How I did a Digital Detox which you should do too
The founder of companies like Cred and Freecharge, Kunal Shah believes that Digital Detox is good for you.
There are a million things to do on our phones that we often forget that there are a million things to do outside of our phones. I needed a break from my phone and when an opportunity for lakeside camping presented itself before me, I could not say no.
On the weekend of my 31st birthday, I took a tech detox trip along with six close friends and a furry buddy. We went to Roamy — Bhandardara Lakeside Camping. We booked a Tempo Traveller to cover the 350km round trip since that is more comfortable for a labrador than a car.
We left Mumbai at 7 am on Saturday. We took multiple stops to eat along the way and reached the campsite two hours before sunset. Since there was no cell coverage, we had to find the place the old school way. The instructions were “to look for a small tapri and go off-road towards the lake; two village-house-like structures should be visible (which were the kitchen and restroom) and to follow the soil road to find the tents and the campsite area.”
Our campsite was delightful. We saw our tents set up right at the lakeshore. A few chairs and the remnants of a campfire were all there was on the ground. We were at the edge of the world with no signs of civilization for miles around us.
The silence around us was almost deafening. Living in a city, our ears get accustomed to a high decibel background noise that it took us some time to appreciate nature’s quiet sounds. We enjoyed a tranquil Sun setting on the lake. We were served delicious kanda bhaji and tea.
The temperature began to fall rapidly post-sunset. The staff set up some lights and a campfire. We huddled around the fire’s warmth as it started to get cold. Dinner was barbecued chicken, roti, and vegetables.
With no network or phones to distract us, we could have deep and meaningful conversations about anything under the sky quite literally. I realized that while I love technology, I have become so dependent on it that it has become my crutch.
Being away from the city lights, we were able to truly appreciate the blanket of a sky of stars. We also grabbed this opportunity to do some wicked Astrophotography. Each photo took several minutes to set up the shot and the long exposure meant each click lasted thirty seconds. The results were worth it. This was the only exception to the tech detox.
It was way past midnight when the campfire began to die out and it was time to sleep. The tents were comfortable enough to lie down and sleep. The sleeping bags kept us cozy.
Breakfast was poha and tea. The morning was so peaceful. None of us wanted to leave the place. It was a long journey back home. This one-night trip was a much-needed reset on my technology-dependent life.
