Hello everyone!
Welcome to the Community Center! I'm @Bhu...
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Hello everyone!
Welcome to the Community Center! I'm @Bhumika , one of the Community Managers for our English Community Ce...
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Hello, all you lovely people in the ABB community.
Note - This post is written from the perspective of an Airbnb guest.
“Live in a stranger’s house, did you say?”, my soon to be bride asked me with an air of disbelief, “and that too on our honeymoon? Surely, you must be joking”, she continued, hoping I would laugh out aloud any minute and admit that I was indeed jesting.
Ambika, the love of my life and my bride-to-be was yet to hear about the home share concept and Airbnb - an ever-growing community which was built on trust above all things.
For someone who had never heard of this before, Ambika’s fears and apprehension was justified.
Let me take you back a few months prior to this conversation when Ambika and met for the first time. This was towards the end of 2012. We were introduced to each other by our well-meaning parents as an arranged marriage proposition. A sailor by profession, I was in Mumbai on my well-earned leave and my concerned mum was actively seeking for a suitable bride for her only son, fearful that I would die a sad and lonely death on some forlorn shore with no one left to grieve for me.
A constant drifter, and a solo vagabond until this time, I was content living my life as a hardened sailor and an intrepid backpacker. But then Ambika came into my life, and for the first time ever I began to contemplate having a partner in my life, albeit with certain reservations at first: would this mean no more extended travels? Would Ambika love travelling as much as I did, and be comfortable with my style of exploring? How would I backpack once I had kids? The questions seemed endless and the answers, elusive.
Ambika, at least as a first impression, and from what I gathered during our first few dates, appeared to be a person who loved travel and adventure as much as I did, although she had lived a fairly sheltered and domesticated life so far; in all her years of travel, she had never ventured off the well-trodden path. However, I detected an element of daredevilry in her - faint and just below the surface.
New Adventures!
A Sailor finds his Mermaid
It was time to shake things up a bit, and see for myself what kind of a travel partner Ambika would be.
For our honeymoon, we had planned to visit Sri Lanka - our geographic neighbour and an idyllic and picturesque island nation which offered a range of travel escapades: rugged mountains, stunning beaches, quaint villages, and ancient temples. I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to explore the entire spectrum of experiences - honeymoon or not.
I just couldn’t picture myself lying on a hammock, sipping mojitos and gazing into each other’s eyes all day long in a luxe resort for the entire trip. The ultimate bonding with my newly-wed would be on the road doing wild and off-beat things - a trek up Sigiriya Rock, a hot air balloon ride, an unplanned hike down a village path in Kandy, a meandering walk in the undulating tea estates of Haputale.
Train Ride - Colombo
Tea Estate - Dambatenne
Hot Air Balloon Ride
Being silly at Tangalle
Idle cycle rides in the back roads
A Tuk Tuk ride experience
To Ambika’s credit (and to my relief), she seemed enthusiastic about the proposition of an extended vacation. It was as if a part of her was craving to be set free and eager to explore the wild side.
It was at this planning stage that I gently broached the subject of trying out an Airbnb stay in at least one of the destinations. Now I’ve come from the era of ‘Couchsurfing’ and the concept of home-sharing for free; and I shared the ideology that the only true reward of being a member was the ability to make friends and the social interaction that these encounters provided.
But for Ambika, this was truly uncharted territory.
In true sporting spirit, she agreed to consider the proposal. Mindful of not pushing her too far out of her comfort zone, I opted for a short two-day stay in Kandy (an ancient city famed for the Temple of the Tooth). Mind you, this would be my first Airbnb experience as well, and this stay would determine our outlook towards this platform.
It was a 50-50 chance.
A purely random selection of an entirely random listing on Airbnb eventually turned out to be one of the highlights of our honeymooning trip.
We could not have chosen better hosts than Roney and Sujatha for our initiation. Our choice of accommodation was modest, as was our expectation about the hosts. However, the care and affection that Roney and Sujatha showered upon us during those two days was unreal; never in our lives have we encountered strangers with such an incredible capacity to give unconditionally. The couple went over and above the requirements of a host and it was evident that their behaviour was not driven by their desire to get the best rating from guests.
Roney and Sujatha displayed the true hallmark of the Airbnb ethos and the platform’s unintended but truly remarkable rewards of being its member - the social interaction which turned strangers into friends; the ability to bring out the best in people irrespective of ethnicity, race or religion; and the natural, yet sadly underrated, values of trust and respect.
We entered Roney and Sujatha’s home as guests but left as lifelong friends.
