Author: Dev

My First Hospitality Venture FootlooseCamps: A Campsite In Sethan

Published by Dev

From being a full-time nomad to starting my first hospitality venture: A Campsite In Sethan When in 2015 I was facing a lost battle with my corporate life, unsatisfied and wanting more my myself, I had no idea that in just a couple of years I would be exploring countries on media trips. I’d no idea that tourism boards would be inviting me for experiencing what their country has to offer in return for promoting them on my digital channel(s). In short, I didn’t know that I would become a travel influencer! And what I certainly didn’t know, after quitting my job to travel and facing more financial problems than I could ever imagine, during the initial year of travel blogging, that very soon I’ll have my own hospitality business. FootlooseCamps, as I now tell the world with a proud look and a confident face, is my first hospitality venture — a brainchild, a chef-d’œuvre! Long-Term Travelling Made Me A Risk Taker Before I started travelling, I was one of those people who would never take risks …

Travel Photography Tips: Learning Composition

Published by Dev

Though my Instagram account has always maintained a fairly good engagement, my photographs periodically appear in mainstream travel magazines in India, a couple of travel cafes in India have even framed my pictures on their walls, I still believe that I am still learning more of travel photography every day. Photography is a skill that can only be learned over time. And the more you practice it, the better you become. Its theory is unbelievably simple, however. Learn the basics of how four things — shutter speed, ISO, aperture and the focus work and you will technically accredit yourself as any other photographer out there. The only problem is, you will have to learn the composition, and that, my friend, is a skill that will come to you with time, and as you’ll practice. Composition And Travel Photography The key to impressive travel photography is ‘telling stories’. Your pictures, whether or not look professional, or give an impressive bokeh effect, must look aesthetically good. In other words, they must tell a story. An easier way to …

9 Tips For Planning Any Motorcycle Trip

Published by Dev

Motorcycles were invented for the same reason roads were – to travel and tell stories. When I started backpacking full-time, one of my biggest fantasies was going on a long solo motorbiking trip in the Himalayas. And there was a time when I was totally hooked on it, resulting in many motorbiking trips across New Delhi, particularly in the Himalayas. I think people who own a two-wheeler but don’t go on road-trips are unlucky and are definitely missing out a lot. So if you’ve always wanted to do the same and experience a motorcycle road-trip, make 2018 your year and go on that fantasy road-trip across India. But before anything, here are a few tips you need to keep in mind before you hit the road. These are the tips that I learned from my experiences of riding in India. Get yourself a proper luggage system If you think investing in a proper luggage for a trip is a wastage of money, you’re mistaken. A proper luggage system not only improves on your luggage carrying …

Patola & Tangaliya: Two Indigenous Handicrafts of Gujarat You Cannot Afford To Miss

Published by Dev

I had already fallen in love with the misunderstood state that is Gujarat last year as I travelled to Kutch and Saurashtra region last year for almost a month. Misunderstood, because you’re often a bit sceptical while planning your trip to Gujarat — due to a limited information available online. But as soon you get there and start exploring the state you fall in love with it — almost hopelessly. From a rich culture to beautiful art & crafts to some of the mind-boggling natural phenomenon Gujarat has something for everyone. During my recent blog trip with Gujarat Tourism, we explored a few more highlights in and around Ahmedabad, other than what I covered the last time. There were centuries old temples, local art forms and some architectural marvels on the list. While all of them were equally beautiful, the two highlights of the trip that I loved the most and recommend to anyone visiting Gujarat, and around Ahmedabad in particular, are the indigenous craft forms of Patola weaving and Tangaliya. Patola Weaving in Patan If ancient art forms are …

Hallan Valley

4 Best Places for Camping in Manali

Published by Dev

I remember when I first visited Manali, it was some 5 years ago. Dreading the summer heat in Delhi and wanting a quick escape, Manali, at 2800m above the sea level, seemed like a perfect option. Here, in Manali, I had heard, it’s not just the weather that stays pleasant throughout the year (below 30 degrees even during the warm summer days) but the experiences are always great too, for there are enough local tourist attractions in Manali. In about 30 or 40 km of radius from Manali, you have Buddhist monasteries to visit, adventure activities like camping and paragliding and river-rafting to try, some of the highest motorable passes to conquer, and nature parks to explore. And if you’re still not sure, you always have an impressive Himachali hospitality to make your experience better. But if you just happen to be a nature’s lover and the reason for you to be visiting the Himalayas is unwinding your daily life in the city, then I can’t suggest going for camping in Manali more. There are various …

