Piyush Pradhan: MY TRAVEL DIARIES
I met with a life altering critical accident, at an early age. That phase of my life made me evaluate the true worth of the people who love and care for me. I realized that I had done nothing significant and was always busy planning how to live life perfectly. I could see my entire life flash before my eyes in the hospital. They say you only live once (YOLO), but the fact is, you live every day but die only once. I want to die without having any regrets, and I learned that my life was a blessing in disguise, that friends are the family I chose, and I want to make most of it. My journey had started right after I had stepped out of the hospital—the journey to travel and explore the world, unravelling the magic hidden in plain sight, leaving a bit of me as I tread through and share my perspective to the world with photography.
It led me to the mountains, my second home. I love the idea of trekking as they inspire me to be more of myself, accenting the simplicity in minimalism. My trek to Stok Kangri had been a game-changer chapter in my life. It was challenging to chalk out my way. At one point after more than 12 hours of intense climbing, I thought I would die when I was almost 200 meters close to the summit. Conquering the summit, I realized how underrated living our life is, the breath we take, the ecstasy in tears of joy, how powerful the mind is in manifesting your will! All I learned that day was, “Everything is about mind over body.”
On a solo backpacking trip to explore Europe, I completed my pro-sky diving license in the south of France! It was one of the most significant achievements for me as I always wanted to fly, jump out of a plane, and feared heights. I remembered a friend of mine saying it’s impossible for me, but I guess the word itself spells out, “I M POSSIBLE” you just have to change your perspective; the experience was a victorious one as I lived my dream and conquered my fears.
I am claustrophobic, but I love scuba diving; it lets you melt away with the ocean. That was not always the case; while exploring Thailand, it took me 6 desperate attempts to overcome the anxiety, but you must live a life worth dying for this pushed me to outgrow my fear.
The Chaddar trek’s beauty is a mystery to none, on top of the Zanskar river in the lap of Leh, which was another challenging yet beautiful chapter in the book of my life. One night, during the trek with my best friends, we went outside the tent on a piercing cold night only to witness the heavenly sight of the Milky Way Galaxy, and I could see the beauty and immortality of this universe and its power vibing through me! All these chapters of my life until now have made me realize one significant thing that “We are all souls in growth, waking up!”