Once you spend time in a place and work hard at understanding the people and the culture it is only natural that you start to feel for local issues and use all your energy to find solutions. That’s how it was for me. I set up Grass Routes with the conviction that travel can inspire and empower. Not only travellers, but local communities too. This is what I mean by “taking responsibility for the greater impact of tourism”. Most companies focus solely on satisfying their clients. Grass Routes looks at the other side too. We educate local communities on what motivates people to travel so they not only understand something of the travellers ethos, but can share the benefits of cultural exchange. Once this basic level of understanding is reached we can enjoy mutually enriching travel experiences.

MTF: Out of all of India what is it about the remote region of Orissa that has led to you putting down roots there?

I have travelled throughout India and my favourite spots are always what some would call backwaters! I always find the remoter the place the better the natural surroundings and the bigger the heart of its people. In Orissa I found a compatible co-founder for Grass Routes with a travel philosophy similar to my own and a stirring passion for people.

MTF: You Co-Founded and Manage Grass Routes Journeys with a local Indian. How important do you think it is that local communities have this sort of close involvement with how tourism develops around their community?

Absolutely vital. Local communities need to be involved in tourism for tourism to work. This is what I talked about earlier and why I set up Grass Routes. Local communities must have a say in how they are represented, otherwise you end up perpetuating stereotypes and creating a greater divide. If we are to develop mutual understanding and respect between different cultures then we need to encourage open dialogue and active participation.

MTF: Why do you think it’s important for us to travel long distances and experience life in other areas of the world, and what do you think there is to gain?

Travelling to countries and experiencing cultures different from your own is necessary to understand what is going on in the world. I mean what is really going on away from the media hype. Travel should expand your horizons and get you out of your comfort zone, as much to learn about different thoughts and beliefs, as to rediscover your own.

MTF: How do you think more people would benefit from living closer to nature and having regular camping experiences?

Urban life is so removed from nature. We forget the natural rhythm of life. Camping is all about getting back to basics, appreciating our natural surroundings and letting our souls breathe. I think living closer to nature teaches us to listen, adapt and reconnect to the cycle of life.

Time to reflect

Camping outdoors, getting ‘back to basics’ and enjoying the raw purity of natural surroundings is one of the best ways to travel. It connects us to nature and allows us to reconnect to the natural cycle of life.

I was introduced to camping by my parents. They would take my sister and I during school holidays to National Parks Reserves throughout Australia. My father coordinating camping equipment, my mother making provisions for food. It wasn’t long before we operated as a smooth team; pitching the tent and organizing the site in record time. We would go for walks during the day. Swim in the river or ocean and return to camp at dusk to build a fire, cook diner and share stories until our eyelids drooped. It was during these times that I also learnt something of basic bush survival. Learning to read and understand the environment and respond accordingly.

There was a lapse of camping days during adolescence when camping with my parents wasn’t so cool. I began to camp again in India, when traveling to remote regions. Initially out of necessity as a lack of basic infrastructure calls for you to come prepared. But finally I chose to camp from preference. I enjoy being close to nature and furthermore enjoy the company of people who live close to nature. As much as I like the vibrancy of India’s urban centers, it is in the rural villages and remote regions that I feel a greater sense of calm and connectivity. To nature, her peoples and to myself.

Nature and Wildlife enthusiasts would sympathize with this and are themselves not strangers to camping. Neither are social anthropologists and ethnographers who often camp in remote regions to study ancient cultures. Our oldest cultures and indigenous peoples inhabit the most remote geographical regions. I am always amazed at the ability of Orissa’s indigenous communities to transform hostile landscapes into fertile settlements. I often camp in these regions to appreciate where and how these communities live, as much as to connect with the people.

The indigenous communities in Orissa are in step with nature’s cycle and the seasons of harvest. Giving in the to the rhythms of nature can be humbling and challenging. It is this spirit of cooperation that I most admire about Orissa’s indigenous peoples. And what I enjoy most about camping.

Camping is a great leveler. It strips people of their pretenses and allows their soul to breathe. In groups camping becomes about building teams. Living in close quarters with basic amenities cuts through the formalities of contrived social occasions and hits at the core of who we are. There is nothing like a campfire to unleash the storyteller amongst us!