TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING

Hi. I'm Nitin. I'm a Gandhi peace walker. I've been walking for last seven years in 51 countries. And here I am in USA walking in 2025 from San Francisco to Washington, DC, and you are listening to Trust Me, I know what I'm doing.

Yeah. My name is Abhay Dandekar, and I share conversations with talented and interesting individuals linked to the global Indian and South Asian community. It's informal and informative, adding insights to our evolving cultural expressions, everyone. On this episode of trust me, I know what I'm doing, we share a conversation with peace activist, Nitin Sonawane.

As always, thank you for listening and watching and making trust me I know what I'm doing part of your day and part of your life. I know it takes time and effort, and so I appreciate everyone listening and subscribing and sharing this with all your friends and family. And if you're enjoying these, it would mean a great deal to me if you can take a moment and share a written review and a kind rating. You know, many of us go for a walk to clear our heads and get some fresh air, build more self awareness, get exercise, be at one with nature and our surroundings.

But few of us are walking singularly to clear all of our heads and bring us all together with a call for peace and a connection to our shared humanity. For activist Nitin Sonawane, this is exactly what has called him to embark on a cross country walking journey from San Francisco to Washington DC on what he's calling walking with peace USA twenty twenty five. Nitin was born and raised in a rural village in Maharashtra, India and calls himself a Gandhian, a truth seeker, and a peace lover. His upbringing and spiritual nature has led him to continually seek beyond the familiar. Some of his formative years were spent with the Maharashtra Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, cultivating an even greater commitment to nonviolence and peace through grassroots connections.

And since 02/2016, Nitin has literally been walking the planet with a message of nonviolence, equality, and global harmony. He's walked over 30,000 kilometers. Yes. Let that sink in. Already walking through Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America, and connected with thousands of people, community leaders, educators, children, and activists.

No neighborhood is too forlorn or too unreachable, and his inspirational messages are captivating and offer a light of optimism and hope to a world that desperately needs it. With a humility and a surrender to nature, communities, and open hearts, Nitin's walk caught my attention because in a world where there's so much built upon what we collect and amass, his walking journey is a reminder of what we're capable of through giving and listening and understanding. We caught up to Chet as he was at the beginning of his over two hundred day journey eastward. And, of course, the first thing on my mind was to find out at that moment where exactly he was. So I'm in a a California state, and, Fresno is one of the town city here.

And, Stenyit, one of my hosts. I'm based here near Berkeley. Mhmm. And, so not so far from where you started at the Ferry Building in San Francisco, but definitely been, making your way surely and steadily down California. Do you have a specific route to this?

Are there are there particular ways in which you've mapped out your journey that are specific to walking and important for the route that you take here? So I was thinking to cover the whole United States Of America, and, I was planning to walk as much state as possible. So for that, I did a little bit weird kind of mapping. Yeah. So my journey, it started from San Francisco, then I decided to go a little bit south.

So but I don't want to miss the Freshman because it did it north. So I did a big tour, and then it came to Freshman. And then I'm going down south to Bakersfield and San Diego, LA, San Diego. And then from San Diego, I'll take, like, East Side. So I'll go to Phoenix, Phoenix to Oklahoma, Oklahoma to Dallas.

I want to go to Dallas because a lot of friends in Dallas, they wanted in to invite me. Yeah. And then from Dallas, I'm going to be, like, north. So I want to be in Chicago because, some of you can and I came there Mhmm. Long ago.

So I want to visit the city. So then I took all the way north and, from Chicago to Column Columbus and Columbus to Washington DC. So my destination was Washington DC. So this is, like, a little bit zigzag road. So, yeah, that's that's I planned.

Yeah. Well and, you know, at least during this time of year, you've mapped this out in such a way that you'll probably avoid a lot of weather hardships Yes. As well. And then, you know, of course, there's a entire section quadrant of the of the country that you may be missing, but that might have to be for your next journey, as well. Yes.

Each day is a new experience, and it might be different from the previous day. But is there some, kind of rhythm or consistency to this? What what is a typical day of walking look like for you? So morning, like, it all always depend because where I'm I'm with, like, either with some host or in the nature. If I'm in the nature of forest somewhere where I'm camping, I start my day a little bit early.

But in fact, I'm staying with my host, it's pretty difficult because their life and then I have to act just a little bit according to their life. Yeah. So breakfast is, like, pretty normal in the morning. And, I start to around, like, eight is, like, that is, like, topmost time at eight. Yeah.

