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The Shooting Star

Just a girl who travels.

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  • Romania photos

    One Year of Travelling Without a Home.

    by Shivya Nath

    Much has been learnt, more has been loved - and the one thing that has remained constant is my desire to keep moving.

    September 17, 2014
    Comments 109
    Reflections

In 2011, at age 23, I quit my corporate job to travel the world. This journey has taken me as far within as with my feet.

LATEST

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Solo Travel Moments That Left Me Scared Shitless.

Published by Shivya Nath

Every once in a while, I look back at my travels and think of the moments that have changed something in me.

September 19, 2016
Comments 35
Reflections, Solo Travel
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Longing For Somewhere Far Away.

Published by Shivya Nath

A longing that I'm off tonight to indulge.

September 7, 2016
Comments 26
Europe, Germany, Scotland
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The Last Indigenous Cave Dwellers of Sri Lanka.

Published by Shivya Nath

The first thing I noticed about him was the fresh blood stain on his shoulder rag.

August 21, 2016
Comments 41
Asia, Culture, Offbeat, Sri Lanka

STORIES FROM THE ROAD

Central America travel blog
Latin America, Offbeat, Reflections, Stories from the road

6 Months, 6 Countries: Epic Memories from Central America.

This week, I made the long journey back to India from the Americas. Having a glass of wine at the bar on my Virgin Atlantic flight, I got chatting...

March 12, 2015
Comments 58
Romania life, Romania culture, Romania people
Culture, Offbeat, People, Romania, Stories from the road

Romania, You Can Fool The World With Your Smiles, But Not With Your Heart.

Romania had one hell of a way to welcome us. We had dragged ourselves out of the flight after 20 hours in transit, when 3 burly ashen-faced men stopped...

August 13, 2014
Comments 48
World war 2 stories, World war 2 survivors, India in world war 2
Australia, Culture, Offbeat, People, Stories from the road

What a WWII Polish Refugee Taught me About “Hindustan”.

It’s a lazy summer afternoon in Fleurieu Peninsula’s wine country of South Australia. Cycling along the trail of an old railway track, we are surrounded by lush vineyards stretching...

March 23, 2014
Comments 82

ABOUT ME

Hello! I'm Shivya Nath. In 2011, I left behind my corporate life with a dream of traveling the globe. I've hitch-hiked along Romania's northern countryside, lived with the chocolate farmers of Costa Rica, journeyed along Canada's great wilderness by train and swum with black tip sharks on Malaysia's east coast. I hope to inspire you to step out of your comfort zone and discover the world!

Published on:

"The difference between living and existing is how much wonder you find in the beauty around you."

Shivya Nath

INSPIRATION

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December 12, 2015

How I’m Funding My Adventures Around the World Through Travel Blogging.

I started 2015 on a private island in Panama, with 150 rupees ($2.5 USD) in my account. That’s the lowest...

by Shivya Nath
Comments 95
Indian travellers, Indian solo travellers, women traveling alone
May 18, 2015

21 Months on, My Nomadic Life Feels Normal.

21 months ago, when I packed up my home into a backpack and decided to hit the road indefinitely,...

by Shivya Nath
Comments 62
why we travel
March 20, 2015

I Travel Because…

We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate....

by Shivya Nath
Comments 30
travel career, how to earn money while travelling
November 29, 2014

How to Quit Your Job and Travel The World?

So this post goes out to all of you who dream of building a life of travel. If you...

by Shivya Nath
Comments 40

"An adventurous life does not necessarily mean climbing mountains, swimming with sharks, or jumping off cliffs. It means risking yourself by leaving a little piece of you behind in all those you meet along the way."

Shawna Grapentin

GO NOW

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August 1, 2015

In Photos: Incredible Moments in South Africa.

These are all the reasons I want to make 2016 the year of Africa for me, and hopefully for...

by Shivya Nath
Comments 40
Kazbegi, Kazbegi photos, Stepantsminda
July 6, 2015

If You’re Looking for the “Shire”, Come to Georgia!

Somewhere deep in the Caucasus mountains, I sip a glass of fine Georgian wine, watching the clouds playfully swirl...

by Shivya Nath
Comments 36
Virgin Atlantic flight bar, Virgin Atlantic new upper class
September 25, 2014

The Coolest Way to Fly Out of India!

There are airlines that fly you from one part of the world to another. And then there is Virgin...

by Shivya Nath
Comments 43
Goa monsoon, Goa rains
September 2, 2014

Offbeat Goa: 12 Mind-Blowing Experiences.

On a rainy Goan afternoon, wrapped up in my blue poncho, I drive my bike past verdant rice paddies, abandoned...

by Shivya Nath
Comments 34

"There is almost no such thing as ready. There is only now."

Hugh Laurie

SOLO TRAVEL

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September 19, 2016

Solo Travel Moments That Left Me Scared Shitless.

Every once in a while, I look back at my travels and think of the moments that have changed...

by Shivya Nath
Comments 35
The thing about traveling alone is, you can’t truly open yourself up to (mis)adventures if you are constantly worried about your safety.
April 9, 2016

Practical Ways I’ve Learnt to Stay Safe While Travelling Alone.

