After surviving most cancers, my go back and forth to India made me really feel like me once more

Once I first informed my family and friends I used to be happening a go back and forth to India, I believe they had been surprised. Oh, they had been neatly aware of my gallivanting. I have been to greater than 20 international locations or even began a trip weblog. However that used to be earlier than. Sooner than I were given most cancers. 

Simply seven months previous I used to be recognized with ovarian most cancers. Degree 3. Degree 3 isn’t excellent. I will be able to’t inform you what the survival charges are, as a result of I made up our minds it used to be very best for me to not glance that up. However I will be able to inform you that life-saving measures moved in no time – an invasive surgical procedure with six weeks of leisure and restoration, then cycles of chemotherapy therapies, blood assessments and transfusions. My arms were given monitor marks from all of the IVs. My hair fell out. Eyelashes, too. 

Iciness changed into spring changed into summer season in a blur of health center visits. As the remainder of the arena “unfolded” after Covid, I cancelled trip plans as a substitute of constructing them, and discovered first-hand the pronouncing that wholesome folks have many desires, however ill folks have only one – getting higher.  

The excellent news is that I did get well. Due to scientific science, a world-class oncology crew and success, I guess, by means of autumn I used to be freed from illness! Which supposed it used to be time for a “f*ck most cancers” go back and forth. 

A brand new problem

“Are you certain you don’t simply need to take a seat on a seashore with a ebook?” That used to be my therapeutic massage therapist’s take once I informed him I used to be cleared for trip and happening a two-week expedition round Northern India. He knew up to somebody what form my frame used to be in. How I have been walloped by means of the chemical struggle of chemo, breaking me down on the very mobile stage. What he didn’t know is that in spite of being so, so drained what I didn’t want used to be leisure. What I wished used to be an journey. 

India could be an journey. 

I did have issues. Now not about trip in India, even if I had by no means been earlier than. Pals who had visited the rustic described it as “difficult” and “a tradition surprise.” However I used to be going with Intrepid; I had taken their small crew excursions earlier than and knew I’d be secure and neatly cared for. As for tradition surprise, neatly, that’s what I signed up for! 

It used to be me I used to be frightened about. Sooner than most cancers, I loved bodily actions, even supposing I wasn’t all the time the fittest one in a gaggle. Now? Merely wearing my groceries up the steps used to be a difficult exercise. Whilst I used to be getting more potent each day, I had common reminders that I used to be now not but totally recovered. How wouldn’t it really feel to strap on my outdated backpack and go-go-go for 12 days in a rustic recognized for sensory overload? I used to be about to determine, as a result of after months of being caught inside of fascinated with all of the issues I couldn’t do, I used to be greater than able to look what I may do. 

A blank slate

One of the most very best issues about being a solo traveller becoming a member of a small crew excursion is that no person is aware of you. And so I landed in India for the Ladies’s Expedition feeling like I had a blank slate. Right here, I’m now not a affected person, I believed. My trip friends don’t know that I used to be thinner earlier than, that I had lengthy hair earlier than or that psyching myself up for this used to be simply as difficult as my final Intrepid go back and forth biking up mountains. I’m only a traveller, like them. (Perhaps one that desires to consume extra garlic naan than is really helpful for a human, however a regular human nevertheless.) 

It in reality took about 5 mins into introductions to show I used to be on my first giant go back and forth after most cancers. As a result of that’s probably the most different issues I really like about Intrepid excursions – they actually are a shared revel in. In my crew had been birthday milestones, life-long bucket lists and any person on their first solo go back and forth ever. What all of us had in not unusual used to be that we had been all right here, now, and about to have a grand journey in combination. 

India used to be a grand journey. 

On our excursion we visited stunning historical palaces, temples and absolutely the must-see Taj Mahal mausoleum. We had buying groceries sprees for beautiful hand-made textiles, basked within the glow of Diwali lighting fixtures, came upon the pleasures of a ripe mangosteen. I discovered such a lot concerning the nation’s historical past, tradition and religions. Many laughs had been had and garlic naans fed on. 

I felt awed, day-to-day. Now not simply by the attractions however by means of my very own frame and its talent to heal. Perhaps I used to be a bit of slower mountaineering out and in of the tuk tuks, however I used to be doing it. I used to be travelling once more! 

Into the wilderness

Sooner than coming to India, I were given the sense that many travellers revel in some roughly epiphany right here. I’m now not a religious individual, and wasn’t chasing that. However I used to be looking forward to the instant I may really feel “other.” 

The sensation got here within the Thar Barren region. Sometimes called the Nice Indian Barren region, the Thar is within the northwest, close to the border with Pakistan. To get there, we first took a 17-hour teach adventure from New Delhi to the town of Jaisalmer after which hopped in a jeep for a experience into the recent, dusty wilderness, passing camels, cows, sheep and inquisitive youngsters. With each bump I sought after to yell out “wheeee!” (Translation: “I’m within the wilderness! Alive!”) 

As promised, our in a single day camp used to be a easy spot within the outdoor, with cots, heat blankets and unending chai. As though by means of osmosis, the gang all dropped our baggage and temporarily scampered up a sand dune. The solar used to be about to set. 

Discovering myself once more

Again when I used to be housebound, it used to be the sunsets I ignored essentially the most. I are living close to the nice Lake Ontario, and in standard instances I might plan my days round cycling or strolling to a place the place I may watch the solar set over the water. Unfastened treatment, I known as it. It doesn’t matter what used to be happening in my head or my center, I may watch the solar entire its task for the day and be reminded that the following day used to be a blank slate, any other likelihood. It’s probably the most issues that most cancers took from me.  

Now not anymore. There it used to be – a super orange sundown in a transparent unobstructed sky. I used to be made up our minds to take all of it in, whilst additionally taking footage, whilst additionally high-fiving my excursion friends, whilst additionally accepting chai. As a result of even if this used to be the similar solar I may pass watch virtually any place now, it wasn’t in any respect. This used to be the sundown of my first ever evening within the Thar Barren region. In a brand new nation. A brand new continent. With ladies who had been temporarily turning into my pals. On a go back and forth that I made up our minds to take for myself, regardless of the demanding situations. 

I realised then why I had in point of fact come right here. To not be amazed, or awed. Sooner than most cancers, it’s true that I yearned for awe. As a result of existence used to be so regularly odd. Then existence changed into strange. What I wished now used to be to really feel standard once more. With the cool wilderness sand between my feet, a heat tin cup between my arms, and the entire international reputedly out in entrance of me, I felt extra like myself than I had in this type of very long time.  

And so when folks inquire from me, “What used to be your favorite factor you came upon in India?” it’s my flip to marvel them once I say “me.” 

Liisa travelled as a visitor of Intrepid at the India Ladies’s Expedition. Our vary of Ladies’s Expeditions create immersive native stories for ladies which are ordinarily off limits on our common crew departures.