5 Must Visit Places In Kuala Lumpur

Published by Dev

Malaysia’s capital is a vibrant hub of cutting-edge tech, lush green parkland, bustling shopping spaces and a reverential love of its past. Visitors to this stunning city, in the heart of the country’s mainland, can expect a heady mix of good food, stunning sights and stories to take back home with them. While any city has tons to see and do, Kuala Lumpur can be savoured over the course of a 48-hour stay, with plenty of highlights, not least the Batu Caves north of the city, or any number of natural wonders beyond its borders. Here are a few recommended places to visit during a fleeting Kuala Lumpur love affair. The PetronasTowers While it’s an obvious choice, what many visitors don’t realise is that the Petronas Towers are much more than a looming ode to Malaysia’s business savvy. Not only are they handsome and photogenic, but they’re also surrounded by immaculately kept parkland. Thoughtfully, that park’s been laid out with vantage points clearly signposting the best angles for snaps of the towers, while glittering Lake Symphony makes for joyous …

Travel Packing Tips For India: All You Need To Know

Published by Dev

After travelling across India for years and having periodic visits to other continents in between, I’ve noticed that travelling in India demands a different packing list. For example, when in Europe, you may not need to carry a portable power bank with you as finding a charging socket is often easier in most public places. But when it comes to India, and particularly if you’re into budget backpacking — travelling in rickety buses and staying in budget guesthouses facing frequent power cuts — a power bank may just be the most useful thing ever. So when planning for a long journey in India, I pack slightly differently. And then again, which part of India I am travelling to also makes a significant difference. So let’s break the geographical regions and understand what you may need where. Also Read: Travel With A Backpack Or Suitcase For The Himalayas Pack enough warm clothes, irrespective of what time of the year you are visiting. This particularly applies if you’re travelling anywhere above 2000 metres above the sea level. A …

A Road Trip Across The Coastal Maharashtra: The beauty Unexplored  

Published by Dev

“We think of travel and we look to far-flung places. We don’t think of stopping to view what’s on offer in our own streets, or neighbouring towns” I never expected this statement being valid on me until very recently, as I explored the beauty of coastal Maharashtra on a four-day road trip. So far I believed that India has everything to offer but a scenic coastal ride, and to get the best of a road trip in India your options are limited to the Himalayas, with Spiti Valley and Leh Ladakh topping the list. To make it even ironic, every time someone asked me about my favourite coastal route the first thing that came to my mind was the Great Indian Ocean Drive in Western Australia, or someplace in Italy. Though I am certainly not comparing the coastal roads of Australia or Italy with those of Maharashtra, in India, the fact that I never explored my own backyard that I didn’t know what beauty it had to offer. 4 Days | 600km | Unbounded Beauty For …

Want To Become A Full Time Travel Blogger? Here’s My Advise!

Published by Dev

Off-late I’ve started getting a lot of message requests from my readers showing their interest in travelling and becoming a full-time travel blogger — people working as investment bankers and engineers earning a seven-figure income, yet unsatisfied with their lifestyle, wanting to break into (how it appears to an unschooled) the ever glorious field of travel blogging. In the previous month itself — and particularly after my recent blog trip with The Golden Chariot, as I posted some flashy pictures from a luxury train ride in India — I’ve received a few dozen such queries, all starting with a brief praise for making blogging a successful carrier for myself followed by the inevitable: “I want to do the same but just don’t know where to start from, and how!” So if you too are struggling with a similar unsettling bug of making travel blogging a carrier choice, here’s my advice to you… Start With Becoming A Part-Time Blogger Blogging is a slow process and takes time to eventually grow into a full-time revenue-generating business. Even if you’re exceptionally good …

Experiencing Luxury Train Travel In India: With The Golden Chariot

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The Golden Chariot — an absolute luxury train travel in India! For a country like India that is so diverse and distinct, train-travel remains a beautiful highlight. Hopping from one place to the other while noticing small differences in the culture, traditions and landscapes, is a delight of a different kind. And when you get to do it under the luxury of having your own private room, some world-class food and a whole lot of other perks that came along with you — say a gym or a spa — things become even more interesting. Yes, I am talking about one of the five Maharaja Trains that run across India: The Golden Chariot. I happened to experience The Golden Chariot during a blog trip with the Ministry of Tourism in India. A part of 15 other bloggers, representing 6 different continents from across the world, we travelled across the parts of Karnataka and Goa, visiting some of the highlighted gems in the region. Despite personally repeating most of the places (as I’d visited them in the previous years) …