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Solo: My Year of Backpacking and Unpacking
Barely a year into college, Indrajeet More is offered to host a travel show on budget backpacking across India.
As he undertakes a year-long journey across thirteen cities, what unfolds is a string of surreal life experiences—from getting lost in the forests of coastal Karnataka to camping amid the snowy peaks of the Himalayas, from hunting for the best toddy shop in rural Kerala to dancing to the beats of Naga folk songs.
Through this journey, Indrajeet discovers novelty and relatability in diverse cultures by reflecting on his upbringing in a Maharashtrian household. He navigates the inevitable boredom of solo travel and the anxiety of uncertainty, ultimately seeking belongingness in the most unfamiliar of places.
Solo is a raw, unfiltered backpacker’s gaze at contemporary India, about learning to read people beyond language, understanding food beyond ingredients, hearing stories beyond regions and, most importantly, finding a sense of home away from home.
As he undertakes a year-long journey across thirteen cities, what unfolds is a string of surreal life experiences—from getting lost in the forests of coastal Karnataka to camping amid the snowy peaks of the Himalayas, from hunting for the best toddy shop in rural Kerala to dancing to the beats of Naga folk songs.
Through this journey, Indrajeet discovers novelty and relatability in diverse cultures by reflecting on his upbringing in a Maharashtrian household. He navigates the inevitable boredom of solo travel and the anxiety of uncertainty, ultimately seeking belongingness in the most unfamiliar of places.
Solo is a raw, unfiltered backpacker’s gaze at contemporary India, about learning to read people beyond language, understanding food beyond ingredients, hearing stories beyond regions and, most importantly, finding a sense of home away from home.
- GenresNonfictionTravel
328 pages, Paperback
Published July 15, 2025
8 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 20, 2025
“SOLO- My YEAR OF BACKPACKING AND UNPACKING” is the debut novel of the author Indrajeet More. The book is unlike any other travelogue, here the author discusses his journey across various states and cities, but that’s not the best part, the best part is he travels to each city, only for three days on the budget of Rs. 3000 only. I know right you must be thinking- 3000 Rs and Travel ? How is that even possible? I know , I was just as curious as you.
So the story starts back in 2018-19, when the author was in college only, he received an offer from a marathi content creation platform BhaDiPa, which use to create good marathi content and later they decided to make another page and with that page the journey of our author started because that page was about Travel Vlog, and an 18-19 year old kid backpacking across India for 3 days on a budget of only 3000 Rs. caught everyone’s eye on the internet quickly, ( FYI the vlogs are still on the youtube and of course I saw all the episodes, after finishing each chapter I would watch the vlog of that chapter, but still I liked the book version more obviously 😀).
I like how the author told us a little backstory or a little intro of the each place before jumping onto the journey details, the little story helped me understand the places he described much better, and he did not bore me with unnecessary details at all, the book was interesting till the end, the chapters were kept short, fun and interesting, without compromising with the details, I literally feel like I have seen all the places he talked about in the book, my favourite was obviously reading about my own city Jaipur ( though it was sort of a nightmare for the author, sorry for the food poisoning Jaipur gave you 😂, if you visit next time I may be able to suggest you better places).
Overall the book was a different and very fun experience for me, I would highly recommend this book to those who like travelogues, or who dream of travelling but are not able to (like me), you can travel through this book.
So the story starts back in 2018-19, when the author was in college only, he received an offer from a marathi content creation platform BhaDiPa, which use to create good marathi content and later they decided to make another page and with that page the journey of our author started because that page was about Travel Vlog, and an 18-19 year old kid backpacking across India for 3 days on a budget of only 3000 Rs. caught everyone’s eye on the internet quickly, ( FYI the vlogs are still on the youtube and of course I saw all the episodes, after finishing each chapter I would watch the vlog of that chapter, but still I liked the book version more obviously 😀).
I like how the author told us a little backstory or a little intro of the each place before jumping onto the journey details, the little story helped me understand the places he described much better, and he did not bore me with unnecessary details at all, the book was interesting till the end, the chapters were kept short, fun and interesting, without compromising with the details, I literally feel like I have seen all the places he talked about in the book, my favourite was obviously reading about my own city Jaipur ( though it was sort of a nightmare for the author, sorry for the food poisoning Jaipur gave you 😂, if you visit next time I may be able to suggest you better places).
Overall the book was a different and very fun experience for me, I would highly recommend this book to those who like travelogues, or who dream of travelling but are not able to (like me), you can travel through this book.
