’s eye views. I regretted not having one because I would have loved to get a glimpse from that view.
What does it take to get the perfect click for your pictures? Do you have a shooting crew that helps you?
I am very particular about my pictures but I don’t have a shooting crew with me. I explain to the person, with whoever I am traveling, in detail about the way I want my pictures to be clicked and also click their pictures in the same way to give them an idea.
What are the challenges you have to face as a female traveller when you take a solo trip?
Traveling solo changed my life and is the single greatest gift I’ve ever given myself. Like me, many women will find solo travel to be empowering, enjoyable, and a wonderful experience. Challenges were the stares, choosing to dress decently especially at night time, booking that first ticket all by yourself is itself a challenge.