And, just keep start walking until, like, twelve, one, two. So one, two, or three. I when I feel, like, a little bit hungry, then I take out my small bag, and I have some dry Russian, like, either bread, peanut butter, some vegetables, and, avocados. And this is, like, my normal, diet in a lunch. And sometime, dinner also, like, the same.

So even if I'm staying in the forest, like, last couple of days, I was in the mountain areas. Mhmm. Area, there was nothing. So morning, breakfast, lunch was the same. Great, peanut butter, and avocado.

Right. That's what I'm having for last, like, couple of four days. So, yeah, that is, like, everyday's thing. And walking on the road, keep just walking was here in United States, the both sides are fences, so you have to be on the road. There is no way you can't go inside.

So just keep walking on the main road and, yeah, it's pretty tough, but, yeah, it's a it's a fun. And then when you know, do you mainly try and obviously walk mostly during daytime hours? And if it is someplace where you have to camp, it's a a rest stop or or someplace that is going to be relatively camp friendly. Has there been and and I saw recently that you you've been relying a lot on, you know, Taco Bell and and some KFCs to to get at least some washroom visits in there. But for the most part, I mean, this is mostly a daytime activity.

And has that been a successful part for you that you can say, hey. Yes. I'm I'm making up the most miles as I can, especially, during the daytime and especially when it's decent weather? Yeah. Sometime can be go wrong.

Like, two days ago, I got stuck because there was a day until, like, afternoon, and I couldn't start my walk because it was heavy rain. And then after afternoon, I feel like, okay. Now this is a good time, so I started walking. And the rain didn't stop. I was keep walking and walking.

Until six, I reach a place where there's nothing, so I couldn't camp there. So I just keep walking until, like, 08:30. But, like, I And I was just gonna say it's it thankfully, it's not a race. So it's not like you are trying to be in a competition and, you have to have certain number of miles per day, or or or do you have your own goals in in any way with this? Yeah.

So I give some commitment to the next city. Like, in Fresno, I give some commitment. So I had to be there on the time, so people are waiting for me. They organize some program for me. So on that way, I have to use some, you know, some time or some distance to do.

And, but that night, like, I was walking and, some guy thought, in one of the ranches, they said he's looked like a crazy guy. He call on called 911. I said, check on this guy. And this police officer came in the middle of, like, 07:38. In the dark, he stopped me, and, he asked these four silly questions.

And they say, okay. Now you're legal to walk on the road, so you can continue your journey. I said, okay. Thank you. Yeah.

I started my journey again from there. The what were the four silly questions? Those, like yeah. So first thing was he asked, like, which year right now you are in? Mhmm.

So as I said, 02/2025. I was like, a little bit like, was he asking? Like, this is a crazy question. Mostly trying to understand if you truly were were sane, or or did you have any particular, you know, problems at least, with your mental health. Yeah.

That was, I think, so that he's, idea. And then the second one he asked, what is the president of United States Of America? And I said, Trump. And then third one, he asked, well, how many quarters in one dollar? And then four last one was the, what is your first name?

So I said, like, dude, like, what? Yeah. Well, do you have to carry your passport, and do you have to carry some identification? And, you know, are those things, at least in 2025 in this current state that we live in, I imagine that's vital. Yeah.

So I'm carrying my passport, and, the passport is, like, key of my journey. Yeah. Without that, I don't think I can go anywhere. Yeah. But it's luckily, it's full of visas around the world.

So once they just take my, like, how it's like a little bit, like, bigger than normal passport. So this is like, okay. Yeah. You can go now. So it's easy for me to just keep walking.

Yeah. Hopefully, you don't get too many of those silly questions along the way. Are are there any any particular barriers that you've encountered? I mean, you've walked everywhere. This is not your first journey, but have there been any particular things that you said, hey.

In my experience is I won't walk in these conditions, or I I don't want to walk because there's either personal danger or there is weather related things. Are there are there some things that you've encountered that you've said, yeah, lesson learned once? I I don't wanna make that mistake again. Yeah. Like, extreme weather is our other thing.

Like, extreme cold is not my cup of tea. It Mhmm. Because I survive until minus five. If I go minus five, I don't know how that will be. Wow.

