A New Beginning.
No butterflies in my stomach, no goose bumps, no insomniac nights, no cold sweats; just 3 suitcases filled with life in Singapore and 6 years of travel memories from Southeast Asia. That marked my move last week. That has made Delhi my home atleast for the next one year.
Packing your bags and moving half way, or in my case, a quarter of the way, across the globe has a thrill to it that’s hard to explain. At 17, I left my small hometown with big dreams of what the world had to offer. I didn’t know then that the next 6 years would transform me into a traveling and travel blogging addict, drive me to search for undiscovered shores in Southeast Asia, inspire me to physically build houses in rural India, send me on my very first Euro trip, and motivate me to travel alone to one of the most remote & beautiful valleys of India and understand the ascetic lifestyles of monks and nuns.
Ours is a restless generation, I like to think; we look forward to drastic change, to the possibility of new friends, to the opportunities a different country has to offer, to the disruption of our sooner-than-later monotonous daily schedules. And we find it easy to move on with our lives, thanks to Facebook, Twitter & Skype that help us keep our relationships alive.
For the next year, I hope you’ll join me virtually as I discover the gems of my home country, both on the beaten track and off it. Phir milenge!
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.
Of course 🙂
welcome back 😉
I was going to move to Delhi myself end of July but the project I was going to cooperate with didn’t take off, so I decided to postpone my third visit to India. I found it a country full of contrasts, fascinating to study, sometimes difficult to understand. Looking forward to reading your posts from your home country and going back myself 🙂
That’s such a pity! I’ve loved reading your posts about India. It’s always fascinating to see a foreigner’s perspective of a country that sure isn’t easy to understand 🙂 Hope to catch you in India someday.
I’ve always thought of moving as an empty canvas waiting to be painted upon. I have wanted to visit India ever since I was old enough to read and discovered that beautiful colorful country by way of the books which mention it.
I eagerly wait for your new posts, from a new place.
Sara, I love that though. It’s an empty canvas indeed and you get to choose your colors all over again 🙂 I hope my posts will tempt you to come to India even more & I’ll get to see you in person!
Awww … The pictures are so so awesome … Am jealous .. Seriously …
Anywayz … a very warm welcome back to India … 😀 😀
Thanks Harsh! Good to see you again at The Shooting Star 🙂
Good luck Shivya! Am impressed that you were not nervous about making such a big change in life – maybe, when one’s ready for it, it’s so much easier to make it happen! 🙂
Thanks Abhijit, I’ll need the luck sooner than later! Yeah, I was kind of impressed by myself too, but I’ve had it at the back of my head for so long, that now just felt right.
Came here through Abhijit’s blog and enjoyed going through your posts : ) Having spent many happy years of my childhood in Mussoorie, I share your love for Uttarakhand. I’ve yet to muster the courage to indulge in solo travel. Guess I can take some tips from you!
: )
Thanks Chandni, I’m glad you did 🙂 Welcome to The Shooting Star! Wow, Mussoorie must’ve been a cool place to grow up in, literally. Sure thing, I’m turning into something of a proponent for solo travel!
Looking forward to some great dispatches from India. I spent one Christmas there, in Kolkata. Would love to go back someday, but I think your stories will have to suffice for now 🙂
Now I have high expectations to meet 🙂 I’ve started planning my first trip, and hope I’ll have enough travel tales to share. Wow, Christmas in Calcutta must’ve been quite an experience. Drop me a line if you’re visiting again!
Welcome Shivya, shall wait for your wonderful travelogues. Beautiful pics!!
Gracias! I hope they’ll be wonderful 😉