TRAVERSE Issue 44 - October 2024 | Page 68

TRAVERSE 68
night . Friendships are immediately formed with the greatest smile and glint in the eye .
Although a small state with short distances , riding Uttarakhand takes time , there ’ s plenty to explore which often leads to conversation over a chai . The small communities are welcoming , the inhabitants undeniably are more interested in talking about your world , rather you , about theirs , a happy medium is needed and often found .
If time is short then there always Rishikesh , the self-proclaimed yoga capital of the world . One of India ’ s major tourism cities , Rishikesh seems to be a melting pot of everything that epitomises India , the people , the history , the cultures , all with a heavy slant on the tourism dollar . It ’ s a story for another time .
The one thing about riding Uttarakhand is that you will soon discover is that beauty is superficial , something dreamt up by makeup companies and fashion magazines , for true beauty is how you slip through the world , with a smile in your heart , open to experiences that are vastly different to your norm , and people who are wonderfully accommodating and friendly , a people who find it natural to look beautiful . LW
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