Why I Started Saying Yes to More Adventures at 54 And Kept Going

By George Joseph | Guest Author

A 54-year-old’s honest account of five days in the land of clouds and how it quietly rewired everything.

For most of my working life, travel meant my annual trip, usually Goa or a hill station, sometimes a relaxed weekend getaway, or a quiet staycation when I just wanted to stay home and rest. I was comfortable with that routine. At least I believed I was.

Then my old friend Prashant called. No long discussion, just “Meghalaya. Five days. Let’s go.” I almost said no. At 54, I didn’t think I was the kind of person who would go looking for adventure travel anymore. But somehow, I said yes before I could overthink it. Next thing I knew, I was on a flight to Guwahati.

Prejudices At The Boarding Gate
Three Thousand Steps Into Something New
Dawki, And The Moment I Understood
What Changed After I Got Back
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Prejudices At The Boarding Gate

I’ll admit something now, it feels a bit naïve when I think about it today. I thought Meghalaya would be remote, difficult, maybe even uncomfortable for a group like ours. I imagined bad roads, language issues and very basic facilities. I was wrong.

The drive from Guwahati to Shillong changed that thinking slowly. Umiam Lake at sunset was calm in a way I didn’t expect. It didn’t feel like a “hard trip” at all. It felt peaceful. That was my first real step out of comfort zone.

The only small issue we had was in Cherrapunji, our hotel rooms got mixed up, and four of us were squeezed into a smaller setup than planned. Nothing dramatic but tiring after a long journey. We contacted Akbar Travels, who had done/managed our flights and hotel bookings, and to their credit, they sorted it out quickly and shifted us to a better accommodation nearby. It served as a reality check that good support matters when you’re far from home.

Three Thousand Steps Into Something New

The Nongriat trek was the day I will never forget. Three thousand stone steps going down into thick forest. And what goes down, must come back up.

Very early into the trek, I could feel my knees complaining. I slowed down. The younger ones in our group moved ahead, but I kept going at my own pace. There was no choice really, only one step at a time.

And then we reached the double-decker living root bridge.

I still find it hard to describe. Living roots, shaped over generations, crossing over clear water in the middle of a forest that felt untouched by time. I just sat there quietly for a while. That whole day of adventure travel came down to that one moment.

The climb back up was tougher than anything I expected. I was tired, sweating, questioning my decisions. But somewhere on that climb, I realized something simple, I kept going, there was no stopping. That alone gave me a kind of confidence I hadn’t felt in years. The quiet kind that stays with you.

Dawki, And The Moment I Understood

Dawki felt like another world. The Umngot River was so clear it almost didn’t look real. After the tough trek, sitting on that boat felt like floating in silence.

I remember thinking how I used to believe adventure travel was for younger people. People with fewer worries, lighter bodies, more energy. But Meghalaya was proving me wrong in a very gentle way.

I wasn’t just seeing places. I was slowly stepping out of my comfort zone again and again without even planning it. And strangely, I didn’t dislike it.

We booked flights and hotels through Akbar Travels. For a trip like this, where you are constantly moving between Shillong, Cherrapunji, and Dawki, having someone manage the basics makes life easier. You don’t realize it until something goes slightly off schedule.

What Changed After I Got Back

It’s been some time since we returned, but I can feel small changes in my routine. I walk more now, even when I don’t feel like it. I say yes to things faster. I don’t immediately decline plans the way I used to.

Earlier, even a simple weekend getaway would feel like enough. A staycation used to be my preferred option. Now, I find myself thinking a little differently.

It’s not that I’ve become a different person. It’s more like something inside me loosened a bit.

Stepping out of comfort zone sounds like a big idea when you hear it. But in Meghalaya, it was simple. Walk, climb, rest, repeat. And somewhere in between, you realize you’re capable of more than you thought.

I think that’s why I started saying yes more often after this trip.

Not because everything became easy. But because I stopped assuming it would be too hard.

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Why I Started Saying Yes to More Adventures at 54 And Kept Going

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prejudices At The Boarding Gate

Three Thousand Steps Into Something New

Dawki, And The Moment I Understood

What Changed After I Got Back

More Stories From Our Guest Writers:

Akbar Travels Services

Best Flight Deals

Domestic Flights

International Flights

Best Hotel Deals

Apply Visa Online

International Tour Packages

Domestic Tour Packages

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