After this trip, I noticed something about the way I travel.
In some places, I felt like I was just moving from one place to another, trying to cover everything we planned. But in some places, I slowed down without even realizing it — and those moments stayed with me the most.
That’s when I understood that I enjoy traveling slowly, experiencing a place, rather than just visiting it. This trip made me see the difference between rushed travel and slow travel very clearly.
What Rushed Travel Felt Like:
Since we had limited time to cover all the places we planned, we were constantly moving from one temple to another, trying to tick everything off our list.
I really wanted to spend more time in Ujjain and Omkareshwar. I’ve shared my full experience of Ujjain and Omkareshwar here → Read my Ujjain and Omkareshwar experience . I wanted to experience those places instead of just moving through them. We did visit all the temples we planned, but I still didn’t feel satisfied.
We were also tired most of the time because we didn’t get proper sleep and were continuously traveling and visiting temples. I couldn’t feel present in the moment. It felt like we were finishing one place just to go to the next.
Even after coming back home and reflecting, I realized something — I remember that I went to those places, but I don’t remember how they made me feel.
We were in such a hurry that I can’t even clearly remember the presence of the deity in a particular temple, even though we visited 7–8 temples in a day.
What Slow Travel Felt Like:
Maheshwar was completely different. You can read my full Maheshwar experience here → Read my Maheshwar travel experience
We had half a day there, and we didn’t feel the need to rush or tick off places. That made all the difference.
This was my favorite and most memorable part of the trip.
Even after months, I can clearly tell what I saw and how I felt there.
Sitting on the banks of the Narmada River without thinking about the next place made me feel fully present. I enjoyed watching people having picnics, taking photos, and going on boat rides. It made me feel happy in a very simple way.
I also had time to just sit and observe the temple architecture and appreciate the work that went into building it.
And something unexpected — I actually enjoyed shopping for the first time in my life while buying sarees for my mom.
I loved the feeling of being present and doing what I felt like, without constantly thinking about what comes next.
What I Realized About Myself:
This trip made me realize that I am not a checklist traveler. I also shared all my learnings from this trip here → Read Here
I don’t enjoy traveling when everything is rushed and planned tightly. But I enjoy it deeply when I travel slowly, without a strict agenda for the day.
I like taking the essence of a place with me.
I loved Maheshwar so much that I want to go back again and spend at least 2 days there — watching the sunrise and sunset by the Narmada River.
I think I am someone who doesn’t just like visiting places, but someone who wants to experience them deeply.
Why Slow Travel Feels More Meaningful:
When I traveled slowly, I could enjoy every moment fully.
I have strong and clear memories of Maheshwar — not just what I saw, but how I felt.
I didn’t feel the pressure of completing a list of places. I wasn’t checking notes to see what was left for the day.
Instead, I felt a deeper connection with the place.
I could understand my emotions in that moment, and I could feel them clearly. And I think moments that are felt deeply stay with us longer.
Will I Always Travel This Way?
I don’t know.
There will always be a list of places we want to visit when we travel, and sometimes time will be limited.
But now, I know that I want to give some time to each place — at least enough to experience it.
If I feel connected to a place, I would love to extend my stay instead of rushing through it.
Conclusion:
This trip didn’t just show me different places — it showed me how I like to experience them.
I may still plan trips with multiple destinations, but now I understand the importance of slowing down.
Not every place needs to be rushed.
Some places deserve to be felt.
And I think, from now on, I want my travels to be less about how many places I visit… and more about how deeply I experience them.