I'm born in Maharashtra, and, like, I never experienced, like, snow in my life. I don't know how it look. My first experience with the snow was in United States Of America. So that was, like, magical. But then to living in the snow and camping, I think so that is not cup of my tea yet because I need the Yeah.

Very different kind of gears that I don't have right now. So that I want to avoid to go extreme cold. I can go extreme hot, and that I did in Oman and UAE. It was, like, in Afghanistan as well. Like, 45, 50 degree.

I'm like, okay. Just keep walking. I I'm born in, like, a May, so I can walk in the hot. It's like, yeah, not in the cold. That's true.

Right? I mean, if you're from Maharashtra and, you've survived some of the, Unhala temperatures, I I think you can you know, that's probably a little bit more of your cup of tea as opposed to the cold part. You know, growing up, Maraki, growing up in Maharashtra, I I read that you come from a very spiritually diverse household embracing lots of different mechanisms of of spirituality. How did you grow up in a way that inspired a a Gandhian lifestyle for yourself? Or did you do you feel that you grew up in a Gandhian environment?

So yeah. So my grown up was very interesting as, my my family is Hindu and, but when my mother got sick and she got prayer from some, father, a Christian father, he, she got a faith, and had the belief in Jesus. So he was he was praying and, she was reading bible. I was I had because she couldn't read, so I was reading for her. Then my grandmother used to practice Sikhism.

My father used to have a fast. Like, every every year, he used to do Ramadan fast, Islamic fast. And, we he used to go to mosque at that time. So and then we used to celebrate the biggest, you know, Eid celebration at our home. Then we have Deepali, then, like, all different kind of festivals in my home.

So it was, like, whole year or a lot of fun for me. Yeah. But once I went to high school, I my my ideas are broke down, and science was giving me much better answer to me that time. Mhmm. And, that's where, the quest to know unknown.

Like, that's as science take us to ultimate particles and, kind of split of particles most of time at the end. And then what is ultimate reality to our life? So that was the trigger to my journey. I decided to leave my home and, that inspired by Gautama Buddha because he left his home as a age of 29. And India is a land of secret, so a lot of these people, they they left their families, everything, and just to dissolve themselves, to find themselves, to seek the ultimate truth.

And, one day, I just took my backpack. At the age of 17, I left. But, yeah, unfortunately, like, yeah, I was, like, pretty young, and I'll I I couldn't make it on the next day, and then I can come back home. Yeah. And, after working in engineering, I already completed my engineering.

And then so working six months, I realized, this is I'm not a robot. I just stop everything what I was doing. And, I got to connect with the Gandhian organization called Maharashtra Gandhi Smarak in Pune. And that's where I got connected to the Gandhian ideology because Gandhiji was also like, he was outside. He was a freedom fighter.

He's fighting for right, fighting against the Britishers, fighting for injustice within the society. And at the same time, he was a seeker. He was a truth seeker, and he's doing a different experiment to reach that truth. So I found I feel close to Gandhi and, to practice that truth, we have how to apply nonviolence in our life. So then truth and the practice of nonviolence help to to achieve y our goals or to make your truth in your reality, to to practice the truth in your reality with Ida of Nonviolence, not to harm others.

So that was the whole journey I've gone through, with Gandhi ji and my personal, yeah, life. You're listening to Trust Me, I Know What I'm Doing. After a quick break, we'll come back to our conversation with peace activist Nitin Sonawane. Stay tuned. Conversation.

It's the antidote to apathy and the catalyst for relationships. I'm Abhay Dandekar, and I share conversations with global Indians and South Asians so everyone can say, trust me. I know what I'm doing. New episodes weekly wherever you listen to your podcast. Hi.

I'm Vivek Murthy. I'm the twenty first surgeon general of The United States, and you're listening to Trust Me, I Know What I'm Doing. Hi, guys. I'm Ananya Pande. Hi.

This is Madhur Dixit. Hi. This is Farhan Akhtar. Hi. I'm Kani Kusruti and you are listening to Trust Me, I know what I'm doing. Welcome back to Trust Me, I Know What I'm Doing. Let's rejoin our conversation now with peace activist Nitin Sonore. You know, when you think about that, idea of seeking truth, there are so many ways to look inward and many, many styles that people have. But when it comes to external activism, you chose, Gandhi to be the model for this.

And in a way, how have you been able to through that Gandhian model, how have you been able to actually find more inner truth through this external activism at the same time? So, like, there's a two part of my journey. One is inward journey and one is outward journey. So Yeah. Our whole journey is, like, to just keep walking on the road with people, go to school, go to college.

