Sudha Mahalingam is a gym obsessive at 70, which any other woman would not dare to do at her age. She is a free-spirited wanderer who favours trekking to destinations like the Everest base camp than temples or pilgrimages.
Sudha Mahalingam, a fearless adventurer and eager multitasker, feels that it is never too late to travel bravely and honestly. She goes to strange places with her rucksack and stays in youth hostels at the age of 70. Nothing, neither her job, marriage, or children, has kept her from pursuing her aspirations. Rather, she believes that these elements benefited her in her search.
Sudha was a child when her family went to Mahabalipuram and was taken aback by a gang of gipsies in their automobiles. She recalls wishing she could accompany them on their adventure. She presently holds six passports and has visited 65 countries. Sudha and her bureaucratic husband worked as journalists in Europe. Despite magnificent five-star hotels and well-planned visits, her childhood fantasy remained unfulfilled. “I wanted to explore locations in their raw and unadulterated beauty,” Sudha explains.
When she was in her mid-40s and had quit journalism, an opportunity knocked. She was hired by the Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis as an energy sector analyst. Travelling alone for business allowed her to start her long-awaited backpacking adventure. She travelled to numerous places as a bold daredevil on a shoestring budget. She has now compiled her experiences into a memoir, which includes details from her travels and misadventures. The book’s title is ‘The Travel Gods Must Be Crazy.’
There isn’t a place she hasn’t been, from Finland and Berlin to areas closer to home like Goa. Whether it was her first solo trip to Kailash Mansarovar in 1996, diving deep into the sea to see manta rays on Lady Elliot Island (the Great Barrier Reef’s southernmost coral cay), navigating terrorist crossfire with army personnel in Kashmir Valley, or trekking through the Borneo Forest in heavy rain. Whatever the case may be, she has travelled extensively. The list is long and never-ending. She has eagerly shared the majority of her trips and photographs on her blog.
“I arrived in Prague without a valid visa, was locked in an Iranian minaret, and was stranded in Kashmir valley during the height of the insurgency,” she recalled. She believes in packing light and prioritising comfortable shoes. The only constants in all of her excursions are her camera, tripod, and other requirements. She likes “actual travel,” as she calls it.
“You’ve been told your entire life what’s best for you, what you can and cannot do, and how certain regions are safe and others are not. Travelling allows you to put these preconceived notions and stereotypes to the test. It not only assists you in discovering yourself, but it also assists you in developing confidence and recognising your strengths. It teaches you to rely on your reserves and deal with difficult situations.Sudha took her first solo trip in 2003 and went to Kyrgyzstan. Ever since then, she has travelled to multiple destinations, and done various adventure activities too. Right from skydiving in Australia to trekking in Borneo and visiting as many as 16 cities only in India, her life is truly an inspiration. Sudha does not intend on slowing down. Ever since the lockdown has eased from last December, she has embarked upon several road trips.
“I don’t get scared of anything,” she says boldly. “I don’t imagine or anticipate bad things. I’m a bit too foolish in that sense.”
Discussion about this post