Every once in a while, Nilanjan Biswan, 46, who is an officer in the Indian Railways by profession and a naturalist by passion, takes a solo trip. He loves those few days of solitude and wanderlust, away from the daily grind of administrative work and household responsibilities of grocery shopping and attending parent-teacher meetings at his son’s school.
Early this year, he took a whirlwind trip across Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia and came back after 21 days with lots of stories and souvenirs. A week before his trip, he saw a documentary on Lolong, the largest saltwater crocodile recorded at 6.17 metres (20.24 feet) long and weighing over a tonne, that was captured around the Bunawan Creek in the Philippines, and the reported sightings of even bigger specimens that still lurk in the waters around SE Asia. Though he managed sightings of saltwater crocodiles at nature parks, the big one was elusive.
Human beings have been explorers by nature and have unearthed hidden places over centuries. It was the unknown continents and sea routes during Columbus’ time, the hinterlands of Africa during the Victorian Age, the poles during the Golden Age of Polar Exploration or space exploration, which started in the aftermath of World War II on the back of advances in rocketry, and which remains an ongoing pursuit, as does the exploration of the deepest parts of our oceans, which has fascinated our interest since the times Jules Verne came out with his seminal science fiction novels more than 200 years ago, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea and Mysterious Island.
Most of us look for that little window to unwind ourselves and rush off to our own El Dorados in quest of our passion, wanderlust, tranquility or solitude or to simply take a break from the daily humdrum of life. The Covid-19 pandemic did put the brakes to our journeys, but only for so long.
This story is from the December 2023 edition of Outlook Money.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 2023 edition of Outlook Money.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Will The Bull Run Continue In Modi 3.0?
After a decade, a coalition government is back in power. What does that mean for stock market investors?
New Or Old Which Tax Regime Should You Choose In These 5 Scenarios?
The government made the new tax regime the default one from FY2023-24. However, you can still choose between the old and the new tax regime while filing your income tax return. But that would depend on your income slab and the deductions you wish to claim. We help you choose the most suitable tax regime in these five common scenarios
Plan With Fixed-Income Funds
Fixed-income funds lend stability to your portfolio, have better cash flow visibility, and help preserve capital. They can be used in various stages of planning
TDS: Tax Deducted At Source
Every taxpayer in India has heard about tax deducted at source (TDS). It is one of the main revenue sources for the government.
What Makes You Splurge On Food
With increased earnings, people tend to spend more on gourmet experiences. However, spending within your means is essential to stay healthy, both physically and financially
PORT, BUY TOP-UPS TO TACKLE RISING HEALTH PREMIUMS IN OLD AGE
Healthcare costs can eat into your retirement corpus, so buying health insurance makes sense. If rising premiums are holding you back from buying a cover, here are some tips to reduce the outgo
Here's How To Buy A Plot Of Land
Buying a plot of land is a complicated process and varies across states. But the overall process is the same, and typically starts with verifying the legal ownership of the land, preparing the sale deed, paying the sale value and getting the land registered at the sub registrar’s office after the purchase.
VALUE INVESTING LESSONS FROM BENJAMIN GRAHAM
A poet, translator, mathematician and financial strategist, Benjamin Graham was all of this and more. But his most signification contribution has been to lay the foundations of an investing strategy that revolved around buying undervalued stocks with strong fundamentals and holding them for the long term. We have used a screening method based on his strategy to recommend a few stocks you may consider
'Often Our Emotions Get The Best Of Us And Lead Us Astray'
Dan Ariely, author and professor of psychology and behavioural economics, at Duke University, North Carolina, the US, studies the irrational ways in which we all behave. In his own words, he “looks at people not from a rational perspective, but from the irrational perspective. We basically ask questions around what we are doing that is not in our long-term best interest”. In an interview with Nidhi Sinha, Editor, Outlook Money, as part of the Wealth Wizards series, he talks about himself, his signature half a beard, how people can deal with irrationality, and the role of emotions like misbelief, trust, and human motivation in how people behave or make decisions. Here are the edited excerpts from the interview.
3 Pillars Of Support On Claims
In the last 6-8 months, Irdai has introduced a set of regulatory changes that promise to resolve issues that previously often led to poor outcomes on health insurance claims