June 26, 2025
-Have You Taken a Trip This Year?-
Review of Solo
Quote Alert
"𝐀 𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐳𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐤𝐢𝐜𝐤-𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬. 𝐀𝐬 𝐈 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤. 𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐚 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐭."
What is life if you haven't taken at least a single backpack trip in your life? If you want to Solo is your go-to book. It won't inundate you with details but full you with a wanderlust so desperate, you would want to run off without trying your shoelaces.
Barely a year into college, Indrajeet More was offered to host a travel show on a tight, almost a shoestring budget, to backpack across India. He grabbed it with both hands and this started his journey into the interiors of the wonder that India is.
As he undertakes a year-long journey across thirteen cities, a string of surreal life experiences unfold—right from getting lost in the forests of coastal Karnataka to camping amid the snowy peaks of the Himalayas, from hunting for the best toddy shop in rural Kerala to dancing to the beats of Naga folk songs.
Through this journey, Indrajeet discovers novelty and relatability in diverse cultures by reflecting on his upbringing in a Maharashtrian household. He navigates the inevitable boredom of solo travel and the anxiety of uncertainty, ultimately seeking belongingness in the most unfamiliar of places.
Solo is a raw, unfiltered backpacker’s gaze at contemporary India, about learning to read people beyond language, understanding food beyond ingredients, hearing stories beyond regions and, most importantly, finding a sense of home away from home.
Review of Solo
Quote Alert
"𝐀 𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐳𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐤𝐢𝐜𝐤-𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬. 𝐀𝐬 𝐈 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤. 𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐚 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐭."
What is life if you haven't taken at least a single backpack trip in your life? If you want to Solo is your go-to book. It won't inundate you with details but full you with a wanderlust so desperate, you would want to run off without trying your shoelaces.
Barely a year into college, Indrajeet More was offered to host a travel show on a tight, almost a shoestring budget, to backpack across India. He grabbed it with both hands and this started his journey into the interiors of the wonder that India is.
As he undertakes a year-long journey across thirteen cities, a string of surreal life experiences unfold—right from getting lost in the forests of coastal Karnataka to camping amid the snowy peaks of the Himalayas, from hunting for the best toddy shop in rural Kerala to dancing to the beats of Naga folk songs.
Through this journey, Indrajeet discovers novelty and relatability in diverse cultures by reflecting on his upbringing in a Maharashtrian household. He navigates the inevitable boredom of solo travel and the anxiety of uncertainty, ultimately seeking belongingness in the most unfamiliar of places.
Solo is a raw, unfiltered backpacker’s gaze at contemporary India, about learning to read people beyond language, understanding food beyond ingredients, hearing stories beyond regions and, most importantly, finding a sense of home away from home.
June 29, 2025
This book felt like talking to a friend who just came back from a long, crazy trips and couldn’t stop telling you everything. "Solo" is honest, simple, and so real. Author, just 19 and a bit clueless , decides to travel across India for a whole year—13 cities, 12 months, all by himself.
What I really liked is how unfiltered it all is. He doesn’t try to act like he knows it all. He gets lost, feels lonely, messes up, but keeps going. Whether it's dancing in Nagaland, getting lost in Karnataka forests, or finding the best toddy shop in Kerala—every experience feels raw and full of heart. I like the jaipur part most because it's close to my native place and also much familiar. The experience of Kolkata is surreal. The part of Rishikesh, helped me to remember my trip, the memories flashes .
There are also quiet moments—where he feels unsure, or just sits with his thoughts. And that’s what makes the book special. It’s not just about travelling, it’s about growing up, figuring things out slowly, and finding small joys in unexpected places.
The writing is easy to read, with a friendly tone. It doesn’t feel like a big travel book—it feels like someone is just sitting next to you and sharing stories of across India.
If you’ve ever felt lost, confused, or just wanted to pack a bag and run off for a while—this book will feel close to your heart. It’s simple, full of little moments, and leaves you smiling.
I feel " Ghar bethkar i experience the entire nation" thank you More Sahab ❤️
What I really liked is how unfiltered it all is. He doesn’t try to act like he knows it all. He gets lost, feels lonely, messes up, but keeps going. Whether it's dancing in Nagaland, getting lost in Karnataka forests, or finding the best toddy shop in Kerala—every experience feels raw and full of heart. I like the jaipur part most because it's close to my native place and also much familiar. The experience of Kolkata is surreal. The part of Rishikesh, helped me to remember my trip, the memories flashes .
