Shivya Nath's Blog: The Shooting Star, page 11

Inspiring Indians Using Social Media to Drive Positive Change.

Technology in general, and social media in particular, have recently received a lot of flack. Many have complained that they are a waste of time, paint unrealistic expectations of travel (and life) and make us anti-social.

In the past year though, I’ve discovered some surprising ways in which the internet is being used to drive positive change. During my year-long collaboration with Airtel, documenting stories of digital empowerment in India, I’ve come across inspiring individuals and...

Should Travel Bloggers and Influencers Voice Their Political Opinions?

I feel like I’ve begun 2020 in two parallel universes. Physically, I’m writing this from a remote, stunning village in Lesotho (a country in Southern Africa), immersing myself in the Basotho culture and trying to pick up words from the Sesotho language. Mentally, I’ve been following the mind-boggling (and frankly quite scary) political developments in India, the US, Iran and elsewhere in the world, wondering what the future holds.

Before I took a much-needed end-of-the-year detox from social...

Highs and Lows of 2019 – and What I’m Looking Forward to in 2020.

After spending large chunks of 2017 and 2018 writing and publishing my first book, 2019 was all about rediscovering my travel mojo. And luckily for me, this year gave me many chances to push my boundaries.

Epic cross-border land journeys, under-the-radar top-of-the-wishlist destinations, taking on sustainable living challenges, getting featured by one of the world’s leading publications and launching a travel-inspired sustainable clothing collection… 2019 was all sorts of awesome and...

The Shooting Star Collection: Travel-Inspired Clothing for a Cause!

I’m thrilled, and frankly quite surprised, to be presenting to you THE SHOOTING STAR COLLECTION – designed for explorers, dreamers and rebels!

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Meet the Indian Software Engineer Who Quit His Job to Climb Mount Everest – But Not How You’d Imagine!

“If a 110 kg Gujarati guy, living a sedentary life, with no background in endurance training or mountain climbing, can transform his life and climb to the top of Mount Everest, nothing is impossible.” ~ Kuntal Joisher

I first saw a photo of Kuntal back in 2017. There he stood, proud, buff and haggard, on Island Peak in the Everest region in Nepal, holding a Facebook-style plaque that caught my eye.

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I had turned vegan just a couple of years before that, and was still fielding questions on...

Where to Stay in Thailand: Unique Lodges, Boutique Hotels and B&Bs Beyond the Beaten Path.

There is something about Thailand that keeps calling me back. The infectious energy of Bangkok. The dramatic hills and rivers of Northern Thailand. The hipster vegan cafes and hole-in-the-wall Thai joints of Chiang Mai. The ever-growing bucket list of where to stay in Thailand. The abundant peace in Buddhist temples accessible only by hiking. An easy Thailand visa on arrival with the Indian passport. The surprises that lurk in its many corners, far from the beaten path. The warmth of locals. The accep...

15 Responsible Travel Tips for Authentic, Meaningful Experiences on the Road.

Much has changed since I set out on my first solo trip and began my journey as a blogger in 2011, sharing personal travel stories and responsible travel tips. Travelling has become more accessible, flights are cheaper than ever before and Instagram has changed the way we view the world.

In the age of overtourism and in the midst of a climate crisis, responsible tourism is not just a pressing need to protect the incredible natural and cultural heritage of our world. It is also the only way we can st...

Away From the Crowds: 11 Offbeat Places in Europe Waiting to be Explored.

Many years ago, over a glass of red wine and stone oven-baked pizza, an Italian chef once told me that you don’t fully experience Italy with your eyes alone. You experience it with your taste buds (through the food), your ears (through the music) and most of all, your heart. Over the years, in my quest to find offbeat places in Europe, I’ve realised how right he was. Not just about Italy, but also about Europe in general.

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Experiencing Europe with all your heart. Photo: Linus Mimietz (Unsplash).

 

Unfortunate...

Living With an Uzbek Family in the Nuratau Mountains of Uzbekistan.

Deep in the stark, barren Nuratau Mountains of Uzbekistan, I found myself in an idyllic little paradise. Like many Uzbek people, my host family lived in a stone and wood summer house, shaded by walnut trees atleast a 100 years old. A few steps below flowed an icy stream originating from a mountain spring. When the weather becomes colder, they move to their winter home in the village nearby.

Also read: 11 Incredible Experiences That’ll Make You Fall in Love With Uzbekistan

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Reading by the icy stream next to my...

11 Incredible Experiences That’ll Make You Fall in Love with Uzbekistan.

Landing late evening in Uzbekistan (and Central Asia) for the first time, by myself, I was excited and apprehensive at the same time. When the airport taxi pulled into an old house, I found myself in a courtyard adorned with fig, apricot and persimmon trees. Even before I was shown to my room, my sweet 70-year-old hostess Gulnara, invited me for a cup of green tea and the sweetest melons I’ve ever had. Little by little, in broken English and Russian, she let me into her life, her childhood in...