India, Feb. 4 -- In an age increasingly ruled by clocks and calendars, the idea of travelling without a plan can feel almost rebellious. Yet, it is often in these unscripted wanderings-far from the tyranny of meticulously crafted itineraries-that life reveals its richest surprises. The charm of unplanned travel lies in surrendering to the quiet magic of spontaneity and striking up an intimate tryst with the world on one's own terms. In his celebrated essay On Going on a Journey, English critic William Hazlitt wrote: "One of the pleasantest things in the world is going on a journey; but I like to go by myself." There is a profound truth in that solitude. Once holidays slip into the mould of fixed schedules, joy becomes something performed rather than felt-just another box to tick. In this rigid choreography, the thrill of the unknown fades, taking with it the serendipity of chance encounters. Much like Hazlitt, Rabindranath Tagore often set off alone to heal a weary spirit, carving out private spaces away from the crowds whose adulation could, at times, feel suffocating. Unplanned travel is not an act of carelessness; it is an act of trust-trust in the road, in strangers, and in one's own ability to adapt and appreciate. When we let go of the checklist and wander off the beaten track, travel changes character. We wake when the body is ready, eat when hunger calls, step out only when the heart stirs. We cease to be tourists racing through landmarks and become explorers open to wonder at every turn. The landscape stops being a mere backdrop and becomes a living canvas, inviting us to paint our story with unfiltered curiosity. A recent journey to Kashmir reaffirmed this truth for me with quiet splendour. With no map in hand and no script in mind, I drifted like a cloud, letting each bend in the road whisper its own poetry. I floated across Dal Lake at sunrise in a shikara, sipped kahwa in a local home, and lost all sense of time among snow-laden peaks and emerald meadows. There was no pressure to "cover" destinations. Instead, there was the serene joy of simply being-of watching light dance on mountains, hearing children laugh by a stream, and letting the rhythm of the land set the tempo of my days. Such freedom nurtures genuine connection-with people, with places, and with oneself. It encourages us to pause, to notice, and to make room for stories no guidebook could ever contain: The smile of a passer-by offering directions, an impromptu folk performance in a village courtyard, a sudden detour that reveals a hidden waterfall. These are the memories that linger long after the suitcase is unpacked. Of course, planning has its place. But when planning becomes the primary purpose, travel risks turning into a chore. Samuel Johnson's wisdom reminds us that happiness cannot be engineered; it must be allowed to unfold. To embrace unplanned travel is to grant oneself the rare gift of living fully in the present. In doing so, we may rediscover not only the world but also the quieter, forgotten corners of ourselves-those that routine and rigidity so often keep tucked away under lock and key....