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Spectator by Seema Goswami: Go big, then go home
Travelling is cool, but heading back feels even better. And those post-holiday rituals are a mini-vacation of their own
They say that you should consider yourself lucky if you have the time, the money, and the energy to go on holiday. That you are fortunate indeed if you can pack up and go forth to explore the world. That there is nothing quite like travel to broaden your horizons and expand your mind.
All of this is true. But, if you ask me, the truly blessed are not those who get to take a vacation but those who are equally excited about the prospect of coming back home. If the comforts of your home rank as high – if not higher – as the attractions of the world then all is right in your universe.
Speaking for myself, there is nothing I love more than coming home after spending a week or two away. Don’t get me wrong. I love travelling as much as the next person, exploring sites, experimenting with new cuisines, meeting interesting people. But I suspect I would not enjoy it quite so much if I didn’t have the certainty of coming back home to my own comfort zone.
So, what exactly do I like about coming back home after a vacation? Well, here are just a few things that I look forward to:
· After days of sleeping in unfamiliar beds, it is a special treat to slip between the sheets of your own. The pillows are just right (not too soft, not too hard), the duvet has the perfect thickness (so you don’t feel too hot or too cold), and all the stuff you need is well within reach on your nightstand. That is a luxury no hotel – no matter how pricey – can replicate.
· Exploring new restaurants, trying out new dishes, experimenting with unknown cuisines, all of this has its own charms. But after a week or so of this, my tastebuds start longing for some ghar ka khaana. And by that I don’t just mean that I miss Indian food (though my first meal when I return is always khichdi with aloo chokha) but that I long for the food I make at home, whether it is a spicy Thai curry, a railway-style omelette, or even just some oven-roasted potatoes.
· My husband and I have a rule that we don’t watch any television on our travels. No tuning into CNN or BBC to catch up on the news. No signing into Netflix or Amazon Prime. And no going down the YouTube rabbit hole either. This means that we always have a few good shows to catch up on when we return home. So, we settle down on our well-worn couch after dinner, a tray of tea in front of us, and binge-watch all the stuff we have missed while away – and know that we are finally home.
· But, in the end, what I enjoy the most about coming back home is the complete lack of disorientation. I know where all the light switches are, I don’t have to puzzle over how the shower works, I wake up in the morning knowing exactly where I am. And that feeling of being grounded in my surroundings, in my view, is worth more than a dozen holidays in the most exotic of locations.
From HT Brunch, September 13, 2025
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