Meet Rachita Saxena

Humble Journey

Hello, I am Rachita Saxena (Meanderandwander), a 26-year old dreamer. I am an IT Engineer who worked for 3 years in an IT firm and then quit her job in 2018 to travel full time.

Why Did I Start Traveling?

Well, as a kid I read a lot of books and watched a lot of movies. And every time I would lay my eyes upon a new destination, I would dream about visiting that place. The dream started with Disneyland as I am a huge Disney fan. But now, I wish to travel the whole world, meet new people, and learn about different cultures.

Earlier, I used to travel for the destinations but now I travel for the experience as well.

 

Who Funds My Trips?

No one apart from me. I saved some money while working in my full-time job and now I freelance as a travel blogger and content writer. I don’t have a rich family or a boyfriend, all my trips happen with my own hard-earned money.

Why Did I Quit My Job?

I am not one of those people who suddenly decided to quit the job. In fact, I always planned to quit my job after 3-4 years of working. And this decision was made in the 3rd year of my college. So, I knew what I was doing and I knew the risks involved with quitting my job.

But I am also a person who cannot do something she doesn’t love. So, even though it is a hard road, I have chosen to make the most of my decision.

 

Is Travel Blogging life easy?

No.

A lot of people think that making a career in traveling or blogging is easy but it is not. A lot of it is on luck and hard work. And it takes at least 4-5 years to make a decent living out of blogging in India. Plus, you need to love writing because if you don’t, you will have a hard time blogging about it.

What Has Been My Favorite Destination so Far?

Honestly, I can never answer this because each destination is different and unique. So, I don’t feel right about comparing them to each other.

But there are a couple of places which feel like home to me. And I am sure that I will return to them again soon enough.

Here are a few places which make me feel like returning soon:

  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Phong Nha Ke Bang, Vietnam
  • Alleppey, Kerala
  • Cambodia
  • Mauritius 

My Best Experiences So Far

Here are a few favorite travel experiences of mine which make me want to keep traveling.

  1. In 2016, I went on my first international trip to Malaysia and it was one of the most amazing experience. Malaysia is a colorful country and I do wish to return there as well.
  1. In 2017, I went on my first solo trip to Matheran and was sent to the police station for the same. It was a little scary moment but everything turned out fine when I told them I am not suicidal, I am just traveling alone.

  1. In 2017, I went on my first 2-week solo trip to Kerala as well. I hadn’t planned to stay 2 weeks in Kerala, in fact, it was just a weekend trip to Munnar. But I met another solo travel who was also a digital nomad over there. She invited me to accompany her to Alleppey and well, rest is history. I ended up going to Alleppey, Varkala, Kovalam, and Kochi as well.
  1. In the same year, I also went on my first solo international trip to Cambodia for my birthday. I used to cycle for 50 km every day as I didn’t have a license or knew how to ride a scooty. But cycling around Cambodia was pretty amazing.
  1. In Cambodia, I also had my first bonfire party on a beach where we roasted marshmallows. And all of us were strangers. We also saw the planktons shine in the water here which was another amazing moment. Also, I was also able to experience a sea storm here while we were in the middle of the ocean.
  1. In October 2017, I had my first Couchsurfing experience in Sri Lanka. And it turned out to be a lot of fun. I met a palm reader, boxer, and an Italian embassy official. They all had amazing stories to tell and I learned a lot by talking to them.
  1. In December 2017, I went with my friends to Gokarna and we weren’t allowed to enter our rooms after 10 p.m. So, we got a bedsheet and stayed outside for some time until the owners fell asleep. It was a full moon night and the entire beach was lit up with the moonlight. We identified some constellations and I loved watching the waves while being surrounded by people I love.
  1. In March 2018, I quit my job and it was both a scary and freeing feeling.
  1. In May 2018, I headed to one of the most beautiful islands in the world, Seychelles, alone. I stayed with a local there and he showed me the real side of Seychelles. I also met other solo travelers here from Germany, Poland, Singapore, etc. and each one had something new to share.

  1. My favorite memory of Seychelles is the night we cycled around La Digue island at night. It was a full moon night again and there was no one out apart from me and two fellow travelers.
  1. After Seychelles, I headed to Mauritius and stayed at a Couchsurfing host’s place. He was one of the sweetest people I have ever met and we talked a lot about our hopes and dreams. From his beach bungalow, I watched the moonrise from the ocean and it was one of the most magical nights ever.
  1. In July 2018, I went on my first solo trek to one of my most awaited places: Valley of Flowers. I met so many solo trekkers on the way and talked to a lot of people heading to Hemkund Sahib as well. Staying in Gurudwaras was also an amazing experience and I felt so humbled on this entire trek.

There are several more memories which I cherish a lot but I haven’t penned down. But I do remember them as clearly as if they happened yesterday. 

My Checked Off Bucket-List So Far

Here are a few things which I have already ticked off my bucket list so far

I plan to make more memories in the coming year. Hopefully, you guys will too. After all, if we don’t live our life to the fullest, who will?

Things Left on My Bucket List

Although I have a huge bucket list, here are a few things that I wish to accomplish in the next 5 years.

  • Sky Diving
  • Become a Certified Scuba Diver
  • Visit Disneyland in Florida
  • Road Trip to SE Asia
  • Visit the Harry Potter Museum in London
  • Road Trip to Central Asia