In an attempt to document my travels after the digital photography era took off (and I bought my first Nikon Coolpix digital camera in 2010), I started this blog around 2010-11. At the time, I was an amateur writer, and it was more of an experiment to capture and share my travel experiences. Slowly, I began to realize that this could be a wonderful platform to express myself and offer my perspective on the places I visited. From 2012-13 onwards, I started traveling more extensively, mostly solo, and quickly became addicted to both the act of traveling and the art of writing about it. Although I was still learning the ropes as a writer, I seized every opportunity to improve my craft. I try to convey everything I’ve discovered on my journeys—both the places I’ve visited and the deeper experiences I’ve gained along the way. While I’d love to call myself a “destination-less traveler” who rejects fixed plans or the idea of a set destination, I admit that's more of a philosophical stance than reality. Time and money, as we all know, tend to dictate most of our decisions. That said, I never pass up an opportunity to travel, no matter the destination. I don’t follow a “bucket list” per se. In my opinion, there’s an infinite number of things to see, and every place has the potential to become a bucket-list experience in its own right.

Solo travel holds a special place in my heart. I firmly believe that it’s the best way to truly immerse yourself in a new city—connecting with the local people, savoring the food, experiencing the atmosphere, and, on a deeper level, absorbing the “feel” of a place. For me, the freedom that comes with traveling alone is something I wouldn’t trade for anything else.

Apart from my love for travel, I am deeply passionate about high-altitude mountaineering. This passion is actually why I named my blog "Aarohon" (a Bengali word meaning "climbing"). For me, the name carries a deeper meaning—it’s not just about summiting physical mountains, but about the personal ascent that happens with every journey or expedition. Each time I set out on a new adventure, I feel like I’m climbing the mountain of my goals, humanity, and ethical values, growing into a better version of myself.

I thrive on taking big risks in life, because, without them, life would be too mundane. My mountaineering journey began with the Basic Mountaineering Course (BMC) from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) in Uttarkashi, followed by the Advanced Mountaineering Course (AMC) at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (ABVIMAS) in Manali - both with "A" grades. In addition, I’ve spent a few years doing indoor climbing at the University of Western Ontario Climbing Club. However, my true interest lies in high-altitude mountaineering rather than pure rock climbing. I consider myself an intermediate-level rock climber, capable of climbing up to V4 difficulty on boulders (depending on how consistent I am with practice) and 5.10+ on walls (according to the North American grading system). Recently, I’ve become affiliated with the Howrah District Mountaineers & Trekkers Association (HDMTA), furthering my connection with the mountaineering community.

If you have any feedback, suggestion, or comments, please write to me at: ayanchaudhury.cs@gmail.com