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Unlike us, she has no home. For each one of you reading this thrilling story of <keyword id="4078752" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="shivya-nath">Shivya Nath</keyword>, she doesn’t need to go back home after a long travel. For her it’s just moving on, quite literally. She is different from most of us. For you may be remembering <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/these-are-the-richest-bloggers-in-india-most-of-them-earnrs-10-lakh-plus-a-month/articleshow/56628843.cms">2016</a>, the year gone by as a year you got hooked to a girl or got promotion, but <a href="https://the-shooting-star.com/">Shivya</a> remembers the year as “the year I imprinted myself into the sky.” 
 “Three years ago, I gave up my home, sold most of my stuff and embraced a nomadic way of life. This journey has taken me as far within as with my feet,” that’s what <keyword id="1672234" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Shivya">Shivya</keyword> writes. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/these-are-the-richest-bloggers-in-india-most-of-them-earnrs-10-lakh-plus-a-month/articleshow/56628843.cms">Also read: The richest bloggers in India</a> 
 
Just like you go to office every day, Shivya was just like us. From having a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/these-are-the-richest-bloggers-in-india-most-of-them-earnrs-10-lakh-plus-a-month/articleshow/56628843.cms">9-5 job,</a> a handsome pay package and a lot of stories stored within. She chose the last one to live with. We take ages to make a plan to meet over coffee on a lazy winter Sunday, but Shivya goes to Guatemala, Romania or a village in Goa when she feels bored. 
 
In 2011, “I had begun resenting my 9-to-5 routine and cubicle-bound life. I told myself that if I don't take the plunge now to experiment with a different way of life, I might never do it.” 
 
Less than half a year later, she had enough to travel in India and set out for her first destination: Spiti. Six years later, Shivya is still on the road, documenting her adventures on her <a href="http://the-shooting-star.com">blog</a>,<a href="https://the-shooting-star.com/"> The Shooting Star </a>and her <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shivya/">Instagram</a>. 
 
Shivya spoke to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/these-are-the-richest-bloggers-in-india-most-of-them-earnrs-10-lakh-plus-a-month/articleshow/56628843.cms">Business Insider</a> about what her non-traditional life looks like, the reality of working on the road, and how she affords it.

Traveling the world and yet earning money: Read the fascinating story of this Indian blogger

Adjusting her binocular for a better view of the snow capped peaks around, <keyword id="6498265" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pushpa">Pushpa</keyword> kept walking in traditional salwar kameez and sports shoes. What makes her different from other women in the little <keyword id="4253959" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="kumoani">Kumoani</keyword> village is her keenness to hike and make an alternative livelihood. Just like her, there are a lot of women, who don’t mind cooking food and doing household chores but has an urge to do something else. While some love clicking photographs, some women are hiking guides. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-the-thrilling-story-of-the-indian-blogger-who-left-her-corporate-job-to-travel-the-world/articleshow/56645448.cms">ALSO READ: Traveling the world and yet earning money: Read the fascinating story of this Indian blogger</a> 
 And this exploration to find an alternative livelihood for the rural women of the <keyword id="52569" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="himalayas">Himalayas</keyword> has been powered by Voices Of Munsiari, India’s first community-run <keyword id="819905" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Instagram">Instagram</keyword> account. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-the-thrilling-story-of-the-indian-blogger-who-left-her-corporate-job-to-travel-the-world/articleshow/56645448.cms">The epicentre of this spirit </a>is <keyword id="2852036" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sarmoli">Sarmoli</keyword>, a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-the-thrilling-story-of-the-indian-blogger-who-left-her-corporate-job-to-travel-the-world/articleshow/56645448.cms">picturesque mountain village</a> in the <keyword id="1705628" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Munsiyari">Munsiyari</keyword> district of <keyword id="44522" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uttarakhand">Uttarakhand</keyword>. 
 <keyword id="1672234" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shivya">Shivya</keyword> Nath, the renowned travel blogger in India, who runs the-shooting-star.com, has teamed up with <keyword id="4253958" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="malika-virdi">Malika Virdi</keyword>, an avid mountaineer who has set up Sarmoli village homestays. 
 