There are also quiet moments—where he feels unsure, or just sits with his thoughts. And that’s what makes the book special. It’s not just about travelling, it’s about growing up, figuring things out slowly, and finding small joys in unexpected places.
The writing is easy to read, with a friendly tone. It doesn’t feel like a big travel book—it feels like someone is just sitting next to you and sharing stories of across India.
If you’ve ever felt lost, confused, or just wanted to pack a bag and run off for a while—this book will feel close to your heart. It’s simple, full of little moments, and leaves you smiling.
I feel " Ghar bethkar i experience the entire nation" thank you More Sahab ❤️
January 20, 2026
A Whimsical Travelogue on the Joys and Peeves of Flying Solo
Reader, beware; this isn’t your regular sunshine-and-rainbows travel memoir by one of those pretentious travel influencers marketing you an Instagrammable dream vacay. Rather, this is a raw, honest-to-heart introspective account of a regular guy doing irregular things.
Debut author Indrajeet Moré looks back on the whirlwind of solo trips he spent exploring the length and breadth of India as a nineteen-year-old backpacker, or, dare I say, brokepacker. He starts off by talking about how the power of randomness drives our lives, often causing things to fall into place in ways that surprise us.
‘Why solo travel?’ some of you may ask. Indrajeet offers a compelling explanation: Individually, people are sharp and full of independent thought, but together their collective intelligence seems to dilute into a less insightful version of itself. Their actions become something none of them would choose alone.
From the pristine beaches of Gokarna to the palaces of Jaipur, the colourful Portuguese houses of Goa to the French settlements of Pondicherry, and the backwaters of Alleppey to the hills of Shillong, his evocative writing transports the reader, bringing to life the sights, sounds, and above all, the soul of each place. Along the way, he shares some of his wildest experiences, be it firing a traditional rifle into the sky or trying exotic insects, while also finding beauty in the mundane, whether it’s observing rocks, spotting birds, or collecting perfect sticks during hikes.
He pours empathy into each chapter by connecting with the people he meets on a human level. His background as a Philosophy major clearly shows in his writing. At times, his reflections are profound, yet at others, they devolve into a rigmarole of existential overthinking, or as he self-awarely calls it, “mental masturbation.”
The book critiques how social media has commodified travel and put it on a pedestal by only serving the juicy part of the sandwich and painting an unrealistic picture. “What social media does to traveling is basically what porn does to sex.” Truer words have never been uttered.
Beyond the good, he doesn’t shy away from the bad and the ugly. He opens up his vulnerable side to us readers, revealing how he felt disillusioned and overwhelmed in some destinations. But it’s exactly this intellectual honesty that makes the book click. As much as he excitedly details his experiences frolicking in the tribal celebrations of Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival, he melancholically recounts witnessing discrimination amid Benares’ cremation pyres.
What I appreciate the most about this book is the way the author makes peace with the obvious fact that not every trip is going to be life-changing and that the very purpose of travelling is entirely defeated when we expect a drastic revelation out of it.
Solo travel is all about stepping out of your zone and trying new stuff. “The more we travel, the more we discover newer versions of ourselves.”
Reader, beware; this isn’t your regular sunshine-and-rainbows travel memoir by one of those pretentious travel influencers marketing you an Instagrammable dream vacay. Rather, this is a raw, honest-to-heart introspective account of a regular guy doing irregular things.
Debut author Indrajeet Moré looks back on the whirlwind of solo trips he spent exploring the length and breadth of India as a nineteen-year-old backpacker, or, dare I say, brokepacker. He starts off by talking about how the power of randomness drives our lives, often causing things to fall into place in ways that surprise us.
‘Why solo travel?’ some of you may ask. Indrajeet offers a compelling explanation: Individually, people are sharp and full of independent thought, but together their collective intelligence seems to dilute into a less insightful version of itself. Their actions become something none of them would choose alone.
From the pristine beaches of Gokarna to the palaces of Jaipur, the colourful Portuguese houses of Goa to the French settlements of Pondicherry, and the backwaters of Alleppey to the hills of Shillong, his evocative writing transports the reader, bringing to life the sights, sounds, and above all, the soul of each place. Along the way, he shares some of his wildest experiences, be it firing a traditional rifle into the sky or trying exotic insects, while also finding beauty in the mundane, whether it’s observing rocks, spotting birds, or collecting perfect sticks during hikes.
