Outlook Money OLM December 2017 Issue | Page 71

Name: Pranav Lal Age: 38 Occupation: Writer, Photographer, Cyber Security Specialist Photo: gireesh gv medium and wanted to express myself through my photography and writing. It challenges me and helps me push myself. With Planet Abled, I have gone on heritage walks within the city and experienced history in forts and old world architecture like never before. I also make new friends and just hang out and chit-chat with them. I have expressed my wish to Neha about visiting shipyards in India so I can learn about ships.’’ The uniqueness of Planet Abled lies in its diversity when it comes to clients it caters to. Unlike most other travel service models across the world, where people with disabilities are usually clubbed together with only their own section, let us say, blind groups or groups of children with autism, but at Planet Abled, everyone is welcome to interact with each other on trips so they develop a sense of camaraderie without even realising. They encourage mixed group interactions, making the whole experience unique. Rahul Rawal, 34, is an operations manager with AON and has been wheelchair-bound since childhood. He went on several heritage walks with Planet Abled, before going on a solo trip to Rishikesh last year with aid from Planet Abled. “A couple of years ago, I was looking Experience: Lal has a love for parks and forts of Delhi and visits them with the help of Planet Abled. Plans to visit shipyards in India and Planet Abled is gearing up to make it happen. I enjoy expressing myself through photography; travel has proved to be a vehicle for new visual experiences for travel packages online for people with disabilities and then I stumbled upon Planet Abled last year. I got in touch with Neha and the rest is history. I have always wanted to travel and I love to write during my spare time. I am wheelchair-bound and my family was very sceptical about letting me travel by myself, but Neha spoke to them personally and they have been very supportive and trusting. I plan to go to Goa sometime early next year with Planet Abled. I also want to visit Landour in Uttarakhand as I am a fan of Ruskin Bond’s work. To me travel is not just about enjoying a new place, it is also about experiencing a sense of self confidence of having done something great for my soul,” says Rahul Rawal. It is hard to quantify in words what these experiences can mean to everyone who are part of the inspiring Planet Abled journey. Neha likes to goof around and says, “Planet Abled is a travel company started by someone who has never travelled much.’’ All in all, this world is kaleidoscopic and made of myriad hues and nuances, with one better than the next. [email protected] www.outlookmoney.com December 2017 Outlook Money 69