1st Jan 2010, was the day when I took my 1st international flight to Lyon, France. I have started my Travel career from Lyon, where I completed my MBA from IDRAC Business School. Meeting people from different nationalities, culture, and groups, it was one of the best experience of my life. At that time we use to use physical maps of Europe. Holding that map in our hand and exploring the area from lane to lane. It felt amazing to roam around in the street of France, Switzerland, London, Netherland, and Brussels. When I return back to India, I wanted to share my travel experience with everyone so that hard work I have done on my travel plans can help others too and my relatives and friends can easily know the famous places to visit in those countries and can plan the cheap and best trip.
As the urge to travel never rested inside me. I planned to visit different cities in India with my friends and family from 2011 to 2014. The experience was unparalleled to anything while exploring these well-known cities/states of India like Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Mumbai, and many other places. By this time the physical maps were replaced by GOOGLE MAPS. Finding a place and navigating to that place became so easy because of Google Maps.
By this time I came to realize that we can divide the total cost of a trip in 3 different heads:-
- Transportation Cost (Intercity and Interstate),
- Accommodation cost and
- Other costs (including Food and shopping)
So I decided to make my personalized itineraries for every city I visited. I wanted to make the cheap and best plan possible to visit those cities. With this plan in mind, I planned my next international trip with my family to South East countries like Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand in 2016. I found immense pleasure and the real beauty of nature in these countries. And being with my family tops the list of pleasures.
After returning from this trip I thought that I can share my travel experiences and help others in a better way. So I started a YOUTUBE CHANNEL and started making travel videos. In early 2017 and launched my 1st video. After that, I have published several videos on Domestic and International Travel (youtube.com/anujsbucket). By the end of 2017, I got married to a beautiful girl named SWATI and got a permanent life and travel partner. Our 1st trip after our marriage was to the USA. We visit San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York in Dec 2017
In early 2018 I received a notification on my phone from Google map saying “Review your Visit to The Cosmopolitan Hotel, Las Vegas”. Here I came to know about the Local Guide Contribution Program from Google Maps. I was so happy and excited to know about this. Google Map gave me the best platform which I was looking for so long. Now I can share my travel experiences, Photos, and Reviews which would directly help the people. I can also add LISTS of places to maps directly like, Top places to visit in New York, Top Chicken Points in Delhi, etc. This was amazing. So I started contributing as much as I can. In 2018 we made 3 international travel plans to Kuala Lumpur, Hongkong, and Qatar (Doha).
In early 2019 I received a male from Google saying that I have been invited to submit the application for CONNECT 2019. In which I can meet other Local guides like me who are willing to help other with their travel experiences. At that moment I was sure that I have to become the best Local guide. So I started contributing everything I can to Google Maps and Local guides community. I have also organized and successfully complete 2 meet ups in my area. East Delhi Specials 1 and East Delhi Specials 2. This thought process have opened new possibilities and scope for me to share the travel experience by joining the community of other travelers and local guides.
This community is amazing. Earlier what I was doing alone, now we can do it together in a much better way. Thank you Google for providing us with this opportunity to form this kind of community. If I get selected for CONNECT 2019 I would love to meet Local guide from all around the world. I shall learn a lot from them that what different ideas they are applying to help travelers. I would also love to meet the creators behind the favorite features of Google Maps and would like to ask and suggest to them how can we do MORE and BETTER.