Dhartti Bhatt opens about her inspiring solo travel tale in Thailand

Actress Dhartti Bhatt, who recently traveled to Thailand, says that she never planned on going on a solo trip. However, she says that she loved the trip.

“Recently, I went on a trip to Thailand, which was my first solo trip. I didn’t plan it as a solo trip. I asked all my friends, but they had already been to Thailand, so it was a sudden decision to go on a solo trip, and I think this was the best decision. I feel that solo traveling helps you to know yourself more and you are in charge of making decisions, I enjoyed solo travel a lot,” she says.

Initially, it was not easy, she says, adding that eventually, she made friends. “I had a lot of difficulty with food. I am a pure vegetarian and I don’t eat eggs either. So, in Thailand, I can tell you, I ate as much salad and fruit as I have probably never eaten before. But when I went to Bangkok, I met some strangers who later became very good friends. They have a travel blog called “Peace and Parvat,” and I met Sahil Gulati and his sister Simran Gulati. They were so friendly and nice that I had a great time traveling in Thailand with them,” she says.

Traveling is essential for the actress, she says, adding, “I think traveling is very important for mental health, and traveling, in my opinion, makes your mind more positive and creative. I think traveling helps you understand yourself. When I travel, I leave all the stress behind as soon as I step into the airport. I become very selfish and only think about myself. I enjoy traveling by flight a lot. So, for me, this traveling is very important, and it was an order. I am very afraid of water.”

Talking about her experience, she says, “When I traveled to Thailand, visiting the islands was a significant part of the trip. However, I have aquaphobia. I avoid swimming pools and any aquatic activities due to my intense fear of water. Nevertheless, as I mentioned earlier, I had the chance to meet Simran, Sahil Gulati’s sister, during that island tour. Their response to my fear was simple: ‘What is fear? Don’t be afraid. We’ll hold your hand, and nothing will happen to you.”

She loved meeting new people on her trip. “I met Simran during this journey, and since I was traveling alone, our conversation led to the development of our friendship. This particular excursion was actually a picnic tour, and it was organized on an island. To reach this island, it took approximately 45 minutes by boat, and we had already reached the middle of deep waters when an unexpected event occurred. Suddenly, our boat came to a halt. They stopped it because something had fallen into the water, and they needed to retrieve supplies from outside. I was terrified because of my strong fear of water, and the fact that they had halted the boat in the middle of the sea intensified my fear, she says.

In fact, her new friends helped her out a lot. “On that day, the weather worsened as a storm approached. It became exceedingly frightening, especially since high tides were causing waves to crash against our boat in a way that made me fear they might enter and lead to me drowning due to my anxiety. I felt like I was about to drown, and I was overwhelmed with fear. My anxiety was so severe that I believe it even caused my blood pressure to rise. However, Simran and Sahil provided the support I needed by holding my hand and encouraging me, ultimately giving me the strength to survive that challenging day. Without their assistance, my condition might have deteriorated significantly, and I even began to experience vomiting because of my extreme fear of water,” she says.

She adds, “This experience has taught me the value of travel, as it enables us to confront our fears, gain new experiences, and discover the numerous benefits it offers. Consequently, I am now eager to visit South Korea and Turkey.”