BY MEENAKSHI CHUGH
Most people know me as a pharmacist, and I really enjoy what I do. Taking care of patients has been my profession for many years. But alongside my career, there has always been another passion that is just as important to me—travel. Not just any travel, but travel beyond the ordinary.
One question I get asked all the time is, “Why do you always travel to cold places?” My answer is always the same: I don’t choose destinations because they are cold. I choose places because they are untouched, peaceful, naturally beautiful, and unlike anything I have seen before. It just happens that many of these places are in the polar regions.
When we talk about the most beautiful landscapes on our planet, how can we ignore the Arctic and Antarctica? The more I started reading about these places, the more curious I became. What started as simple curiosity slowly turned into years of learning. Every article I read, every documentary I watched, and every person I spoke to made me realize how little most of us know about these parts of the world. Even today, I feel like I have only scratched the surface.
Within a span of just one year, I had the opportunity to visit both the North Pole region and the South Pole. Although they are both polar destinations, they are completely different experiences, poles apart.
One place that left a lasting impression on me was Svalbard, the world’s northernmost permanently inhabited settlement, located just about 650 miles from the Geographic North Pole. Standing there, surrounded by glaciers and endless Arctic wilderness, was something I had never experienced before. It reminded me how small we are in front of nature.
But if there is one place that completely changed the way I look at our planet, it is Antarctica.
My trip to the seventh continent didn’t happen overnight. I started researching Antarctica before the COVID pandemic. For nearly three years, I read everything I could, compared expedition ships, learned about their technology, studied different routes, and spoke with almost 50 people who had already been there. I wanted to make sure that when I finally went, I experienced Antarctica the best way possible.
Initially, it was supposed to be a trip for just three of us. Then a few friends became interested. Soon my neighbors heard about it, and before I knew it, our small plan had turned into a group of sixteen travelers. Looking back, that was the beginning of something I never expected.
The moment I stepped onto Antarctica, I knew I would come back. The silence, the glaciers, the wildlife, and the feeling of being in one of the last untouched places on Earth stayed with me long after I returned home. It wasn’t just another destination anymore, it became a place that will always be close to my heart.
That experience inspired me to become involved in promoting responsible tourism and conservation. Today, I serve as an Antarctic Ambassador, helping spread awareness about protecting this fragile continent so future generations can experience it the way we did.
Since then, I have been to Antarctica twice and will be going back again this December. To the best of my knowledge, I may be one of the very few Indian-origin women living in the United States to have visited Antarctica twice, and if all goes as planned, this December will be my third expedition.
People often ask me, “Why would you visit the same place again?” My answer is simple, Antarctica is never the same twice. Every expedition is different. Every landing is different. Every encounter with wildlife is different. One visit simply wasn’t enough.
Over the years, planning trips to remote destinations has become another passion of mine. I have explored Antarctica, Svalbard, Greenland, Norway, Finland, and Iceland, and I enjoy helping others experience these places too.
I’m not a travel agent. I simply enjoy helping friends, family, and fellow travelers plan trips to places they have always dreamed of visiting. I know how difficult it can be to plan these journeys while balancing work, family, and everyday life. Sometimes all people need is someone who has already been there and can guide them with honest advice.
If there is one message I would like to leave with everyone, it is this—don’t wait for the perfect time. If adventure is on your bucket list, start planning today. The right time rarely comes on its own.
At the end of the day, we won’t remember how many things we owned or how much money we made. We will remember the places that made us smile, the people we met, the stories we brought back, and the memories we created.
Life is made of moments, not possessions. Money can always be earned again, but time cannot. So, whenever you get the chance, travel, explore, make memories with the people you love, and don’t be afraid to go beyond the ordinary. Those memories will stay with you long after the journey ends.