Us with Roney and Sujatha in Kandy
Our first Airbnb experience thus proved to be a catalyst which prompted Ambika to jump onto the Airbnb bandwagon with renewed confidence.
(In case the reader is wondering if there was any element of a conventional holiday and textbook romancing that one would expect whilst on a honeymoon, let me assure you that we did spend the last week in a luxurious resort - lying in hammocks, sipping mojitos and gazing in each other’s eyes all day long.)
Fast forward to 2020, with over sixteen Airbnb stays, two beautiful kids in tow and some wild adventures along the way, the coy bride I had married has now turned into a daring traveller, who wears her heart on her sleeve, trusts people more freely, and seeks friendships where none existed.
Robert Brault sums up our relationship very well in this quote - "What we find in a soulmate is not something wild to tame, but something wild to run with."
The 'hammocky' thing
New addition to the travel bandwagon and the ABB community
I wish each and every one of you a blissful Christmas season. Here's looking to a bright and promising 2021: triumph over Covid, lifting of travel restrictions, normalcy to our daily lives and most importantly to a world which comes together collectively and thinks as one.
PS - Sadly Sujatha has since passed away a few months ago after a long battle with cancer and she has left a legacy of love and goodwill with the numerous family and friends who have had the privilege to have known her. We happen to be two such lucky persons. I have shared a post - Where do angels go when they depart earth? in memory of Sujatha on 02nd December for those who would like to read more about our experience with this lovely couple.
PPS - Thanks to AirBnB for all of the lovely experiences we've had so far, and to this community for your support and open dialogue. This platform is truly global and unique in terms of what it offers to members. I can only wish that ABB leverages this aspect and creates even more opportunities and experiences for social engagement. Special thanks to @Katie for providing me with this opportunity to post.
To New Beginnings!
Jason Rebello
What an excellent post! Thank you so much for sharing with us @Jason1470
The first photo with the wedding attire is perfection!
Hi @Nick ,
Thanks for your kind words. I’m glad got the opportunity to share my story within this community.
Our photo with the wedding attire and the backpacks appears to be quite a hit. Many members, including @Katie have commented about it.
This photo is actually from a post wedding photo shoot back in India. I came up with (and supplied) all the props for the shoot on the fly...just shows how much I love travelling.
This image is now on the cover of my soon to be released travelogue which encompasses our two months of travel in Austrslia when we arrived as first time migrants. The book, amongst several other things, celebrates our experience as ABB guests, as most of our accommodation during the stay was via this platform; all of our hosts were amazing and most of them have graciously offered to share their stories in the book.
I got on cannot tell you how wonderful it feels to be a part of this community both as a guest when travelling, and also to engage with the community members online.
I wish you a beautiful Christmas season and a bountiful 2021.
Best,
Jason
Hi @Nick ,
Thanks for your kind words. I’m glad got the opportunity to share my story within this community.
Our photo with the wedding attire and the backpacks appears to be quite a hit. Many members, including @Katie have commented about it.
This photo is actually from a post-wedding photoshoot back in India. I came up with (and supplied) all the props for the shoot on the fly...just shows how much I love travelling.
This image is now on the cover of my soon to be released travelogue which encompasses our two months of travel in Australia when we arrived as first-time migrants. The book, amongst several other things, celebrates our experience as ABB guests, as most of our accommodation during the stay was via this platform; all of our hosts were amazing and most of them have graciously offered to share their stories in the book.
I cannot tell you how wonderful it feels to be a part of this community both as a guest when travelling, and also to engage with the community members online.
I wish you a beautiful Christmas season and a bountiful 2021.
Best,
Jason
Wow @Jason1470 , god bless you, Ambika and your children. Your story was wonderful and it seems like Roney and Sujath are posterchildren for what AIrbnb host should strive to be, (Rest in Peace Sujath). Thank you for sharing and keep your traveling shoes ready for your next adventure. Stay well, JR
@Jason1470 Such a welcomed delight in reading and feeling your life story / journey of HOPE, JOY, LOVE and so much more. What treasures you have shared with us all - esp. the pictures and even the touch of real life in the death of a Sujutha friend that you both will carry in your hearts always. Thank you for reminding us what is really important - what really matters - and what we all live for (whether we believe it or not) love, belonging & connection. You are always welcomed guests here in Pensacola, Fl.
May you, Ambika and your 2 little ones be forever blessed and fulfilled.
Warmest of greetings and wishes, Clara
@Jason1470 it is so lovely to hear what is first and foremost, a fantastic story of love and adventure, travel and human connection - thank you so much for sharing it with us 💙
Secondly, it's great to hear from a guest, as we don't often hear from as many as we'd like - it's really good to have you here in the Community and to get your perspective.
