Indians and the grey gap year: From solo travel to road trips, senior citizens are travelling more

In the middle of her solo trip to Mizoram last month, Geeta Garud, 69, had an epiphany. “I was on a narrow ledge, making my way behind a waterfall, trying out something I wouldn’t have in my younger years. And I realised how going solo was such a liberating experience!”

Before going on her week-long holiday, she was hesitant about travelling alone. Garud had asked friends and family but found no takers. Yet there she was, alone, relishing a challenging trek. “Why was I being dependent on others? Being alone gives you a sense of freedom.”

She ended up having many firsts. She danced impromptu at the Anthurium Festival in Reiek, waded into a river, and went horse riding. “I had opportunities to try horse riding when I was younger, but couldn’t work up the courage. This time I thought, if not now, I may never get another chance,” says Garud, who was an athlete in her youth and played cricket. She was at her farm in Kopargaon during the lockdown, and had felt stifled by the lack of social connections. It motivated her to travel as soon as things eased….