How I travelled to 20 countries in four years on a Pakistani passport
I celebrated my 30th birthday just a few days ago. All through my 20s, the internet had been dishing me advice on what to do, have, and be before you hit 30.
As I turn the decade, I would like to share my experiences through the lens of my travels, and how I’ve come to define success in life.
This is the story of how I travelled 20 countries in the past four years and the lessons I learnt along the way.
I was raised in a middle-class family. My dad never allowed me to wear jeans and tees and hang out with friends. I was not allowed to drive the family car — even in the neighbourhood — whereas my younger brothers had those privileges.
The fact that privileges were distributed by gender never sat well with me. Conscious of the inequalities, I became a rebellious child with the ambition to do more for myself.
For a family who had not seen women working other than in gendered roles of teachers, doctors, or home makers, I ended up seeking inspiration from foreign role models.
No one in my family had ever travelled abroad (except for my dad visiting India to see relatives).