The thing about traveling alone is, you can't truly open yourself up to adventures if you're constantly worried about...

by Shivya Nath
Comments 36
solo female travel india, solo travel tips
July 2, 2015

Solo Travel: To Go or Not To Go?

Come with me, for if you never step out that door, you'll never know how far you can walk.

by Shivya Nath
Comments 39
solo travel blogs
April 3, 2015

How I Conquer My Solo Travel Fears.

Here’s a confession: Even though I’ve been solo tripping for years, sometimes the idea of being somewhere remote by myself,...

by Shivya Nath
Comments 42

"Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don't need to escape from."

Seth Godin

TRAVEL TIPS

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August 5, 2016

Charming Hideouts to Truly Experience Island Life in Mauritius.

Living in a typical Mauritian fishing village, I felt like an islander myself.

by Shivya Nath
Comments 31
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July 25, 2016

Creative Ways I’ve Learnt to Manage Money on My Travels Abroad.

When I adopted a nomadic way of life nearly 3 years ago, I unknowingly adopted ‘nomadic’ financial ways too....

by Shivya Nath
Comments 33
Svaneti georgia, shivya nath, the shooting star blog
October 4, 2015

Easy Ways to Take Awesome Photos When You Travel Solo.

When I travel alone and post an introspective photo of myself gazing into a magnificent horizon beyond, I often get...

by Shivya Nath
Comments 62
tsermang camp ladakh, ladakh where to stay
June 17, 2015

Simple Ways to Travel More Responsibly in Ladakh.

Exactly one year ago, I was lost amid the dramatic, barren, snow-capped Himalayas of Ladakh. I acclimatized myself to the high...

by Shivya Nath
Comments 47

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

H. Jackson Brown (no, not Mark Twain)

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I have to be honest: being vegan in Wales did not go well. The thing about being vegan there (or elsewhere) is, you need to do a bit more research and pick the right places to eat. But since we were on a pre-planned blogging trip, I had no choice but to eat at "fine" restos that weren't willing or creative enough to do good vegan food (no salads please). I was living on energy bars and junk food, and well, Welsh whisky 😯 . . So when I got to Edinburgh a couple of days ago, I felt like I had been hungry for 5 days! @hulajuicebar in the old town was just what I needed. A sardough hummus and veggies sandwich, with sriracha dressing, and an oh-so-good vegan chocolate cake! 🍰💃 . . And nothing like continuing my dose of Murakami while watching the rain outside ☔️ . . The link in my bio today --> why I turned vegan and what it means for my travel lifestyle 👆 In the darkest times of our lives, we must remember that without the darkness, there would be no stars. . . Standing under the Milky Way at @lakevyrnwyhotel in northern Wales, I thought of how far I've come on my journey as a travel blogger. What began as a small attempt to share moments of inspiration on the road with the world, is now what I do for a living. . . A few days back, the folks at YourStory interviewed me and other Indian bloggers - on how (and how much) we earn from blogging. Link in my bio. . . Do you have questions about my life as a travel blogger? Ask away! . . #theshootingstar #findyourepic #lovegreatbritain #Wales The coast of Northern Wales 😍⛵️ . . It's been 5 days of non-stop adventures in Snowdonia - zip lining above what was once a slate quarry, trying surfing for the first time @surfsnowdonia 🏄, trying mountain biking for the first time @coedybrenin (loved it the most) 🚵, and gorge walking after the rain washed away our coasteering plans! . . I was feeling a little bruised and battered after all the adventures, but the moment I heard the roaring waves of the Irish Sea and felt the salty, sandy wind in my hair, I felt a sudden rush to forget the aching muscles and run into the water in the dramatic mountain backdrop (except it was cold and the only running I did was away from the rain clouds) 😉☔️ . . For all the reasons I've come to love Wales, I love it most because you don't have to pick between the coast and the mountains 👌 . . And you, ever felt that rush by the coast? You can stay at the fanciest hotel, drive the swankiest car, eat the finest food... but it's not until you've sat under a million stars that you can truly feel rich ⭐️ . . Hello from Northern Wales! Like most people, I only thought of England and Scotland when I thought of the UK, but it was love at first sight with Wales. Dramatic mountains, vast meadows, more sheep than people, and last night, by the shores of Lake Vyrnwy, more stars than I could count 😍 . . Have you ever sat under a starry night sky and felt like, nothing else in life matters? My latest blog post: Solo travel moments that left me scared shitless - link in my bio 👆✏️ . . Every once in a while, I look back at my travels and think of the moments that have changed something in me. Moments that have put me face to face with my deepest insecurities, helped me accept that I’m just passing through this world, and in some ways, made me stronger. . . Go read, then tell me, what are your worst travel memories? . . Photo: Throwback --> Ecuador 🌏 "We leave something of ourselves behind when we leave a place, we stay there, even though we go away. And there are things in us that we can find again only by going back there." ~ Pascal Mercier . . Last day for now, of wandering around the Scottish Highlands, but I'll be back next week! 👣

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Just a girl who travels.

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