Month: May 2011

Innsbruck: Capital of The Alps.

Innsbruck, one of Austria‘s oldest cities, is probably every woman’s dream of old age; the only thing that gives away its 900 years is its charm. Right out of the train station, I’m awed by the towering presence of the Alps. People are going about their daily affairs – eating, strolling, chatting, catching a bus, cycling – as though the Alps are invisible, as though they’ve discovered how to look away from the gripping beauty of their snow covered peaks, as though there’s nothing extraordinary about living in a city surrounded by one of the most endearing mountain ranges in the world. Shivya NathWelcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been called a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer,” social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant and environmentalist. But in my heart, I’m just a girl who believes that travel – if done right – has the power to change us and the world we live in.

Gargano, Lake Garda, Italy, offbeat

Gargnano; Life or Something Like it in Italy.

“Experiencing a country through its cities is like judging a book by its cover.”Β ~yours truly. Welcome to Gargnano. An unassuming little village on the northernΒ shores of Lake GardaΒ in Italy, away from the touristy towns of Desenzano and Sirmione. Here everyone knowsΒ everyone else. Two days is how long it takes for the locals to know me, despite my broken language. Shivya NathWelcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been called a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer,” social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant and environmentalist. But in my heart, I’m just a girl who believes that travel – if done right – has the power to change us and the world we live in.

Lake Garda, Gargnano, Italy

Reflections on Lake Garda.

Time stands still. I gaze at the colors of the lake. The waters areΒ transparent, but they reflect the green of the marine life beneath andΒ the blue of the sky above. The combination forms the shades of anΒ artist’s palette. Shivya NathWelcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been called a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer,” social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant and environmentalist. But in my heart, I’m just a girl who believes that travel – if done right – has the power to change us and the world we live in.

Cinque Terre, Italy, Italian riviera

Cinque Terre, Life Perched Atop The Italian Riviera.

Cinque TerreΒ is the collective name for five villages perched uponΒ hills by the Italian riviera. The landscape here is truly unique; on aΒ raised stretch of land by and above the azure waters thrives aΒ whole civilization. Shivya NathWelcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been called a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer,” social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant and environmentalist. But in my heart, I’m just a girl who believes that travel – if done right – has the power to change us and the world we live in.

Lake Garda, Italy, offbeat, Gargnano

From Italy With Love.

It’s hard not to fall in love with a country so beautiful, a people so full of warmth and energy, a language so passionate, and what’s probably the best food on the planet.Β When you travel, sometimes the most unexpected of places feel likeΒ home. That was Italy for me. Shivya NathWelcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been called a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer,” social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant and environmentalist. But in my heart, I’m just a girl who believes that travel – if done right – has the power to change us and the world we live in.

Chamonix, France, Alps

Chamonix: Of French Alps & Summer Snow.

Greetings from Chamonix. If you can close your eyes and imagineΒ yourself in the clouds, surrounded by stunning snow-capped peaks,Β you’ll be just a little close to what I’ve experienced in Chamonix. IΒ use the word breathtaking perhaps too liberally, but if anything doesΒ justice to the word, Chamonix does it. Shivya NathWelcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been called a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer,” social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant and environmentalist. But in my heart, I’m just a girl who believes that travel – if done right – has the power to change us and the world we live in.

Annecy, France, Alps

Annecy, A Beautiful Lake Town in France.

Annecy is a breathtakingly beautiful lake town with the Rhone Alps in theΒ backdrop. The Annecy lake is a huge expanse of clear water thatΒ changes shades with the time of the day. Like Paris, the sun doesn’tΒ set here until 10 in the night in late spring & early summer. Shivya NathWelcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been called a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer,” social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant and environmentalist. But in my heart, I’m just a girl who believes that travel – if done right – has the power to change us and the world we live in.

Notre Dame, Paris, France

Bonjour From Paris!

Europe holds a charm for travelers that few other continents can boast of, and I finally have my own Eurotrip to write about. Paris to me was a canvas of architectural brilliance. Forget the NotreΒ Dame and the Eiffel tower, unforgettable as they might be; every nookΒ of Paris has a tastefully carved structure worth gazing up at. Shivya NathWelcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been called a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer,” social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant and environmentalist. But in my heart, I’m just a girl who believes that travel – if done right – has the power to change us and the world we live in.

singlish

5 Years On, Singapore Still Surprises Me.

My 17-year old self landed on the shores of sunny Singapore in 2005, filled with curiosity to see the other side of Asia. Despite my 5-year long stint, some things about this tiny country continue to surprise me, and I’m not talking chewing gum bans and jay-walking fines. Shivya NathWelcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been called a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer,” social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant and environmentalist. But in my heart, I’m just a girl who believes that travel – if done right – has the power to change us and the world we live in.