There’s a quote attributed to the CS Lewis, the famous author of children’s books like the Narnia series, which goes something like this – “30 was so strange for me. I really had to come to terms with the fact that I’m now a walking, talking adult.” A normal person usually leaves home by the time he’s 20, spends the first half of the third decade of his life ‘figuring’ himself out, and the second half wondering what he should with what he’s learnt about himself. It’s only when one hits the 30s – the oh so terrible thirties, mind you – that a sense of inevitability creeps in. You cannot keep borrowing money from friends anymore. The retirement plans you never made now frighten you in your sleep. And if you ever believed you would miraculously morph into an enigmatic man who had it all – well, now you know you won’t. If your teenage years are for rebellion and your twenties for adventure, then your thirties are for acceptance and wisdom and learning to age like fine wine. So stop being afraid of the big three-o, we say. Pack a bag, or two, and take off on a soul vacation to one of these lovely destinations we have chosen for you. The answers you seek, amigo, are to be found somewhere on these roads.

Leh and Ladakh

A lot of people travel to Leh every year. It’s not even a hidden gem anymore. In fact, you might already have gone there. But we recommend you go there again, and this time don’t fret about the conquests on the road. Don’t worry about the laurels you bring back. Or the pictures you click. Give yourself up to the pure pleasure of being in one of the most naturally raw places still left alive in the country. Enjoy the scenery, the tiny hamlets on the way, the monasteries, the culture, the food. Don’t take the easy route; go the whole hog the way trip ardent road trippers do – starting on bike or an all-terrain vehicle right from Manali, via Delhi and Srinagar to Leh, and then back the same way. And then tell us if it doesn’t teach you a thing or two.

Rishikesh and the Valley of Flowers

Travel to Rishikesh. You may not be completely religious or even remotely spiritual, but Rishikesh has to be experienced at least once. There are few places in India that combine serious religious fervour with so much natural beauty and an open-hearted acceptance of ‘hippie’ culture (or rather, the Indian version of it). If the flower children of the 60s were alive today, this is where they would be and you, too, may very well find your inner ‘yogi’ while here. If not, then don’t despair. Just book a trek to the Valley of Flowers in Puspavati Valley, walk for a day amidst lush green mountains and arrive at one of the best kept natural parks in India where meadows of endemic alpine flora await to cleanse your city-bred soul.

Varanasi

There’s something about the evening ‘aarti’ on the banks of the Ganga, something about the devotion that this city inspires and which hangs like almost perceptible veil over its roofs, something about its old streets that seem to lead you right to the answers you’re looking for. Claustrophobic, crowded, atmospheric and undeniably affecting, Varanasi is a must visit for anyone who wants to take a closer look at his spiritual and cultural side and also for those who believe in the transforming power of food. From ‘lal mirch ka Banarasi achaar’ to ‘Pehelwan ki lassi’, there are many local delicacies that will help you rejuvenate and reincarnate yourself.

Rann of Kutch

Nature has a very unique manner of forcing one to acknowledge his mortality, and the Rann is one of those places on earth which force you to realise and revel in your humanness. In essence, it is just a vast ocean of dried up salt gleaming harshly under the sun and glinting like a diamond in the moonshine, but it’s effect is incomparable. Watch the sun go down on this vast expanse of salt white, and wait for the stars come up. As you recognise constellations, some deep held part of you begins to understand the stirrings that made our ancestors go on explorations and wild adventures. You begin to feel connected to a bigger whole, and the angst of turning old seems such a trivial worry amidst all that wonder.

Sikkim and the North-east India

The entire north eastern part of India is a bundle or mysteries and experiences. The gateway to those adventures is the hilly state of Sikkim. From sunny Gangtok to frigid Yumthang, from patriotism at NathuLa to Buddhism at Pelling, this single state has so much to offer. Whet your appetite here and then travel onward to other member states of the Seven Sisters of the north east. You will find natural beauty in abundance at some of the country’s best sanctuaries and parks, taste incredible food that is as delicious as it is hard to pronounce, and drive on mountain roads right through low hung clouds that envelop you in a chilly embrace.

These were our picks, and of course the list isn’t comprehensive in any way. So if there’s someplace that you would like to add to this list, please do let us know in the comments below! We would love to hear your soul stories and the answers you found on your quests and how it helped you deal with the ordeal of being 30. Write in!