#TheBlindList- A Blind date with the world

I have a map of the world in my bedroom. Right above the bedpost, pasted on the lavender wall, and framed in fairly lights. There are pins on it, obviously, for all the beautiful places on all the diverse continents that I have set my foot on. But, if you see the pins, you will notice something. They are random, they do not follow the course of mighty mountains or raging rivers. They do not meander from one capital city to another; they are just, well, random.

Would you take a guess, why?

No clue, huh?

Okay, no problem. I will give you a hint. Have you ever played darts blindfolded?

The world map is my dartboard and the pins are my darts. Every time I feel like gifting myself a vacation, I tie a blindfold around my eyes and throw the pin onto the map. Then, I pack my bags and go wherever the pin lands.

It doesn’t matter if it is an obscure, nearly deserted but highly picturesque island in the middle of the ocean, or a congregation of noisy, vibrant, colorful, throbbing crowds basking in their joie de vivre on famous Parisian streets. The world literally becomes my oyster and the journey, without exception, a rich blend of thrill, adventure, interesting encounters, insightful conversations and loads of learning.

People have a ‘bucket list’ but I have a ‘blind list.’ My list writes itself, like destiny. I have no control over it. In that sense, exploring the world is a unique combination of blind dating and meditation for me. Just like blind dates with people, a blind date with the world is an opportunity to discover and fall in love. Again and again and again. You never know what’s in store for you and it can either be the best thing to happen to you or it can make you run for your life. 

Either way, you just need to go with the flow, not plan things, and only focus on immersing yourself in the experience. This way, you come out better, stronger and closer to your own self, mindful of your own likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses in the process.

For example, I have been a street vendor, selling local delicacies on the highway, in a South American village. I have been an English teacher in the south of France. I have tended tables and drinks in quiet Danish pubs and I have rowed boats to ferry people from one bank to another in Vietnam.

This is why I do what I do, because travelling this way opens me up to a million possibilities. I can be any and every thing I wish to be and I can push my boundaries to align with those of the countries that I visit. I can be fluid like the brooks that flow through deep gorges. I can be expansive, accommodative. I can absorb and I can assimilate, and ultimately, as my world-exploration turns to self-exploration, I can grow.

Just as every human being is made of complex nuances and irreplaceable quirks and characteristics that make them who they are, the world is made up of billions of shades too. And I am not happy with just one corner of it, just one hue of it, just one aspect of its mind-boggling enormity and variety.

I want every trickling stream,
I want every star that beams.
I want ocean waves against cliffs,
I want seagull wings.
I want every spring flower,
I want every autumn shower.
I want the world, now
because once, I fell in love with it.

So, no matter how contrary it sounds, plan an unplanned trip today. Let your destiny charter the course of your travels. Pick up a book lying next to you. Or a newspaper. Close your eyes. Turn to a random page. See what number it is. Check the list of countries in the world. Pick the country whose serial number in the list matches your page number. Book a flight. Get your visa. Pack your bags. And just go. 

#SayYesToTheWorld

Or if you don’t like this idea, well, you could always play darts. Blindfolded 😉