If, like, get opportunity in some kind of activism, like in Japan, Okinawa Island where I was Right. Protesting against The US airbase and then, either in South Korea or any part of the world. So this is mostly the outdoor activities that happen all the time. But minor journey is like when I was walking and on the road. So it's mostly go deep in your mind.

It's one of the best technique in the world. Walking is one of the best meditation in the world. You go very deep in the mind that you can't imagine that something that's there and you cannot see it. And once you get the experience, you're like, wow. Yeah.

Yeah. Possibility. Wow. And you're amazed. You're amazed, like, how how beautiful the life is because you're walking.

You observe the things. It's I don't think so is also, to looking out outside, they also can show something inside as well. So while walking, I observe thing that life on this planet or the, the consciousness and everything is going so slow, and they walk in also very slow. And this slowness bring your mind so high level. Your consciousness will go high, so high.

Yeah. Do you see life very clearly? Like, we see everything is alive here. Even the stones and the rain and the water or even the sand, everything is alive. So that's, like, blow your blow your mind all the time.

I imagine. Yeah. I and and it's interesting. You mentioned that as you walk, when you think about sort of the idea of inner journey and external journey, that's actually a good reminder that, like, on the external side, of course, there's an activism here. And, again, the Gandhian philosophy is the one you've chosen.

On the inner side, walking and, really observing and soaking many things in brings a incredible amount of spiritual awakening, of social awakening, of consciousness awakening, and you you observe so many things. And yet, you know, the the world around us, particularly with people, for millennia has been a negotiation between peace and conflict, and constant peace and conflict all in in, you know, sort of straddling both of those things in every single environment. And so I'm I'm curious when people observe you, how does walking build a bridge between those two things for yourself, not just for others who are are watching you and getting inspired, but even for yourself. There's there's always a navigation between peaceful, activities and harmony and conflict that is some disharmony. So how have, you've been able to bridge those gaps, particularly for those who are observing you?

You know, while walking, you so you become, like, very highest of mind. And, I think so your surrounding becomes so powerful. I don't know how to explain those, you know, energies when you walk. Yeah. It's it's totally it's a different world.

You are actually, I live in a different world. And, I I don't know how what happened exactly when I was what I do. But when people see, they feel very peaceful. Yeah. They're very comforting with me.

Like, they they very come very near to me. They talk. They cool down, and, they also get so motivated. And their energies because I cannot see my energy. Sure.

So I can see them, like, what happened right now, and that inspired me a lot, like, at the same time. So Almost they match you. They're trying to match you. They match you because once it's affect on someone else, they also get with you, and then, like, you can see you from him. Sure.

So that was so magical to see them all the time. Like, one guy was came with, like, a knife, and, when I was with him, I talked a little bit, and then he took selfies. He said, he wanted to take something, but he took selfie with me, and he left. So Wow. That kind of Where was this?

That was in South Africa. Oh my goodness. Okay. Yeah. So that kind of beautiful moment happened.

Like, one of the important story of my journey was in, Ethiopia. Yeah. I was walking, and the the children start throwing stone at me, at the end because they they're just, like, chasing me and finding some money from me. Like, they want to have some money from me. I said, I don't have money.

And then then they realize they will not get anything, and then they start belting at me. And, then I don't know how to react now. I got I can't be harsh. And I was, like, watching them, and I was, like, clueless. Like, what to do?

Right. What are you gonna do? Yeah. Yeah. I was not afraid also.

Yeah. I was, like, pretty calm, very calm. Yeah. But I I don't know how to react with this kind of if I should go hard or something. Sure.

But then in the middle of somewhere, I there is an old man came. I don't know how he came, and he stole these children. So, like, this kind of thing happened. Like, it it it's happened with very high state of mind, and, it reflect on other people and also at the same time, it it it will get back to you. And that also help you to keep walk on and on and on.

There's a there's a a leap that someone may have to take between the inspiration of seeing that peace and that calm and that very nonviolent meditation on perhaps how to react to a situation like that. So there's a leap that goes from the inspiration of that and the action that's required to stop the activity. What do you think people need to make that action happen better or quicker or sooner rather than respond with, hey. I'm pulling a knife. Hey.

