I have blogged for the last one and a half years.Learning how to write posts,edit,find images ,publish and promote. Itโs a journey which is fun , but all uphill!
I started blogging as an experiment. I knew nothing about blogging, entrepreneurship, marketing or online business.
I loved learning everything!
Afraid about how to grow ,I discovered the best community of multicultural friends online .
Internet is the best melting pot of friendship. People whom you have never met helping you in all possible ways.
Thatโs when I found my โwhyโ.
I knew one thing. I wanted to share my stories.Do my little bit.
What I read ,what I learn from the books,the blogs, people,podcasts,summits,newslettersโฆ.everything.
Sometimes about health wellness ,sometimes about entrepreneurship.
My goal is to ,try to help at least 1 person everyday through writing.
I am a โsupers skimmerโ, speed reader self-proclaimed voracious bookworm.
But like all hard-working moms in learning mode , I needed a break .
Thatโs where this post comes from.
WHY NATURE TRAVEL MAKES YOU HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL AND MORE CREATIVE
I actually got more stuff written after coming back , than ever before!
But thereโs a catch (there always is)!Hectic tours to shopping destinations, donโt give the same benefit.
[bctt tweet=โYou donโt choose the day you enter the world and you donโt chose the day you leave. Itโs what you do in between that makes all the difference.โ โ Anita Septimusโ username=โmisra_amritaโ]
THE VACATION STORYโฆ. FROM THE BEGINNING
I was planning a 7 day long trip to Kashmir with family.
The plan was for the summer vacation.
With less than a month to go to get from reservation and tickets, I decided to first try to get the reservation and then book my plane tickets.
Whenever I book hotels online I prefer doing my research for family-friendly hotels with certain criteria in mind. The most important. It should have garden, nature views.I am not a fan of hotels in bustling urban locations.
They have their own purpose and are helpful for business travelers. But useless if you plan to relax.
I feel claustrophobic if I have to stay anywhere without seeing plants.
โWhen preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money.โ โ Susan Heller
I had one main goal.Wanted to be somewhere where I could stare at trees, (I am a tree hugger) and my little girl could play.
So how exactly does travel among nature help you?
Being among natural surroundings watching the sun go down ,a river flowing helps your brain unwind .Imagine a spool of thread unraveling.Thatโs what happens to the coils of stress in your brain. The hectic pace of modern life increases and constantly overstresses your brain .The constant attention and focus that the brain needs for modern living makes you prone to depression, anxiety and mental Ill health. Just like your body ,brain needs a break,to rest and relax.
That what nature does.It decreases stress! Zero cost(except the cost to reach nature)zero discomfort 100%, pros no cons .Thatโs Nature therapy.
Once in a while you need to stop the hustle,slow down .Visit someplace where nature surrounds you. Nature makes your brain healthier ,happier and actually smarter.
After even small breaks among nature your performance will definitely improve.
Thatโs why I had visited the Hotel Himalaya House in Pahalgam.
Nestled among tree covered valleys and snow peaked mountains ,with a sparkling ,river dancing by ,this gateway to the Himalayas will relax you.
Even if you donโt do anything except sit in the garden you will come back refreshed.
Nature is kind .It knows how to heal.
16th-century German-Swiss physician,Paracelsus wrote, โThe art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician.โ
I zeroed in on the hotel with the most amazing view and beautiful environment.
Its health promoting ,family friendly .
I wrote to them about my interest in coming to their hotel and reviewing it ,as a family friendly healthy holiday destination
They agreed and my reservation happened without a hitch.
The hotelโs location is magical !
Surrounded by mountains on all sides with the Lidder river in front.
I am a nature lover.I love trees,flowers grass, plants ,mountains ,rushing streams, birds ,butterflies.Not fond of the scary stuff ,or roughing it!
It was idyllic..perfect. Nature helps relax your prefrontal cortex ,which is the brains big boss.This relaxation results in improved attention ,increased productivity and enhanced creative thinking.
โYou donโt choose the day you enter the world and you donโt chose the day you leave. Itโs what you do in between that makes all the difference.โ โ Anita Septimus
The pros of the hotel
- Location, Location ,Location
- Wonderful view
- Beautiful well cared for garden and the rushing riverโฆmagical!
- Rooms are very comfortable and beds with electric blankets, to make you sleep like a baby!
- Good ,prompt smiling service .
- Child friendly.
They were very kind to arrange oats porridge and other things as needed for my little girl ,every time I wanted.
The manager Mr.Iqbal and all the staff, were especially gracious.
Kashmir doesnโt allow prepaid phone connections .As all our mobile and wi-fi was on a prepaid connection ,it was a surprise total disconnect from all telecommunications .Itโs better to have postpaid phone with you if you travel to Kashmir.
