Travel with Sanil to...Thailand

Young poet and author Sanil Sachar is all set to release his new book The Dark Side Of Light with Rupa Publications India, which features his exciting new travel story ‘An Everlasting Travel, a Never-ending Journey’. In a face-to-face interview, we got him to play 20 questions with us on one of his favourite travel destinations: Thailand. Below are excerpts from this very interesting conversation:

First, the Basics

Favourite beach?            

- Patong

Favourite food?

- I love the Pad Thai served by street food vendors

Favourite place to stay?

-Mariott’s Phuket Beach Club

Favourite party destination?

- Kata Beach, hands down! The energy there is electrifying.

Let’s Dig Deeper

What is the one thing you’d recommend to bachelors/bachelorettes on a trip to Thailand?

- Whether you’re single or not, I think you should be open to the idea of interacting and hanging out with new people from all over the world. It’s a great way of getting to know many people whom you might end up staying in touch with all your life. (However, there are some you would want to get rid of immediately!)

Ever done kickboxing? Would you try Muay Thai?

- I began practicing kickboxing this year at Warriors Cove Mixed Martial Arts in Gurgaon and it has been a great experience. Along with a positive physical transformation, kickboxing helped me gain mental strength too. I would highly recommend this art of self-defense to others.

Do you cook?

- I’d like to believe I’m a good cook! I do try to cook often, and have done a fair bit of cooking during my days at university. Thai Green curry is, in fact, one of my favorite dishes.

Would you do a cooking tour in Thailand?

- I did take a cooking lesson when I was in Phuket. (I am not going to disclose how my dish went. Let’s just say I ended up eating someone else’s food.)

Three literary characters you would love to travel to Thailand with.

1. Rose: My character from ‘An Everlasting Travel, a Never-ending Journey’, from my upcoming book, The Dark Side of Light. She’s adventurous, full of life and very cooperative. This rare combination makes her the perfect travel partner and a character both the protagonist and I are in love with.

2. Neville Longbottom from Harry Potter:  He is one of my favourite characters in the entire series due to his ability to achieve great things without being the centre of attention. More importantly, he would give me Gillyweed and then we wouldn’t have to pay for any underwater excursions!

3. James Bond: There is a James Bond Island in Phang Nga Bay, in northeast Phuket. So, he’d be able to guide me around the Island. Plus I, too, like my drink, ‘shaken, not stirred’.

Tell us something that went wrong on a trip.

I was in Athens in 2008 when I went for my first scuba dive. Before diving, we were taught about cleaning our mouth piece while still underwater. The most important step was to remove the piece from your mouth and then pressing the two buttons on the side which would let water rush through the mouthpiece.

I forgot the most important part of this instruction. I pressed the button while wearing the mouthpiece, only to have a gush of water flow through my mouth. I therefore had to be rushed out of the water. Now that I think about it, I find it ironic, that I was the reason I almost drowned.

Would you say you’re spiritual? Does spirituality influence your writing?

I am a spiritual person by nature; but to answer whether spirituality affects my writing would be difficult. There are several elements that influence it. My learnings from different religious belief systems do impact my writing on a certain level on how I think. The people I meet, occurrences in my daily life and my imagination also play a large role in my writing.

How do you think travel influences your writing?

- Getting out of your comfort zone is the best source of inspiration. To me, the new environment and setting provides for a lot of creative imagery in my stories. Each person I meet on my travels adds to the characters in my work. In fact, most of my first book, Summer Promises and Other Poems, was typed on my Blackberry while I was travelling. 

One travel secret you’ll take to your grave.

Well, this one time... Wait, it wouldn’t be a secret if I told you, now would it? Haha!

Rapid Fire

One thing you cannot travel without?

- A notepad and a pen

Plush hotel or Thai homestay?

- Thai homestay, as I haven’t had the opportunity to try it yet.

Full Moon Party at Koh Samui or snorkeling in Krabi?

- Full Moon Party! (Do I get tickets for it now?)

Trekking in Lampang or kayaking in Khao Yai?

- Kayaking in Khao Yai and exploring their national park right after!

Man with the Golden Gun or Good Morning, Vietnam, both shot in Thailand?

- Good Morning Vietnam, I am a huge Robin Williams fan!

One place in Southeast Asia you’d like to travel to in 2016

- Singapore, one of my favourite countries in the world.

Coolest travel souvenir from Thailand?

I don’t really buy souvenirs much but I remember entering a shop in Phuket that tailored shirts and suits for a very reasonable price. I went on a shopping spree!

Pre-order Sanil’s latest book at http://thedarksideoflight.in/ and watch out for his exciting new travel story, only on the MakeMyTrip Facebook page. Have something to say? Tweet to him @SanilSachar