The Story of an Indian Backpacker: Solo in South America

Download or read book The Story of an Indian Backpacker: Solo in South America written by Obaidur Rahaman and published by . This book was released on 2015-12-15 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: INDIAN BACKPACKER? A common reaction to the juxtaposition of these two words is "no such thing exists". Are you tired of reading the typical accounts of Western travelers? Do you want to know what it means to go to the other side of the world for an Eastern traveler? Are you afraid of traveling alone? If any of your answers to the questions above is yes then this is the perfect book for you. Obaidur Rahaman, a native of India, starts reflecting on the "why am I unhappy?" question while pursuing his scientific career in Paris. After several months of self analysis he tracks it down to being afraid due to a lifelong conditioning of a conservative society. Convinced that the best way to overcome a fear is to face it, he chooses to face one of his fears, the fear of travelling alone. Soon after Obaidur embarks on a solo journey in South America. As the story unfolds it becomes clear that this is not going to be a typical story of a western backpacker. There are limitations and perils of travelling with an Indian passport. As he continues with his journey, he passionately explores the history, culture, and natural beauty of South America while constantly struggling with dilemmas, overestimated problems and occasional panic attacks. But he never loses heart, learns from his mistakes and keeps walking on his uncertain, unforeseeable, ever changing path. But what happens when he gets stranded in the Amazon unable to get the visa to cross the border? What happens when he is expected to give a talk in Spanish in front of a class full of Portuguese-speaking students. What happens when he gets caught up into a storm while boating alone in a lake infested by caimans (crocodilians) and piranhas?