30 Before 30: Neha Dua Travel Around The World In 30 Years

She will appear as this crazy girl who spends what she earns on traveling to different countries and achieving some adrenaline-pumping feats in turn but she prefers calling it doing justice to her zing for doing all that her heart dictates her to do. An earthquake survivor Neha Dua, a CSR auditor by profession, an adventure, and travel enthusiast by passion, she is actually an ordinary stree who has extraordinary determination, willpower, and enthusiasm.

Meet Neha Dua our next winning stree who has been to 31 countries right before she turns 30! ‘Next is What’ and ‘Life is NOW’ are her favorite punchlines. Read about her inspiring story to set the right dosage of travel and adventure goals for yourself!

Who are you and how are you into what you do?

Neha Dua just an ordinary woman trying to live life like there is no tomorrow and try out everything this world has to offer

Professionally, I am into Corporate Social Responsibility and I make sure that workers working in the supply chains of big companies are treated well and are provided with good working conditions. I am thankful for my profession as I get to meet CEOs of top companies and at the same time interact with workers at the grass-root level – it keeps me grounded and ensures my faith in the fact that “it’s the little joys of life that matters the most.”

Tell us about your journey and how did you choose traveling and ended up traveling to 31 countries?

I applied for a national contest on TV and was selected to be a part of an epic trek to Everest Base Camp to be led by Jamling Tenzing Norgay. I wanted to escape my ordinary life but little did I know then that winning a national contest was going to reward me differently. April 25^th, 2015 – Nepal Earthquake – an incident that shook me not once, but forever. As I was being rescued in a MI 17 cargo helicopter (my first heli ride), I murmured to myself, why did it take me an earthquake to understand life is NOW. I came back home, only to find myself in Nepal again a month later – this time to volunteer to help pick up rubble and build temporary learning shelters for school children.

https://www.facebook.com/withthatcrazygirl/videos/1299550973492689/

Since then, there has been no looking back, be it the craziest skydive in New Zealand, coldest dive in between the European and American tectonic plates in Silfra fissure in Iceland, the “Chadar” trek in minus 30 degrees Celsius on the frozen Zanskar river in Leh, India, I have been doing full justice to my crazy radar by living by my pursuit for adrenaline rushing experiences and carrying on as a legal nomad. The more I traveled, the more I understood the power of “NOW”.

In the beginning, I was running away from my fears, but later, I began to run towards them. Now I tell jokes and ridiculous travel stories without fear of being judged. My favorites – I was transiting through Germany airport and had to be deplaned as I fell very sick. When I being rushed to the hospital – I whispered under my oxygen mask, wow – one more country to add to the list !!

Neha Spending Luxurious Time in Paris — Paris

My favorite pastime is to open google maps and look up new countries I can travel to– my dream is to go to every country in the world and I am getting closer to my dream, one country at a time. I have turned 30 in December 2018 and I had this dream of seeing 30 countries before I turn 30 and I am so happy that I was able to do it. Living your dreams is a wonderful feeling, beyond the expressions of words.

Travel has taught me so much in life – most importantly to live in the moment and be happy with what you have – sometimes you have to lose yourself to find who you are! I did not reach Everest Base Camp but the earthquake helped me find the Everest in my life. Now when I look back, I think of it as a scheduled landing for refueling my flight for life…

What role would you have chosen as a career option if not your current profile?

A pilot – I have always had my wings on – it gave me an immense sense of freedom! Albeit I fly a lot, but just as a passenger now.

How do you manage the monetary expenses for your travel?

I work hard and spend my savings on all things travel. I try to cut down on any unnecessary or expensive things. And sometimes, it’s not about the money you need, it’s more about the“will” you need to leave your comfort zone, get out there and see the world! I have been to so many places only because at times, I did leave all worldly comforts behind. This includes but is not limited to getting up at odd times, giving up on sound sleep, endless walking at times, separation from your loved ones, not being able to take care of your health, etc.

That winning Stree moment

“Congratulations, you have won the National contest to be a part of an epic journey to Everest Base Camp with Jamming Tenzing Norgay”.

And so many other moments when my friends and even some strangers tell me that I inspire them. Such compliments pump me to keep doing what I do!

Three words you say to yourself when in front of the mirror

LIFE is NOW!

Winning message to other women

Just find the passion in your life and then break all stereotypes (if needed) to be where you want to be. It’s your life, you are the creator of your happiness. “Jo jiliya, wo aapka hai” – What you live is what you gain. So try to live your passion and happiness will surround you. NEVER compare your life to anyone else – we all need our own time to travel our own distances!

Difficulties you faced when fulfilling your dreams/aspirations

“Why do you travel so much?”,“I am sure her dad must be filthy rich!”, – I keep facing these questions every now and then. Not all know what goes behind the scenes here to make it work. And when I put up my Facebook status, all think that I have a picture-perfect life. No, no one has a perfect life, and in fact, it’s not life if it’s perfect. The imperfections in life make you realize what happiness is. So I kept going irrespective of what others said to me. My mom always stood by me in everything and whenever I felt down, she reiterated “Kuch to log kahenge, logon ka kaam hai kehna!”

What makes you extraordinary…

Ummm, well I don’t think I am doing something extraordinary if I am traveling this much. But yes, one thing that would probably stand me out is that I am not one of those who said, “I quit my job to travel full time”. In fact, I continued with “Life as Usual”, continued working, got married, and will have a family too …

Your Favorite quote that you believe in…

There are so many it’s so tricky to choose one.

“Most people die at 25 and are not buried until they are 75.”

“Life is 0 kms ahead, live now.”

She has more than 2K followers on her social handles who want to know from her about her next adventure!! Follow her and you might be the next one travelling with this crazy girl soon!!