Traveling and Vacations.
These two words tend to bring up memories of pleasant places and being surrounded by family and friends as one explores a place for the first time.
For most, traveling, or the idea of a vacation, is an activity that happens once in a great while, but senior Hiya Patel has a different perspective. Patel’s family travels on a constant basis and have visited over 25 countries such as Korea, Romania, Germany, and the Czech Republic. With this level of travel, it had to begin somewhere which, in turn, provides early memories.
“When I was little, we did not really travel much because my parents did not have that much money or a real job,” Patel said. “However, one of my earliest memories of when I did travel when I was younger was when I went to Las Vegas with my family. I was very excited to go with all my cousins on a trip. I remember seeing the Grand Canyon and watching the water and fire show in front of this one hotel, and being very scared of the fire coming out of the mouths of the lions.”
Over time, Patel has had immense experiences and been given the opportunity to see history in the making. She has seen places others could not even imagine. These experiences allow her to use her knowledge to compare and contrast different places, developing favorites.
“I have enjoyed all the places I have visited, but out of all the places I have visited, I would say I enjoyed Japan and Cambodia the most,” Patel said. “I have always wanted to go to Japan with my best friend Keeli Clark, but I couldn’t resist going myself when my father asked me this year if I wanted to go. My family was already aware that Japan was one of my dream vacations to have. Hence, why my father had recommended we go. As always, I was in charge of planning out the trip. I had picked to go to Tokyo, Shizuoka, Osaka, and Kyoto. Out of all the cities we went to, Tokyo was my favorite. We have stayed near Shibuya across the world-famous Shibuya crossing. I got to shop and eat so much yummy food there. The 7-11 smoothies in Japan are so delicious as well. Every time I pass a 7-11 in the US, I crave one of those smoothies.”
Patel’s travels have previously been focused on historic aspects as well. This means that rather than a focus on just the views alone, the focus shifted towards a more historic point of view. A point of view such as this can allow one to learn different qualities and perspectives of people currently living in the country, as well as their past.
“My other favorite place was Cambodia; Angkor Wat is a religious site for both Hindus and Buddhists. The history behind the Angkor Wat intrigues me, knowing that the temple is so old, packed with history, and depictions of apsaras dancing on every wall. However, while I was in Cambodia war broke out. Thailand had bombed one of the temple [parts] of Angkor Wat. Luckily, I got to fly out that day to Malaysia before things escalated further. What made me the happiest there [was when] I got the opportunity to fund children’s education. Ever since COVID, Cambodia has not gotten many tourists, which does not give the country much revenue. Many hotels, drivers, and travel agencies had to be shut down, displacing many families due to their loss of jobs and income.”
All of these places, and the ones she will see in the future, change who she is. Experiences such as these create life long memories, something to look back on and smile. This year marks Patel’s last year of high school, but that doesn’t mean the travels have to stop. She can continue on in life while still fueling her passion and creating more fond memories to look back on.
“I really enjoy history and getting to see the places I hyper fixate myself on and learn every little single detail about really excites me,” Patel said. “When we travel, my father just books the plane ticket; I am the one who has to decide what mode of transport we will take and what attractions we will see in that country.”
