Travel buff Ishan Gupta's bucket list includes a trip to Nordic countries & Antarctica

Ishan Gupta, MD of Udacity India, says the most enduring relationships are the ones built on solo vacations.

Learner’s licence
“As the recipient of a scholarship, I was able to save just enough money to travel across the United Kingdom for a few weeks in 2004. It was an amazing experience. I stayed in student hostels, which introduced me to people from different nationalities. After two months in the UK, I knew I loved solo travel as much as I loved travelling with friends and family. Solo travel teaches one to spend quality time with yourself, and to find joy in your own company.”

Into the woods

“Once, when I was vacationing in Germany with my wife, we thought of going for a long drive with no destination in mind. We asked someone and learnt that we had almost reached the Black Forest. We decided to drive towards it and suddenly, we were in the middle of pitch-dark woods. The serenity of the place took me by surprise. We didn’t realise it then, but we had come a long way. With no place to sleep, we had to knock on the doors of a few houses in a nearby village. Thankfully, they were kind enough to host us for the night.”

No direction home
“It’s fun and thrilling to travel without a destination. When you don’t know what the destination looks like, you enjoy the journey more. You’re constantly intrigued, and often get surprised by what the destination might offer. It’s like the feeling of accomplishment at the end of a journey.”



Long-haul friendships
“When I was studying at Stanford, I went on a road trip to Los Angeles on the Thanksgiving weekend. It was my first Thanksgiving in the US and I did not have many friends till then. But on that short trip, I made friends for life. I think it’s easier to communicate when two people are out of their comfort zones. That’s what travel does to you.”

Seaside sojourn
“Cinque Terre in Italy is one of my favourite spots, for the amazing coastline that each of the five towns have. The five towns are a perfect mix of stunning mountains, rugged coasts and perfectly preserved exquisite Italian architecture. I would also love to visit South Island in New Zealand over and over again, simply for its pristine lakes and mountains. I went there in 2016 and I think it’s time to go back. I just can’t get enough of the place.”

Bucket list
“My most recent trip was a family vacation in San Francisco. I like places that offer a mix of natural beauty, long drives and new cuisines. Any place that offers these can be a holiday destination for me. While I have been fortunate to have crossed off many destinations on my bucketlist, I would love to travel across the Nordic countries and see the Northern Lights. An expedition to Antarctica is also on the list. I hope to do it some day.”