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Originally reported and written in March 2023, this story has been republished as part of our archival content.
After retirement, Paramjeet Kharal set out on a pilgrimage, albeit of a different kind.
This pilgrimage included river rafting in Bhutan, bungee jumping in Thailand, learning how mummies were made in Egypt, watching picturesque sunsets, travelling on the steepest train lines in the stunning Blue Mountains and riding in hot air balloons in Australia.
Now 70, Paramjeet has visited at least 27 countries since retirement.
“These are novel and thrilling experiences for me. I try to do adventurous things on most of my trips, because I do not know if I would be able to come back to that country. I love exploring and seeing the cultures of new countries, understanding their histories, tasting their food and unique tea, and experiencing the things I had only studied about in books,” the retired government school teacher tells The Better India.
“We play in the snow and on beaches, we become kids on these trips. I have also met so many unknown people, who became my roommates, and later, my lifelong friends. We have made such sweet memories,” adds Paramjeet, who documents the details of her trip — like the countries she visited, the time differences, currency, and cultures — in her journal.
Back in India, the Amritsar-born woman lives with her husband in Gurugram. She explores countries alone on her........