I'm throwing stones. What's the how do you bridge the gap maybe between the inspiration and the actual action itself? So, yeah, most of, like, our human nature is just a reaction most of the time, and, that is the way the violence come. Reactions are naturally built in violent way to protect ourself. And this has been for, like, millions of years as a human being evolved.

And, but as we evolving, I think so we found some way to deal with those. And I think so to how to response and in, like, in American context, if you see, Martin Luther King in his right moment, he give a special training to the people, to the activist, to how to respond when something is going to happen with you, how to respond very peacefully. So that has to be done, like, in country like South America, like America. As I think to the spiritual content in that nonviolent action is very important. Mhmm.

Once and I think so for that, you have to go deep in your mind to understand exactly who you are and also observe your state of mind when something is happening with you. Like, many time, our minds go so high, so alert, and then this quick nonviolent violent action evolve. But once you are observing your emotions inside you, then you see which state you are, and your ask your action and your response become so nonviolent. And I think so that's where I think so we start from, to observe what state you are right now and how to respond right right away to protect yourself where you can respond with the nonviolently with highest state of mind. Now, unfortunately first off, that's beautiful.

Unfortunately, people are, living in a in a space, in a in a world where impulsivity and reactionism is just rampant. So is it a matter of slowing down, as you mentioned, and, and making your your thoughts more quiet, and yet that's not necessarily where people find themselves on a day to day basis? True. True. Yeah.

Maybe others yeah. As you're saying, like, taking a small pause and then breathe for a minute and then then take a response. So this will be, like, more appropriate answer. But my answer will be, like, long term, and that is that is for is not just always react all the time. Yeah.

Because it's going to happen all the time. I mean, you are live. You you are surrounded by society and then there is there is economical pressure, political pressure. So it's happening. We're watching television.

We're watching the reels. Sure. So it it it happen all the time. And it's not outside whatever happened. It's what inside that trigger it's what trigger inside you that doesn't matter.

And that's where I think so I call the peace peace of mind where you can response and you can be calm within yourself. Those people who are aware of a Gandhian principle or those people who are just self aware and they have the capacity to pause, I I imagine that they have an understanding of of some of this at a baseline. But for those who might be strangers to all of this and they are, you know, certainly encountering you and they see you walking or they hear of you walking, what's probably the most common question you get asked on a routine basis? Yeah. Mostly, they ask, like, why are you walking?

Like Yeah. What are you doing? Yeah. Yeah. They can't digest this, like, because their life is, you know, it's, like, very simple.

Their life is very simple. Get married, get money, and build house, and get old. Yeah. And it's most of people can't think like we are. Like, if I go many countries, the most obvious questions are very easy.

Like, the first one is, like, why you walking is the one. The second one is, are you married? So all their life is around marriage. Yeah. Third one, many countries ask what is your religion?

Yeah. This is, like, very, obvious question in many part of the world. Sure. And mostly in developing world, this is very common, I I observe. Yeah.

So these three are, like, very, very common questions I I get all over the world. Do they ask you what do you do or how do you survive and Oh, yeah. Like, what do you do for money? Yeah. That's Yeah.

How how you live? Like, how you do you earn some money from this? Yeah. So they they cannot die digest that, not earning money and walking is like Yeah. It's kind of like madness or something.

So, yeah, this is, like, yeah, this is madness for people most other people. And, yeah, these are and all these questions are identifiers. Right? I mean, sometimes they want to just know out of curiosity, and other times, they wanna say, oh, you know what? I have something in common with this person or not.

And, you know, once when you answer those questions and you share with them what you're doing, is is their reaction usually with curiosity to ask more, or is it more of a, wow. Okay. I guess that's a surprise, and and, you know, they they may or may not build a connection with them. Yeah. But many times, they, feel so amazed, and, they create so much, you know, respect for me.

Mhmm. They said, please have some cup of tea with me or coffee with me. And they Yeah. Sometime invite to meet their homes, some of their offices, take picture with me. So this kind of, reaction happened on the most most often.

Most often, this happened. And they said, take care of you. I know it's like, no. I can't do this. And we are doing like, I cannot imagine what you're doing, and I really respect you.

Some people also, you know, donate some money to me when they they heard something like that because they they asked, like, have you eaten something yet? Right. And, they say, yeah. There's something there or have something this like Yeah. Before yesterday, some Mexican guys said, have some coffee with me, some snacks, and so yeah.

Many thing happens on the road. Yeah.

