The best way to reach me is via email or twitter.
I’d love to hear about freelance travel writing opportunities, blogging trips, coffee catch-ups, travel recommendations, and any feedback on my blog and writing.
Email: shivyanath@gmail.com
Twitter: @shivya
Share & read travel tales:
Facebook page: The Shooting Star
More about me:
My pictures: Flickr
My detailed bio: Linkedin
My hotel reviews: TripAdvisor
My food reviews: HungryGoWhere
I quit my corporate job in the summer of 2011 and decided to travel for a living. I've lived with the White Thai tribe in a remote Vietnamese village, hitch-hiked along Turkey's Black Sea coast, swum with black-tip sharks on Malaysia's east coast, spent a night in the highest inhabited village of the Himalayas, and fallen in love with so many people and places, that I've lost count.
My travel stories have appeared in National Geographic Traveller Magazine, The Times of India, The Hindu and Lonely Planet, among others. I've been featured as an intrepid woman traveller in the New Woman Magazine and as a volunteer travel enthusiast in DNA, and interviewed on All India Radio.
In January 2012, I co-founded India Untravelled, with an aim to introduce travel enthusiasts to responsible travel experiences in rural India.
Contact me at shivyanath@gmail.com or on Twitter @shivya.
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You have really nice pics on flickr…great job girl! I am following you now
Thanks Siddharth
Hey Shivya really proud and happy to see a girl travelling alone. I had planned to go on a world hitch-hiking tour after college but my travel mates all are now married and keep postponing. I am really against it so I decided I would travel alone and frankly when I’m travelling alone the experience is way more fun. I was glad to see there are more such independent thinkers and travelers out there. Keep it up.
Wish I was a little less lazy sometimes. 
Welcome to The Shooting Star, Konika
Glad to hear that you went travelling by yourself. I think it’s one of the most liberating experiences. Look forward to connecting more with you!
Shivya, I have linked your wishing on a shooting star blog from mine. Since I’ve been watching the Geminid this evening, I wrote a very short blog on it, and in looking around the web saw your post. Hopefully you will get at least a few more hits. I’ve enjoyed reading your blog tonight.
Thanks
And welcome here, hopefully you’ll find other posts to interest you too.
hey Shivya, very nice blog, I would like to know if you have articles, pictures and books about Todas people. Thanks you
Unfortunately not yet. Sometime soon, let’s hope.
hi shivya, i am planing to travel to dharmasala in himachalpradesh in the month of may i need some travel advise . You have really nice pics on flickr…great job girl! I am following you now.
Thanks Suresh, feel free to email me at shivyanath@gmail.com with your plans, and I’ll share what ideas I have. Also since you’re heading to Himachal, have a look at http://indiauntravelled.com/ for some offbeat ideas
I was really impressed by your work, travelling and entrepreneurial spirit. Not many people impress me by the way
So whenever Im making a plan to rejuvenate myself I’ll “shoot the star”
Keep up the amazing work!!
Look really ideal for a wknd getaway.. where can i book the travelling details if interested..
Have a look at http://indiauntravelled.com/
great work Shivya I come to your blog and website quite often .Glad i found u.I am an old man of 71 and i wish i could do when i was young what you are doing . tremendous courage . bravo
Thanks Jitendra for your kind words =) Hope you can see the world through my lens!
As soon as I figure out what else is left to be done in life…I’ll be following you with my backpack and two daughters !!
Happy Blogging !
Great site!. I just started my travel blog and looking for inspirations and found yours. You can see mine at mandalapa.com. Happy Travels!
Thanks Rakesh, I’ll check it out
Hi Shivya,
Just wanted to drop a note to say what a wonderful blog you have. Your writing is positive and refreshing to read. I came across your blog accidentally when I “googled” McLeod Ganj. I was just there last week, and as I read your blog, your company name (India Untraveled) rang a bell. I recognized that name from an article on DNA online magazine called “Samaritan with a Suitcase”. I was also interviewed by Joanna for the same article
As a girl who’s done a bit of travelling alone I completely relate to your articles on solo travelling (esp dealing with Indian parents..hah!)
We need more women like you in this world. Great work, and keep it up!
Cheers,
Vidya
And like you, Vidya! Are you still volunteering at ROSE Kanda? Read about that in the article too. I’ve been meaning to visit them to explore a partnership with India Untravelled, but it hasn’t happened yet. Hope to catch up with you sometime. Let me know when you’re in Delhi!
Wish I stumbled across your blog when I was still in India – what just there last Friday. It would have been lovely to meet you, no doubt! I’m back in Hong Kong now – where I’ll be living for two years.
I’m positive Jeevan (founder of ROSE Kanda) would be happy to partner with you. They desperately need more home-stay volunteers. He’s doing such a wonderful job in trying to help his community.
I’m hoping to make another trip to India next spring. So maybe we can meet then if you’re also in India. In the meantime, if your travels take you further east to Hong Kong you have a friend / host here
Happy travelling!
Vidya
Done! Hope to catch up with you in the spring then. And if I do make it to Kanda before that, I’ll drop you a note
your tripadvisor hotel reviews link is broken on this page
Hii shivya, i am planing to travel to Lahaul & Spiti in the month of Aug (Frm Mumbai). I need some travel advise as per your itinerary. I added u on linkedin. Please Accept. i have gone through ur india untravelled website.
Thanks,
Mayur Kale
Mumbai
hi shivya,
read your 10 points guide and i found it very interesting. i am planning a euro trip with my wife for about 15 days and this would be our first foreign trip. our budget is around 2.5 lakhs incl airfare.we both are not really in a mood to book a holiday package from any travel agent but would want to be on our own as we do while on holidays in india.i am really confused about the same. i am having a few queries and i would be grateful to you if you could help me out.
1. i have heard about renting a car so that one can drive around country. is it a good idea? what about the driving licence thing?
2. which all places can you suggest to me for visiting?
3. is jun -july the correct season to be in europe?
waiting for your support!!
Hey Aditya,
I believe you need an international driving license to rent a car in Europe. I preferred to use public transport – since it’s cheaper, more eco-friendly, really efficient (connects even most of the small towns and villages), and it’s a great way to get to know the locals.
It really depends on your interests – if you are foodies (even vegetarian), go to Italy without a doubt. If you’re after natural beauty, Spain, France, Netherlands, Austria are great options. If after beer, has to be Germany. I would recommend taking it slow and not trying to squeeze too many countries. Maybe pick 2 – and spend a week in each.
June-July can get pretty hot in most parts of Europe. When I visited in May, I chose to visit the Alpine countryside of the countries I went to. That way, I ensured I was in cool weather and also got away from the summer crowds. These are some of the places I visited – http://the-shooting-star.com/2012/05/14/western-europe-offbeat-small-towns/
Hi Shivya,
I think it is really wonderful to see fellow women travel, let alone do it alone. I have done a fair bit of travelling by myself and the more I have travelled, the more smitten I have gotten. I am amateur travel photographer and I am that close to leaving everything behind and going pro!
This may not be the right place, but I was wondering if you would like to partner on a project?
Thanks for the wonderful blog.
Gayathri