Shivya Nath's Blog: The Shooting Star, page 10
April 16, 2020
What’s the Future of Travel Blogging When Nobody’s Travelling?
With every passing day of this global lockdown, I cant help but think about the future of travel blogging. I mean, if theres no travel, theres no travel blogging, right?
Ive dedicated almost a decade of my life to this travel blog. Its my primary source of living, yes. But its also my passion, my bridge to the world and one of the few constants in my nomadic life.
Yet somehow, Im not worried, nervous or depressed.
On the one hand, I know that the travel industry (including travel blogging)...
April 7, 2020
What India (and the World) Can Learn from Sustainable Tourism in Kerala.
These are difficult times for the tourism industry and we have much to learn from sustainable tourism in Kerala.Cover photo: Ponraj Krishna Pandi (CC)
These days, lying under the warm sun, soaking up spring in my hometown Dehradun (luckily Im in lockdown here!), Ive been thinking a lot about Kerala. Just a few weeks ago, I was lost in the bountiful souths magical beauty. Cycling along bright yellow marigold fields. Hiking amid the mist-engulfed Western Ghats. Devouring organic, sumptuous,...
April 1, 2020
Work From Home Tips From Someone Who’s Been Doing it for Nearly a Decade!
Need some working from home advice? These are my out-of-the-box work from home tips after doing it for almost 10 years!
Back in 2011, when I quit my full-time job as a social media strategist in Singapore, I had no idea how to work from home. I struggled with my newfound freedom and lack of accountability. It was a challenge to be disciplined, meet deadlines and maintain a work-life balance in the face of myriad distractions.
And yet, as a newbie freelancer with little to fall back on, I...
March 27, 2020
How I Connect Meaningfully with Locals as I Travel the World.
Curious how to meet locals while traveling? Some introvert travel advice from a fellow introvert.
Ive been quite torn about talking about travel (with snippets of sustainability, veganism and personal battles of course) while were in a global crisis. But this week, 84% of you voted in my Instagram Stories that I should, atleast occasionally. Im a bit relieved, because dreaming of travel allows me to momentarily escape these bizarre times too.
Social distancing is the need of the hour. We must...
March 16, 2020
How to Indulge Your Wanderlust at Home During the Coronavirus Pandemic.
The past few days have been rather scary. Mask-covered faces. Queues to wash hands in public toilets. Sanitizers constantly out of stock. Accusatory looks towards anyone coughing or sneezing. Eerily empty hotels, flights and streets following the lockdown travel advice for Coronavirus. Places that were once plagued by overtourism are now deserted. The spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus has suddenly brought all usual life and travel to a halt.
Until a week or two ago, the panic felt rooted...
How to Indulge Your Wanderlust During the Coronavirus Pandemic.
The past few days have been rather scary. Mask-covered faces. Queues to wash hands in public toilets. Sanitizers constantly out of stock. Accusatory looks towards anyone coughing or sneezing. Eerily empty hotels, flights and streets following the lockdown travel advice for Coronavirus. Places that were once plagued by overtourism are now deserted. The spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus has suddenly brought all usual life and travel to a halt.
Until a week or two ago, the panic felt rooted...
March 10, 2020
Things to Know Before Travelling to Japan for the First Time.
I can close my eyes and picture myself standing awestruck on the fascinatingly busy Shibuya crossing in Tokyo. Gaping at the dazzling lights, fancy skyscrapers and scores of businessmen darting about in dark suits. I was travelling to Japan for the first time, and it was my first day in Tokyo. In equal parts, I felt excited, intrigued and apprehensive, recalling all the Japan travel tips I’d read online. I had dreamt about Japan for so long, but now that I was finally here, I couldn’t help...
February 23, 2020
South Africa Visa for Indians: Requirements and Tips.
It’s 2020 and those of us with Indian passports are still filling out visa paperwork to make our travel dreams come true. A visa on arrival for Indians in South Africa remains a far-fetched dream. And that sucks. But the good news is that a South Africa visa for Indians is not nearly as tedious as say, applying for a US visa on an Indian passport.
Even better news: it’s possible to get a South Africa visa on an Indian passport that allows a stay of upto 3 months! I jumped at that possibility...
February 8, 2020
11 Tips to Ease Your Transition Into a Vegan Lifestyle.
Veganism had been on my radar for a few months when I arrived in Jordan. The idea was daunting, scary even. But the things I had learnt about the food on my plate tugged at my heart. So I decided to set myself a deadline. After leaving the country (September 2015), I’d completely cut out animal products from my diet and lifestyle. No matter the challenges, I’d figure out how to turn vegan.
Since then, I’ve made plenty of vegan friends and everyone’s journey has been different. Some turned...
February 3, 2020
50 Epic Yet Offbeat Things To Do in Cape Town!
Based on 2.5 months in the city, my ultimate guide to things to do in Cape Town.
As a digital nomad, I’m always faced with a conundrum. I can either be close to nature or live in a hip, urban city with incredible food and diverse cultures. I can either have easy access to hiking trails or to music and film festivals. I can either detach myself from everything in the mountains or be plugged into the digital world with fast wifi.
As a digital nomad, I often feel like I can’t have it all.
But my...
