In late 2023, Juhi Pikale made a decision that many considered unthinkable: she left her decade-long career with celebrity brands in the United States to return to India without a concrete plan. This choice sparked an unexpected series of events, transforming a moment of vulnerability into a year of extraordinary global exploration. In 2024, Pikale embarked on a life-changing journey, traveling to 24 countries and 45 cities.
For Pikale, embarking on a bucket list journey has always been a dream; it was just a matter of when to make it happen. "The reason I picked 24 countries is because #24in24 made for a cool hashtag, but it also gave me a concrete goal to go after," she says to Outlook Traveller. "I decided to explore Asia and Europe so I could dive deep into the history and cultures of these continents."
Exploring 24 countries in one year is a challenging task, but Pikale ensured she planned everything thoroughly. To manage logistics effectively, she split her travels into segments of three-four countries at a time, returning home to India for one or two months in between to reset and plan her next adventure. "This approach was essential for organising visas, flights, and accommodations, and it helped me avoid the pitfalls of constantly eating out, which can be unhealthy," she notes.
"Travel insurance is also a must to cover any unforeseen circumstances. I made frequent flyer accounts with all the airline groups I booked with and reused the miles to secure additional flights whenever possible," she adds.
Pikale conducted most of her research on social media by watching reels, using ChatGPT, and communicating with friends who had previously travelled to some of these countries. For those travelling with her, she created shared Google Docs to build itineraries, which added some organisation to plans. To keep track of payments, she utilised Splitwise.
But safety was a top-priority, especially as a solo woman traveller ready to explore the world. Pikale shares that she had never travelled solo before this trip, starting with Sri Lanka due to its proximity to India. "Many locals asked me why I was travelling alone. I joked that it was almost my birthday, and I just wanted to get older in peace! But honestly, every solo trip I took afterward boosted my confidence and comfort in traveling alone."
Most places she visited solo were relatively safe, she says. "Whenever possible, I chose hotels, but I also tried the hostel experience in Dublin. For those who don't feel entirely safe travelling alone, I recommend group tours. These tours connect you with other travellers and provide a guide, so you don’t feel completely alone."
Pikale shares that her year-long journey had an unexpected outcome: it turned her into a history buff. "This is another reason why I encourage people to travel. Whether it's domestically or internationally, visiting new places exposes you to different cultures, foods, and ways of thinking, which helps pull you out of your own bubble. The history behind the Roman Empire's 2,000-year-old architecture inspired me to take three different guided tours. Did you know that the Great Wall of China is 21,000 km long and that sticky rice was used as mortar in its construction? The stories of the Berlin Wall and Vietnam's resilience during the war, as well as walking through Anne Frank's house in Amsterdam, brought tears to my eyes and made the lessons I studied in school feel much more meaningful."
In addition to these profound experiences, she had some fun moments during her journey, such as sitting next to the producer of BTS, a boy band from South Korea while enjoying sushi or speaking to an audience of 800 people at a conference in Dubai.
Another remarkable aspect of her travels was connecting with locals. "I went biking with a local in Helsinki, took historical tours in Rome and Sri Lanka, and had a local accompany me for street shopping in Morocco, even helping me bargain!"
A significant part of travel is experiencing the diverse culinary cultures we encounter. Pikale agrees, saying "There's no better way to get a taste of the local cuisine and immerse yourself in the culture. These tours are typically vetted for safety and quality, so you can trust them. I've participated in such tours in Japan, China, Cambodia, Thailand, Spain, Morocco, and more! If you're travelling in Asia, check out Lost Plate Tours—I had excellent experiences in both Beijing and Cambodia with them."
If Lost Plate Tours isn't available, Pikale suggests looking at options on Tripadvisor and GetYourGuide. "In Morocco, we had a chef lead our tour, and he left us with a delightful home-cooked tagine at the end." In Japan, she highly recommends the Omakase experience, where the chef curates and serves seasonal specialties based on what is available. "These experiences often need to be booked in advance, so be sure to make a reservation and inform them of any dietary restrictions."
Another memorable dining experience for Pikale was at De Kas in Amsterdam. "It's a vegetarian, farm-to-table restaurant where everything served is grown on site."
She also explored Michelin-starred restaurants on her global travels. "Nahm in Bangkok was by far my favourite, but Kyubey for Omakase is a close second. Copenhagen has over 26 Michelin-starred eateries. However, what stole the show for me were the food courts like Torvehallerne Market and Broens Street Food, where former Noma chefs have opened shops offering various cuisines. I still crave the burger from Gasoline Grill!"
With many memories packed in her kitty, Pikale wished to bookmark these adventures for a lifetime. While these days, most people view their travel photos on mobile phones and Instagram, Pikale took a different route. Rather than allowing these memories to fade away on social media, she made a conscious decision to preserve and share them with friends and family in a more meaningful, tangible format. This decision led to the creation of her coffee table book, "Postcards from #24in24."
In this book, she takes readers on a journey through personal postcards, accompanied by her best photography from each destination. Pikale says that the book symbolises a deliberate choice to return to a more intimate form of connection, reviving the lost art of photo albums and handwritten postcards, which make sharing experiences with loved ones more personal and enduring.
Pikale understood that high-quality photography would be essential to bring her vision to life. "I had over 3,000 photos and videos which I first arranged into albums by country. Then I made my best selects in Google Photos and started sorting my postcards by country in a simple Google Doc. Once that was done, I partnered with a designer friend to visually bring it to life. My friends and family loved it! I have also sent my books globally, receiving requests from friends from the US, Canada, and even Chile!"
Language can often be a barrier when travelling in Asia. To navigate this challenge, she opted for guided tours whenever possible, which not only provided translation assistance but also ensured a seamless experience. Pikale emphasises the importance of using a language translation app like Google Translate. "It was essential for scanning and translating items like food menus and shopping labels, and it was also useful for asking for directions," she notes.
She advises travellers to research the local transportation systems, payment apps, restaurants, and attractions in advance. This preparation helps avoid the stress of figuring out translations on the spot. "Many of these places require reservations, and it can be challenging to navigate if you haven't done your homework," she explains.
Additionally, she strongly recommends looking into local apps. "Most countries have their own equivalents to Uber, for example. Grab is widely used in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam, while Taxa is popular in Denmark, and Bolt is used throughout Europe. For food delivery, there are also many local options like Wolt in certain parts of Europe."
Finally, she suggests using eSIMs in most locations to avoid expensive roaming charges. Reliable options include Airalo, Nomad, and Saily.
Pikale says that this adventure largely became possible thanks to her transition to freelancing, which granted her the freedom to travel while enhancing her storytelling skills. When Pikale shared her career transition on LinkedIn, she never expected it would turn into a viral moment that would significantly change her life. "Within 48 hours, my phone wouldn't stop ringing. In the following weeks, I personally spoke with over 150 people, many of whom were complete strangers. This led to more than 25 freelance consulting projects that provided a location-independent income, the opportunity to fulfill my dream of visiting 24 countries in 2024, and a platform to help over 75 others secure jobs or contracts."