Your experience with Roney and Sujatha sounds like it had such a great impact on your trip and the fact that you stayed in contact is testament to this. I'm intrigued by what is in the jug on the table, in the photo with them? Whatever it is, it looks delicious!
I spent a couple of weeks backpacking in Sri Lanka a few years ago, and climbing Sigiriya was a real highlight. The staircases feel kind of rickety and at some points you feel like you're clinging to the side of the rock with only a little metal between you and the sky, but it's all part of the fun, and the views from the top are amazing aren't they?
Sigirya looming up in front of me
The start of the climb looks pretty easy as the stairs snake through the rock and then around it and upwards
The iron staircase clings to the side of the rock and juts out into the air
Amazing views from the ruins at the top
p.s. Your photos are also top-notch: as @Sarah977 and @Nick have said, the one of you and Ambika in your wedding outfits with the backpacks in tow is just perfect!
Hi @Katie ,
Thank you so very much for giving me the chance to share my story within this community...it seems to have struck a chord amongst many readers.
The day we did Sigriya rock, I had something else that was bothering my as I weaved my way up those rickety steps; it was a long day to begin with as I had woken up Ambika at around 03:00 a.m. I had planned the sunrise hot sir balloon ride over Sigiriya. Doing the hike up the rock in the heat of the sun after such an early start was not well received, let me tell you that. Halfway up, I was seriously expecting our first lover’s tiff and I was praying hard that day, hoping that the next section of the climb would be our last. It was relentless though and the clim seemed to take for ever!! The love of my life took it in her stride though, and I knew that day as I stood on top of the rock gazing down on the sweeping vistas, that I had a winner 😁.
PS - You are doing an incredible job with managing this ‘Month of Celebration’ event. I appreciate the fact that you take the time to respond to every post.
Best,
Jason
Wow @Jason1470 what a trooper Ambika was that day! Sounds like you needed the traditional honeymoon resort section after such an action-packed start to the holiday haha. I can't remember how many steps it was, but I was glad it wasn't too hot that day, that's for sure 😅
Aw thank you for your kind words there - I am really enjoying reading everyone's posts and getting some insights into everyone's lives, and I really appreciate the Community coming together to share their stories 😊
Awww @Jason1470 was a beautiful recap. I felt I was living through your journey as I read. I have to admit I did feel rather emotional reading your story and even had to grab a tissue! 🙂
As others have mentioned, I think you have summarised the really essence of what Airbnb is all about and your story is a celebration of people.
Thank you so much for sharing your personal story here, it's also lovely to hear a guest point of view and I wish you and your family many great adventures ahead together. I'm sure your children will follow in your footsteps as explorers of the world.
Lizzie
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Thank you for the last 7 years, find out more in my Personal Update.
Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.
Hi @Lizzie
Thank you so much for your kind words of appreciation. I’m so glad you loved the post.
There are two things I wish to impart in my kids from a very early age: a burning desire to travel and explore, and the art of leaving nothing behind but footprints everywhere they go.
Its great to be a part of this vibrant community.
Cheers,
Jason
Thank you for sharing , your post has captured an authenticity of your ‘ wanderlust’ and so much more.
Festive wishes to you and your beautiful family.✨🎄
Laura
Ōhope Beach, NZ
P.S
Have you thought about writing travel blogs?
Hi @Laura2484 ,
Thanks for you comment. Since you asked, I do have a website - www.theevolvingbackpacker.com and whilst many would think I share my travel stories (although I did start the website with this intention), I’ve only recently moved away from discussing my own travels but share inspirational posts. I use travel merely as a metaphor for our own individual journey through life. In fact my USP in the blog is that this is the only travel website that does NOT talk about travel!
Maybe if you had an opportunity to visit the the website and provide your feedback, this would be much appreciated.
On a side note - We are very much keen on exploring NZ and hope to do this in a camper van with our kids - something we’ve never done before in our lives. NZ seems to be the prefect place to experience this.
Merry Christmas and a blissful 2021 to you and your loved ones.
Best,
Jason Rebello
Salut @Jason1470 ❤️ Ambika,
Beautiful stories of real love, love and love. ❤️
May the god of love cupid bless yours and beloved family with the eternal love and romance. ❤️
Best,
Many thanks Dale and Dan! @Dale711
Wishing you and your loved ones a blissful Christmas season and a promising 2021.
Best,
Jason
Very touching story especially the last photo. I once visit Sri Lanka and as you mention was a beautiful country with a lot of smile face.