It’s January and most of us have already made a bucket list of our travel plans for the entire year. I am constantly on the look out for travel inspiration and spend hours scouring Instagram for pictures of places that I want to explore. It was yesterday that I went on one of my scroll-binge sessions and stumbled upon model and actor, Sahil Salathia‘s recent Egyptian adventure. It looks amazing and it’s making me put the destination at the top of my wish-list. So, of course, I had to get in touch with him and find out more about the trip and his travel experiences over the years.
Here’s how our conversation went:
1. Can you describe your travel experience in one line?
I know it might sound a little cliche but travel is something that sets a person free. That’s what I can say from my experience – Every time you go to a new country or a city, it adds something to your personality because you learn something from their culture and people, cuisine or a new language. It adds a new dimension to your personality because you learn so much from travelling.
2. What do you love the most about travelling?
Every country is a new chapter in your travel book. Every chapter is connected to the other and yet they’re all unique. The people in every country are different in their way of living, their choice of cuisine, their outlook towards life. That’s what I love about travelling because you add something to yourself each time.
3. One location that you absolutely loved from one of your recent trips?
New York is my all time favourite but if you have to ask from my latest trip, it has to be Cape Town in South Africa. It’s so so beautiful, it’s almost mind boggling. One must get to Cape Town once in their life at least.
4. If you were stranded in a desert, who would you want to be stuck with?
To be honest, it sounds boring but my family. I am very close to them. My little sister Pritika and my mom dad. If I get stranded with them life would be much easier because we’re all very dependent on each other. Unfortunately, I am single right now but when I do mingle, it will be that girl who I would want to be stranded with. She’ll have to bear me there. (laughs)
5. Which is the next place that you want to travel to?
Japan, for sure. In fact, Japan has been on my list forever and I think it is time to tick it off my bucket list. I want to go to Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. These three for sure.
6. Which is the one travel memory that you will never forget?
It’s definitely the first time I went deep-sea diving in the Maldives. That is something I’ll never forget because it’s so quiet under that top layer of the sea. Serene is how I would describe it because it is so peaceful and everything is a painting. I mean like, Picasso, it’s that beautiful.
7. What are the five packing hacks that you use?
I am pretty last minute when it comes to packing. But the hacks I use are:
– Always carry a couple of extra t-shirts and jeans in case you drop something on one or lose it.
– Make sure you have your accessories. For instance your watch and cap or something if it’s going to be sunny. Plus your sun block and shower essentials.
– Pack your shoes carefully, make sure to stuff them with socks or paper or something so they are in a good condition when you reach the destination.
– Don’t travel too light or too heavy. Find a balance, carry the things you really need and pack them nicely.
– And of course, always carry your swimming trunks or bathing suit for women. Because you never know when you might find a nice pool or take a dip into the ocean.
8. Do you like exploring new cuisines? Can you tell us any funny incident perhaps?
Of course, I love exploring new cuisines. My mom’s Punjabi and my dad’s from Jammu, he’s a Dogri. I have those genes, you know, we love food. I love Vietnamese food, it’s my favourite at the moment. Every time I visit a new place I like to try their cuisine and get the local flavour. I was in Hong Kong and even in Beijing they love eating these insects. I don’t eat too much meat, so when I tried the grasshoppers in Hong Kong and I couldn’t stop puking after that and my friends couldn’t stop making fun of me. If it works for you, great but it weirds me out.
9. If you could get a tattoo inspired by your recent trip, what would it be?
I wouldn’t get something just inspired by Egypt but I would get a globe with a man walking on it or basically around it because that’s how I feel travel should be. You need to feel each and every country you go to. You have to soak that energy in. I don’t wait it to be an airplane because when you’re walking you are actually taking time and exploring and adding bits to your personality.
10. Are you a planner or do you spontaneously decided which locations to visit?
I am little bit of both. Sometimes I am planner and other times I spontaneously take off. Like Japan has been on my plans for a long time while Egypt was quite spontaneous. You don’t always have to plan too much or do homework about a city or a place, sometimes you should just go for it and things will just fall into place.
11. Do you like solo trips or travelling with friends?
To be honest, I can’t differentiate but I think it is so important sometimes to just pack your bag and take off because you can’t always wait for everyone’s schedules to match. So whenever you get time just do it. Don’t hold your self back, the world can be a friendly place and you can make new friends wherever you go. Travelling with friends is also fun because they know you inside out too. They’re both different but fun experiences.
12. Most adventurous thing you’ve ever done on a vacation?
I sky-dived in Mauritius and it was insane. You go up 12,000 feet and you just jump out of the plane. It’s an insane feeling because you suddenly feel like a bird. You can’t put that experience exactly in words, only feel it.
13. What’s your one pet peeve about staying in hotels or strange places?
If it’s a hotel, sometimes you can never figure how to use the frickin’ shower. You don’t know how to set the temperature. It’s either too hot and you have A degree burns or it’s going to be so cold that you freeze!
I have always wanted to visit Egypt and just be as amazed by the pyramids in person as I have always been by them on the internet! Thanks to Sahil, I just might do that this year. The actor plans on visiting Japan soon and I can’t wait to get a glimpse of his next travel adventure.