You're listening to Trust Me, I Know What I'm Doing. Let's take a quick break and come back to our conversation with Nitin Sonaunay. Stay tuned.

Every story told is a lesson learned, and every lesson learned is a story waiting to be told. I'm Abhay Dandekar, and I share conversations with global Indians and South Asians so everyone can say, trust me, I know what I'm doing. New episodes weekly wherever you listen to your podcasts. Hi. I'm Krish Ashok, author of Masala Lab, The Science of Idiot Cooking, and you're listening to Trust Me, I Know What I'm Doing.

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Let's rejoin our conversation now with peace activist, Nitin Sonawane. You you've had a sort of front row seat to grassroots movements, and and when you have talked to schools or or groups and and created some inspiration as well, that activism and change is is pretty apparent. And and, again, you have a front row seat to that. The world, as I think I mentioned, is is just a place that feels so hyperconnected through the Internet and through this sort of idea of we have so many digital connections. And yet people are equally feeling isolated, and they feel disconnected, and they feel polarized and tribal.

And there's so many different divisions that come from the answers to all those questions that you just asked. How have you faced that kind of reality so far in your walk in the sense that all these questions are are are obvious ones that people wanna ask you because they're so curious, and yet sometimes the answers create even more divide than, you know, maybe what is expected. So how have you been able to to, in a way, kind of navigate and weave that on your walk? Yeah. Sometimes it's very difficult to navigate, like, most of the things.

Yeah. But I think the most important thing on this journey, I I listen to these people. Like, the way you your podcast, this is, I think, some kind of healing. Mhmm. We have to listen to these people.

Most of the time, I get stopped. I I scold on myself, and I listen to their story. What the life story, How how they come where they come from? So what is their political motive to do? What action they are taking?

Right. And try to understand their point of view. And, then I add my own smalls, my own stories. So then they also can see, oh, okay. There's some other way to look at it.

So that, it happens. Yeah. That's a way to build a connection with them. And, it happened, like, when I was in Texas once, and I was on a bicycle. And, he does really ask because he don't know how to do like, he he having two daughters, and one of the daughters she was a a lesbian, and, he was hardcore Catholic guy, and then he he didn't know what to do.

And he did ask me, like, what if Gandhi was a lie, and what he could answer answer me for this question, how I'm gonna deal with this situation. I said, Gandhi j is man of truth, and, it's they said truth that some some person feeling inside something and that took hold to him. He will definitely accept that truth. So that that helped him a lot and heal him a lot. At the end, he give me, like, a a silver coin, which is he got from Jerusalem and give me a cross from the olive trees from the Jerusalem where the Right.

Jesus Christ was born. So I was like, wow. Such a blessing that to carry something like that and and such a way while walking, I can heal someone. So, yeah, that was beautiful. That's great.

I mean, again, yeah, just just simp the simple act of listening and the simple act of not reacting, maybe that's the inspiration that people need to find their truth more than anything else. I I I have to ask a couple of, almost mundane thoughts. When I was thinking about your journey and, thinking about the ways in which I sometimes walk or I sometimes do things that are very repetitive, how do you combat fatigue? How do you combat boredom during your journey? Because these can this can also be a place where a a journey can feel lonely sometimes too.

So, yeah, predicts are like, yeah, school, like, very often happen. And the most important thing from this situation is just to take a rest, a good rest. And, the best way is to stay in the forest for a couple of days and then you regenerate, and, that that boost a lot. Yeah. Loneliness, I don't feel loneliness.

I am with the whole world. If you can't live with yourself, you can't live with anyone. So you have to build how to live with yourself alone. That is that makes you more stronger. And, while walking, I'm never alone.

I'm I'm with me. I go deep in the mind. I do a lot of operations. I observe my sensations, and I observe the nature reality around this. And that helped me to understand what is the true nature of myself.

So once I know that and I when I raise there, there's nothing called loneliness. It's it's I think so. It's it's it's it's it's it's helped me to connect with the whole universe, not just to the just the animals and plant and humans. Whole universe, the connection with whole universe. And that, the lonely just disappeared.

They they they never come, I think. Loneliness never come. Yeah. You're always connected to this wonderful conscious being that we are part of. And in that same stream of the mundane that we get beyond, right, not being not feeling lonely because you have a strong relationship with yourself.

