I am a web designer. I had an office in New Delhi with around 10 people working with me. Well, that was until the pandemic forced countries around the world to go into a lockdown bringing businesses to a grinding halt. Being forced to work from home, I struggled with balancing work and relaxation and soon found myself slogging for hours for projects that would usually take minutes. I was feeling the pangs of working from home – I was simply not accustomed to doing it.

If you have lived in an apartment in New Delhi, then you will understand the feeling of being trapped in a box, one got during the last few months. As I prayed and hoped for a cure or a vaccine to be discovered soon, one day an interesting thought suddenly hit me. Since I was not going to the office, I could be sitting anywhere and working – I didn’t have to be trapped in my apartment! The thought itself was so liberating.

What followed was hours of research and phone calls to find the place that I could go to for Work + Vacation or a Workation. It took me a great deal of research as I had to ensure that I have good internet connectivity, power backup facility, safe and sanitized living conditions, healthy and fresh food, and medical facilities along with the tranquility that I desired. After going through dozens of locations, I finally found the perfect one for me – Rishikesh!

If you have been to Rishikesh before, you probably remember it as the Yoga Capital of India. Peace and serenity abound this beautiful town surrounded by the mighty Himalayas with the sacred Ganga river flowing through it. It is at a distance of around 240 km from Delhi. I came across a couple of good places to stay that offered a fully-equipped co-working facility with all the amenities needed. Also, they assured me of maximum safety and sanitization along with healthy meals and a medical facility nearby. I finalized one and started packing my bags!

The last thing I needed to do was determine how I was going to travel to Rishikesh. Usually, I would pick any radio cab and go. But this time, I had to be sure that the cab was sanitized and safe for travel. After all, I was going to be traveling for a good 5-6 hours. My research led me to several cab service providers who took the necessary steps to ensure that all their cabs were regularly disinfected and that I had nothing to worry about. They also ensured that the drivers follow instructions like wearing a mask and maintaining social distance. Feeling assured, I booked a safe and sanitized Delhi to Rishikesh cab and started my journey to freedom.

As I write this article, I am sitting at the banks of Ganga staring at the glacier peaks of Himalayas that I can see at a distance. I don’t feel bogged down by the lockdown or the pandemic anymore. I wake up early, exercise, work, eat healthy food, meditate, and ensure that I sleep on time too. Living a healthy life makes me feel assured of my immunity levels and my work ensures that I don’t feel left out too.

During weekends, I hire a convenient Rishikesh car rental with an experienced driver to take me around town and show me some of the less popular treasures in Rishikesh and sightseeing spots nearby. Given the current pandemic situation, there’s hardly a soul in sight and nature is at its gloriest best!

Now that I think about it, the lockdown gave me an opportunity to explore this side of life – a side I would have never considered exploring since I was so busy meeting deadlines every day. If you are planning something like this, then ensure that you take precautions and look at the sanitization and safety measures of the place you plan to stay and the means of transport.