This Mumbai Couple Travelled to 15 Countries in One Year. With a 6-Month-Old Baby!
Meet Rashmi Pandit and Chalukya Mohanraj, a couple from Mumbai who travelled to 15 countries in 365 days. And they were not alone. Accompanying them throughout was their new-born daughter, Chhavi.
Meet Rashmi Pandit and Chalukya Mohanraj, a couple from Mumbai who travelled to 15 countries in 365 days. They were not alone. Accompanying them throughout the trip was their new-born daughter, Chhavi.
“If anyone feels that having a baby is a full stop to your passion, we are here to prove them wrong,” wrote Rashmi in Tripoto.
Software engineers by profession, Rashmi and Chalukya first started by exploring places around Mumbai.
Photograph credit: Rashmi Chalukya
And soon enough, travel became their passion. When they were expecting a child, Rashmi decided to quit her job after having worked for about seven years, to focus on her family and personal life. And within a month of Chhavi’s birth, Chalukya was offered a chance to go to Switzerland for a four-month-long project. By then, the couple had already explored different parts of India, including Ladakh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and more.
Going on unplanned trips and taking off whenever and to wherever they wanted, was almost routine for them.
Source: Facebook
With a child entering their lives though, travelling undoubtedly became a challenge.
But instead of putting their plans on hold and waiting for years like many do, these globetrotters went for a holiday of their lifetime, along with their child.
Photograph credit: Rashmi Chalukya
They landed in Switzerland on Dec 31, 2014. After taking some time to adjust to the new weather conditions with Chhavi (who was 6 months old at that time), they planned their first trip to Italy in April, followed by Greece and Prague. After some time, Chalukya’s posting got extended by two months, and then further.
So, they planned more trips and had seen 15 countries by December 31, 2015. The list included England, Spain, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Portugal, and the Netherlands.
Source: Facebook
Photograph credit: Rashmi Chalukya
“Of course traveling with an infant comes with its set of constraints. Late night parties, pubs, sightseeing at night were ruled out as we had to be back home on time so that she could rest and sleep. We were also denied from a few rides and treks in Switzerland since our baby was less than a year old,” says Rashmi.
Her tips on travelling with a baby include travelling in trains so there is enough space to move around with the baby and booking apartments with kitchens so you can cook baby food.
Source: Facebook
She also suggests carrying the child’s favourite toys to make him/her feel at home and including two extra sets of clothes when going out. Lots of pre-planning is required to ensure you don’t have to wait in queues or waste money at the last moment, she says.
The couple fund all their trips themselves and try to plan trips over the weekends so they don’t have to take any leave.
“We believe travelling gives us an opportunity to learn about different cultures, their history and diverse nature. We need to get out of our comfort zones and explore new places. And if we have the will and passion for something, no problems or restrictions are going to stop us from achieving the best,” says Rashmi.
Follow their journey here.
Also Read: Meet the Mumbai Couple Who Quit Their Jobs and Sold Their House to Travel the World
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