Dear 2012,
Haven’t you come so soon? I am still reveling in my escapades of 2011, marveling at the beauty of our world. 2011 was a good year, you know. I wish it hadn’t ended so soon. But now that you’re here, I dream of flying on your wings to places far away, where snow-topped mountains and their valleys lie untouched, in wait for me. I see myself floating on your seas, in waters so blue, my eyes hurt. Your roads are calling out to me, filled with people whose smiles will keep me warm & whose stories will melt my heart. Oh 2012, you’ve come so soon. Now please tease me with what you might have in store for me.
Nepal & Bhutan, over land.
I hope to cross the India-Nepal border over land through the majesty of the Himalayas, either near Varanasi or Rishikesh, and continue my love affair with Buddhist territories. If luck is on my side, Tibet will be moved off my bucket list too.
Albania, courtesy Mynatour.
Earlier this year, I won a travel blogging contest to spend a week hiking through the Alpine countryside of Albania, thanks to lots of votes & support from my Twitter & Facebook communities. I must repay with lots of travel tweets, updates & pictures!
Backpacking through the Balkan states.
Clubbed with the Albania getaway, I hope to backpack through the Balkan States over the summer. That means applying for over ten visas, but I trust it’ll be worth it.
Andaman Islands
The Andamans have indiscriminately been showing up in my travel readings & conversations, and I’m convinced I must pay their sun-kissed beaches and turquoise blue waters a visit.
Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve
As phase two of my solo adventure in Spiti, I hope to traverse the Himalayas of Uttarakhand in 2012, and spend some me-time in the lap of the Nanda Devi reserve.
India Untravelled
My quest for an India Untravelled shall continue, and evolve into something I’ve always dreamed about, something that warrants a post entirely on its own, so stay tuned. I promise not to disappoint!
Photo credits: Göran (Kartläsarn), Godo-Godaj, Les Haines, Senorhorst Jahnsen
Welcome 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.
Hey Shivya, these are some really grand and exciting plans! Of these, I’ve been to Andamans before – and the islands are really really beautiful! And I’ve no doubt that Bhutan, Balkans and mera apna desh India (Untravelled) will be no less as experiences of lifetime! 🙂
Good luck for 2012! Keep travelling! 🙂
Thanks Abhijit, happy 2012 travels to you too 🙂 Will get some travel tips from you if I end up heading to Andaman, though I recently read this and am thoroughly disappointed – http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/07/andaman-islands-tribe-tourism-threat?fb=optOut
I hope you see everything you want to see this year. I look forward to coming along with you.
Thanks Debra! Look forward to travelling with you virtually, and if luck has it, meeting over coffee while on the road someday.
I look forward to following your posts. Have a wonderful 2012!
Thanks Kathryn, look forward to the virtual company 🙂 Happy 2012 to you too!
What a wonderful way of understanding 2012. I pray, 2012 does take you to those places, and that I get the chance to read what you write about them.
On that note: Happy New Year.
I hope so too 🙂 Happy 2012 & happy travels!
Hope your plans work well in 2012. Best.Wishes.
Thanks Chitra, a fruitful year to you too!
Great travel plans you have for the year ahead, I’m planning Asia and India too for 2012, and if you are going to Nepal while I’m there I’d love to join you!
That’ll be awesome, Angela 🙂 Give me a heads up on when you plan to be in India!
Looks like such a good list! I have my eye on the Andamans as well. Those beaches look spectacular! 😀
They do, don’t they? Though it’s terribly saddening to read how tourism is affecting the Andamans – http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/07/andaman-islands-tribe-tourism-threat?fb=optOut
I’ve not been to Andamans….but Lakshadweep. The copper sulphate colour of the sea is absolutely breathtaking.
I stayed in the Sport Complex cottages on Kadmat island. Long, pristine & untouched beach. You would love it 🙂
Lakshadweep’s been on my travel list for a while too now, but I decided to prioritize Andamans over it, of course only until you mentioned the copper sulphate colored waters! So much to see, how can a year ever be enough? 🙂
2012 is packed for you and it’s only mid-January! Looking forward to plenty of updates and congrats on winning such a cool blogging contest!
Thanks Claire! Happy 2012 travels to you too 🙂