No phones ,no laptops no staring at digital screens.Soaking in nature through our eyes ,ears, nose and skin made our brain very happy.
You just donโt travel physically ,itโs also a sensory journey!
The cons.
Throughout our entire stay of 3 nights and 2 and a half days our mind was in a state of bliss.
In order to give an honest feedback (which is the most important thing for you my dear readers)
I have to tell about 2 things which interrupted our garden of Eden stay .
- Short circuit of the electric blanket in the room shared by my mom and sis.
Not on the menu ingredient, in a pulao dish.
To the credit of the hotel management,they reacted very promptly to both the issues and made suitable amends.
Apparently entire Pahalgam has a wi-fi connectivity problem.Thatโs a good thing if you are on a vacation. But a bad thing if you have urgent need of the Internet.
Thatโs the main reason I have decided not to immediately move to Pahalgam ,open my clinic and work on my blog sitting next to the Lidder river .
Kashmir is beautiful.
The people are beautiful.
Our stay at the Hotel Himalaya House was magical(despite the minor hiccups )
Their weather and soul gives the people unique personalities which is evident in the way they interact.Nature definitely nurtures. The strife that we keep,seeing on Television was luckily not there, during the tourist season. My visit there made me introspect deeply about why heavenly beauty always has a high price to pay.
Shall. I be visiting again?
You bet! Since Kashmir govt doesnโt allow outsiders to buy property there.My plan is to rent or lease a cottage by the river after my retirement and write.
After all blogging is now my favourite side hustle!
Should you be visiting the Hotel Himalaya House in Pahalgam?
Definitely. Wonderful hospitality ,beautiful view. If you havenโt visited Pahalgam you have missed out on Godโs prettiest creation.
Take home message:Go visit Pahalgam!Do have a postpaid phone with you ,of you donโt want to be totally out of touch with reality!
โPerhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peopleโs cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.โ โ Maya Angelou
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Krista Dial says
This sounds like a very invigorating trip and the photos are absolutely beautiful! Iโve found the same to be true. There is something about getting away from electronics and the hustle and bustle of every day life to get out and enjoy nature to truly realize what priorities are in life. Looking forward to more of your blog posts about future nature travels! ๐
dramrita says
Yes thatโs the part that makes me love lifestyle designing which Tim Ferris talks about.If you canโt relax when you want to ,where you want to,whatโs the point?
Glad you liked the pics. I am not very good at taking pics for blog .But am learning????
Sondra Barker says
I love that saying by Susan Hellar and itโs so true. I always pack way to much clothes. Youโre trip looks lovely!
dramrita says
Hi Sondra
I used to do the same before I became a mommy.Now I forget to take my own clothes????
Melanie Frost says
That does look like a beautiful place! Your photos are gorgeous too. I would definitely like to go there some day.
dramrita says
Thanks Melanie
Jasmine Watts says
Love all the photos! It sounds like kind of great experience travelling among nature!
dramrita says
Yes.Its a great experience .Thanks for reading
Ana says
Iโm a beach person and loves to enjoy the little things in life as watching sunrise/sunset, fishes swimming in the pond or feeding ducks. I totally agree with Paracelsus that โThe art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician.โ Nature is surreal and Kashmir is paradise. Thanks for sharing this amazing post with us!
dramrita says
I love beaches too.I have a hard time deciding whether to go to the beach or mountains. But in India during summer holidays we love going to some place cool.So Pahalgam was perfect ???? Thanks for reading.I really appreciate your feedback.
Roxy says
Your photos are stunning. I totally agree that nature and travel are essential for health, wellness, and happiness. I travel as much and as often as I can!
dramrita says
Thanks a lot.You are very kind .I am glad you enjoyed the post.
Renata Pereira says
Sometimes all it takes is a step back so that you can see the big pictureโฆ And wow, that hotel you chose to relax is really nice! What a beautiful place! Love it!!!
dramrita says
Yes it was beautiful. You should definitely check it out when you get an opportunity ????
Raya Cordova says
Oh wow this is such an interesting read! Nature travels are my favorite kind ๐
dramrita says
Yes mine too.Thanks for reading.I
dramrita says
Yes mine too.Thanks for reading.
Sophia says
Nature does allow you to feel more calm and relaxed.
dramrita says
Thatโs actually my main aim with holidays .Thanks for reading
Izabela says
I agree with you that being among the nature can make you feel inspired. Whenever Iโm stucked for ideas, I go for a long walk in the park.
dramrita says
Thatโs the best way to get a shot of creativity instantly.I love going for walks in parks too????
Mardene Carr says
Nature travelling is really getting the best of both worlds. That is the best kind of travelโฆ.beautiful
dramrita says
Yes you are right.Best of both worlds