Kalki Koechlin is an 'adventure child'. The national award-winning Bollywood actress has stole the limelight with her offbeat travel experiences - be it her biking trip to the Northeast with her father or her recent stint of climbing a mountain peak in Chail in Himachal Pradesh to reach a shoot location of her upcoming webseries 'Bhram'.
In a tete-e-tete, the 'Dev D' star shares her travel experiences and places on her bucket list. Excerpts:
Adventure and you seem inseparable. Comments?
There's so much madness and unpredictable situations on sets that become an adventure and my recreational habits of climbing trees, mountains and swimming in the ocean have proved useful for some of my work.
Do you call yourself a traveller?
Travelling is just a normal organic part of my life. If I have a weekend off, I like to go somewhere, and if there's a chance to explore I take it.
Your most memorable trip?
Diving in the blue hole in Sinai Egypt was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life, not to mention the wonderful company of my partner whom I had just met.
What are your travel essentials?
Swimwear, walking shoes, sarong, shawl, torch, penknife, and a good travel buddy.
Who is your best travel companion?
My dad because he's an experienced pilot, biker, and a traveller. He always knows how to stay calm in difficult situations and improvise when things go wrong.
Places on your bucket list?
Peru, South America in general. Also, Iceland and New Zealand.
Any bad experience while on a tour?
Thailand. It was an organized tour of the north I took with my mum, where we were fleeced and generally taken to commercial spots. We didn't really get to experience the real culture. Generally, I'm averse to package tours for this reason.
How do you maintain fitness while travelling?
Since I mostly choose adventure, fitness comes naturally as lot of activities are involved when one is travelling. Also, I don't limit myself food wise as I love to try different cuisines.
Your most adventurous trip?
My dad and I flew a microlight down the coast of South India and got caught in a terrible wind corridor and almost got swept away into the Indian Ocean. I never prayed so hard in my whole life!
Your favourite holiday location?
I have a lot of love for New York.
You are shooting for 'Bhram' in Chail. Tell us more about it and your role.
I play a character called Alisha Khanna who is a famous romance novelist suffering from memory lapses and hallucinations after an accident. In the movie, she's trying to put together pieces of a puzzle while a crime investigation is going on.