And yet we're also we we have to be grateful for the things that either nature provides us or even people and and communities provide us. But instead of taking them for granted, I have to ask you, what are your walking shoes of choice? Oh, yeah. So mostly, I use hiking shoes. And, by the brand, I like Columbus and Decathlon.

That was, like, my boss' best so far. I did, like, 3,000 miles in each that shoes. Wow. Okay. Other than I'm not, like, very happy with those, but, yeah, I still keep on and on and on.

But Columbus is, I think, is my best choice. They are good hiking shoes, and they last long. I rarely use them, like, 3,000 miles. Like, I was so surprised. I never gone for 3,000 miles in one shoes.

I thought I otherwise, they will have the same time because, it's not good for your knees up to some time. Yeah. But, luckily, I'm I was safe. My body and my leg was safe so far. Good.

So, yeah, hiking shoes the best. Hiking shoes. Okay. Great. And, you know, through on this journey, are there any particular locations?

Are are there any particular locations that you're really looking forward to seeing or a particular spot that you're like, wow. I I'm very much because as much as the journey itself is so fulfilling, there is perhaps some great anticipation, as well of, yes. I'd I'd really like to go and visit this spot, or this is a group of people who I'm really excited to to meet. I want to visit the San Fe and, it's in New Mexico. Mhmm.

And, Yeah. I I don't know if you know or not, but there is a lady called Peace Clear Image. And, she walked she walked across the America, like, several time. And all her life was to just keep walking. And, she was stopping and listening until she gets a place to stay and eat Mhmm.

Eat someone, give her a food. And since have faith in humanity, just keep walking and walking. So they have some office there in San Fran. I want to meet this community, like, I want to know about her more. How because I I don't think so.

I'm not in there, like, what she does. What's the deal in, like, seventies and sixties? Sure. That is, like, something incredible that I want to I want to listen and experience that how is that possible. Like, in my journey, in some part of the world, I did so similar about that, but I couldn't, like, do what Sita did already.

So I'm pretty excited for her stories to know more about her and go if I can practice more about, like, similar way what she is doing. So I'm pretty excited for Santa Fe and her community there. That's great. So much to look forward to and and, again, so much to learn from someone like that. I'll try and get you out of here on this one, and and that is, in a nutshell, not only for you, not only for communities and individuals that you're inspiring and you're meeting with.

But in the end, when you get to Washington, DC, what what do you hope will be the epilogue of this? How do you hope people will look at your journey? How do you hope you will look at your journey? And what do you hope to think about as you reach Washington, DC? So this journey, what I call is, like, walking with peace.

And, in our society, I don't think that this peace is missing everywhere. This system we have, it's very strong, very powerful, the economical system, and all different kind of systems. They are overcoming us all the time because, we human are weak, and, they manipulate us. They control us. So I want to just show the people that even this chaotic situation, we can have a peace, and, and that's what I'm walking.

I'm with peace. And, you can experience the peace and practice the peace. And, it can help you to to go and enjoy that beautiful state of mind. And at the same time, to look the world the way the situation is around the world. I want to focus the idea that people must aware that we are in very danger time in human history where, there's a big conflict in America, Russia, China, Iran, Israel.

There's huge conflict in these countries. And, that is the my walk is planned for to walk in these countries, to go to Russia, then China, Iran, Israel, and to create awareness about what's happening and what action we can take. So my action is to just motivate them to think what they can do. This is my part of what I'm doing right now. It's just keep walking and, creating awareness about it.

And, I feel that it can touch the people. That's what I advise, which I believe is to touch the hearts of people and believe in humanity that that's where, like, we are, like, seven to 8,000,000,000 population living together to have faith in each other, having trust in each other. And that's what I want to meet president when I I reach White House on, my last day, on August 18 this year. So once I meet him, I I don't know what to talk. I hope my body and my life will make some change.

Well, as a continual inspiration to not only just bring peace externally but also internally, I hope that this is going to inspire not just some people, but a lot of people on many continents. Nitin, thank you so much for for joining us for our conversation, and we wish you all the best. Thank you, Abhay ji. Thank you so much for your kind, interview and, very, very happy to be talking with you. Thank you.

Thanks so much, Nitin. And I've listed it in the show notes, but please check out more at slowmannitin.com. Okay. As begrudgingly as I can say it, congrats to any Eagles fans out there. There.

I said it. Okay? I'm a fan of feedback, so if you have thoughts or suggestions, send them on over to info@abhaydandekar.com. Till next time, I'm Abhay Dandekar