He pours empathy into each chapter by connecting with the people he meets on a human level. His background as a Philosophy major clearly shows in his writing. At times, his reflections are profound, yet at others, they devolve into a rigmarole of existential overthinking, or as he self-awarely calls it, “mental masturbation.”
The book critiques how social media has commodified travel and put it on a pedestal by only serving the juicy part of the sandwich and painting an unrealistic picture. “What social media does to traveling is basically what porn does to sex.” Truer words have never been uttered.
Beyond the good, he doesn’t shy away from the bad and the ugly. He opens up his vulnerable side to us readers, revealing how he felt disillusioned and overwhelmed in some destinations. But it’s exactly this intellectual honesty that makes the book click. As much as he excitedly details his experiences frolicking in the tribal celebrations of Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival, he melancholically recounts witnessing discrimination amid Benares’ cremation pyres.
What I appreciate the most about this book is the way the author makes peace with the obvious fact that not every trip is going to be life-changing and that the very purpose of travelling is entirely defeated when we expect a drastic revelation out of it.
Solo travel is all about stepping out of your zone and trying new stuff. “The more we travel, the more we discover newer versions of ourselves.”
August 11, 2025
Pick this book at your own peril!
Because once you start, you’ll want to leave everything, pack your bags, and set out on an adventure.
This book feels like listening to a friend’s solo travel stories budget travels, moments that humble you, memories you’ll never forget, friendships that last a lifetime, and those quiet moments where you truly meet yourself.
By the end, you won’t just read about these places you’ll feel like you’ve been there.
Because once you start, you’ll want to leave everything, pack your bags, and set out on an adventure.
This book feels like listening to a friend’s solo travel stories budget travels, moments that humble you, memories you’ll never forget, friendships that last a lifetime, and those quiet moments where you truly meet yourself.
By the end, you won’t just read about these places you’ll feel like you’ve been there.
June 8, 2025
A good book to see how people your age perceive the same things the same places you also visit
August 24, 2025
i genuinely think every travel lover needs to pick this one up. even before diving into it, the concept had me hooked. a year-long solo journey across thirteen indian cities, from the forests of karnataka to the snowy himalayas, all experienced through the eyes of a young backpacker? it sounds like the kind of real and reflective travel story that doesn’t just show you places, but pulls you into the feeling of them.
solo isn’t just about ticking off destinations, it’s about navigating boredom, embracing discomfort, and finding unexpected meaning in unfamiliar places. i liked how indrajeet more doesn’t romanticize solo travel. he’s honest about the moments that feel slow or scary or uncertain, which makes the journey feel even more grounded. and through it all, he weaves in his own cultural reflections and personal identity, showing how travel often teaches us just as much about ourselves as it does about the world.
this book feels like the perfect read if you’re craving an india-centric travel story that isn’t filtered through tourist clichés. it’ll make you want to explore new states, hunt down tiny local eateries, and maybe even travel solo yourself. it’s raw, reflective, and rooted in a kind of adventure that feels both external and deeply personal.
i kinda wanna travel solo too after reading this, and this book had so many beautiful quotes that just quietly stayed with me.
solo isn’t just about ticking off destinations, it’s about navigating boredom, embracing discomfort, and finding unexpected meaning in unfamiliar places. i liked how indrajeet more doesn’t romanticize solo travel. he’s honest about the moments that feel slow or scary or uncertain, which makes the journey feel even more grounded. and through it all, he weaves in his own cultural reflections and personal identity, showing how travel often teaches us just as much about ourselves as it does about the world.
this book feels like the perfect read if you’re craving an india-centric travel story that isn’t filtered through tourist clichés. it’ll make you want to explore new states, hunt down tiny local eateries, and maybe even travel solo yourself. it’s raw, reflective, and rooted in a kind of adventure that feels both external and deeply personal.
i kinda wanna travel solo too after reading this, and this book had so many beautiful quotes that just quietly stayed with me.
June 2, 2025
I remember watching Indrajeet's series back then. I was always wondering what was going on in his head while he had those experiences. This book answers those questions and more.
Highly recommend this book for anyone who has ever had the travel bug but been too scared to follow through. A book that keeps you hooked, curious about the next chapter and waiting for the next time Indra messes up and how!
Highly recommend this book for anyone who has ever had the travel bug but been too scared to follow through. A book that keeps you hooked, curious about the next chapter and waiting for the next time Indra messes up and how!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews