This Man Asked His Friends To Send Him Anywhere On The Planet. They Sent Him To INDIA!

Losing a job can be one of the worst things that can happen to a person. While most people would try to find a job at the earliest if something like this happened to them, one man did something really strange.

Alex Strand, a resident of San Fransisco, USA gave $2500 to his trusted friends and asked them to plan a mystery trip for him to anywhere in the world after losing his job. He posted a video on Facebook asking his friends to do so.

He asked his friends to buy the tickets and plan the itinerary, while his fiancé, Emily, packed for him. Alex wouldn’t even know where he is going until he reached the airport.

 

After losing his job, Alex thought that this would be a good way to give up control and do something with his newfound free time.

Image Source
“As adults, we’re in control of everything in our lives … our schedules, our finances, our relationships, and we rarely relinquish control. And so, when I got laid off, I kind of saw it as an opportunity to let go.”

 

So 20 of Alex’s best friends planned a trip for him to INDIA and NEPAL after rounds of e-mails and conference calls. Following his wish, they didn’t make the trip luxurious at all.

Image Source

Alex was made to stay in youth hostels and cheap hotels and take long bus and cab rides from one place to another, instead of flights.

 

The two-week vacation began on January 4 and cost just $2100, including the fares for Alex’s flights.  

Image Source

 

As Alex’s friends didn’t plan every activity in the trip, he had a lot of time to explore the places himself. So, he participated in a local half-marathon in Darjeeling even though he didn’t have any running shoes with him.

Image Source

“The whole idea of letting go of control and saying yes to things, it was just something I had to do.”

 

Alex also experienced ‘Parahawking’ in Nepal. An adventure sport combining paragliding and falconry, he got tipped about it from a fellow traveller. 

Image Source

 

Spending some time with a family at a homestay near a tea estate in Darjeeling was a highlight of Alex’s trip. Although, language barrier posed a few problems, Alex was thoroughly impressed by the way they balanced their work and family time.

Image Source
“It didn’t bother them at all that they weren’t at work; they weren’t checking work emails. I’m not saying that’s entirely achievable here in the States, but it was certainly admirable, and hopefully I can take some of that with me wherever I go next.”

 

Here are some other pictures from the trip that Alex uploaded on Instagram.

1. The best way to cross borders, thank God we don’t have any walls 😛

 

2. Mesmerising views

 

3. Wah Taj!

 

4. Monkey business 

 

5. Majestic!

Apart from giving him an experience of a lifetime, Alex’s trip has taught him a lot about being out of the comfort zone and trying new things. Something that we all need in our lives.

News Source: Today

📣 Storypick is now on Telegram! Click here to join our channel (@storypick) and never miss another great story.