The Conqueror in Me!

Shujesh Hooda, is a seasoned air traveler. He is currently in between jobs, thanks to the recent economic recession. However, his spirit hasn’t been deterred. Shujesh does what most others would envy. He lives his passion of traveling. On being quizzed about the joy of traveling, he spoke about a fascination with movement, about how travel was integral to his DNA and how he has given into his wanderlust, a raw human trait that dates back to us being wanderers. To quell his curious mind, he has traveled across the world.

For example, when he read Somerset Maugham’s Moon and 6 Pence, he was curious about Tahiti and was super excited when he traveled there later. Or as a child, he read about Kodaikanal in the American magazine Span, he made up his mind to travel there later. What are the highs he seeks? Firstly ,the need to quell his curiosity and secondly, the joy of spotting a place he has visited or experienced in movies and television. He also attributes it to his conqueror instinct - to want to travel to every destination and leave his mark!

He candidly admits that he has done what no others he knows has: given up a married life/luxury to travel the world. Simply, this is because travel is therapy to him, its gives him tremendous pleasure and therefore he chooses to invest his lives savoring it. “I’d rather see Italy than have a Mercedes!”

He recounted interesting incidents in his history of travel. In 2004 on a street in Hamburg, he went to a falafel joint. The guy serving him suddenly turned around and said, "I know you from 23 years ago. You and your niece used to come ice skating in Dubai!" The incident, which left him shocked and in awe, captures the essence of why he travels. To see more life and learn from it. Such as the time he traveled after a failed relationship only to make a German friend, who also just split from his spouse. The two bonded and healed together.

On the future of travel, given that quality of communication will only improve, business can happen as one travels. Also with new technology, being at a place without physical presence is easy. He believes that travel will become more for pleasure than business. Also as more people can now travel, fleets will be increased and aircrafts made more streamlined to allow longer distances in shorter times.