What do they do? 
Sarmoli organizes their annual summer ritual in April every spring. The week-long <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-the-thrilling-story-of-the-indian-blogger-who-left-her-corporate-job-to-travel-the-world/articleshow/56645448.cms">Himal Kalasutra</a> festival where the locals of Sarmoli come together to run a marathon with an altitude gain of 8000 feet over 20km and watch birds. Last year, a week of meditative yoga and an introductory digital workshop by <keyword id="71187" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</keyword> was also organized. 
 With the help of Shivya and <keyword id="27385" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="malika">Malika</keyword>, the villagers have started an <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-the-thrilling-story-of-the-indian-blogger-who-left-her-corporate-job-to-travel-the-world/articleshow/56645448.cms">Instagram profile</a> to share with the world their stories. Initially, it was thought that the interest in sharing their stories may die down soon. On the contrary, their interest kept surging and some villagers became too tech savvy within short period of time. 
 
What now? 
Shivya and Malika are now aiming to crowdsource smartphones with good quality cameras, so more locals can get on board the channel. 
 
 
“Following a photography workshop in the village this April, we hope to do a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-the-thrilling-story-of-the-indian-blogger-who-left-her-corporate-job-to-travel-the-world/articleshow/56645448.cms">photo/Instagram exhibition</a>, showcasing the work of budding local photographers to potentially create an alternate income stream to fund a new outdoor education programme,” Shivya told <keyword id="824043" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Business-Insider">Business Insider</keyword>. 
 
“If you, or anyone you know is a<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/heres-the-thrilling-story-of-the-indian-blogger-who-left-her-corporate-job-to-travel-the-world/articleshow/56645448.cms"> smartphone photographer</a> who’d like to spend a week in this gorgeous part of the mountains, sharing their art and skills with some budding local photographers, let me know too,” added Shivya.

This is India’s first community-run Instagram
account. Here’s how it is helping rural Kumaoni women seek alternative
livelihood

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/instagram">Instagram</a> started <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-removing-likes-what-it-will-look-like-2019-11">removing "likes" on posts by US</a> users this month.</li><li>With the change, users will be able to see likes on their own <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-removing-likes-what-it-will-look-like-2019-11">posts</a> - but not on posts by others.</li><li>Business Insider asked five Instagram influencers in the <keyword id="6354692" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Travel">travel</keyword> space what they thought about Instagram hiding likes.</li><li style="font-weight: 400;">They told Business Insider that the change will allow them to experiment with new types of content, engage more with followers, and is a step in the right direction when it comes to mental health.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></li></ul>Earlier this month, Instagram <a href="https://twitter.com/mosseri/status/1192984329091043328">announced</a> that it would start removing "likes" on posts by users based in the US.The experiment comes on the heels of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-removing-likes-what-it-will-look-like-2019-11">similar tests</a> in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Japan, and New Zealand. Users will still be able to see how many likes their posts received; however, their followers will not.At the <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/instagram-hiding-likes-adam-mosseri-tracee-ellis-ross-wired25/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_brand=wired&amp;utm_social-type=owned">Wired tech 25 conference</a>, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri discussed the&#xa0;impetus for the platform tweak."It's about young people," he said. "The idea is to try to 'depressurize' Instagram, make it less of a competition and give people more space to focus on connecting with people that they love, things that inspire them."The announcement was met with a flurry of responses from influencers and celebrities, ranging from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-tests-taking-away-likes-celebrities-influencers-reactions-kim-kardashian-2019-11">the supportive to the downright enraged</a>. Some even threatened to stop posting on the app altogether.Business Insider spoke with five Instagram influencers in the travel space about the platform's move to hide likes, and they said that the decision's effects would be felt in a variety of ways.<h2>Room to focus on quality content that engages with followers, not just content that chases numbers</h2>Shivya Nath (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/shivya/">@shivya</a>), the India-based blogger behind <a href="https://the-shooting-star.com/2019/06/16/how-travelling-changed-my-perspective-on-getting-married-having-kids/">The Shooting Star</a> responsible travel blog, describes the current Instagram ecosystem as being "obsessed with likes."Nath's Instagram page has 85.5k followers and features photos of her long-term, solo travel experiences accompanied by narrative captions. Among her most-liked recent posts is a photo of her "office" in Thimphu, Bhutan. In her caption, she reflects with gratitude on her decision to quit her job and travel the world in 2013.Likes are among the key metrics that brands request and evaluate as campaign performance indicators, Cameron Lee (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/thecameronlee/">@thecameronlee</a>) of the luxury travel blog <a href="http://www.outwithcameron.com/">Out With Cameron</a> told Business Insider.Lee, who has 49.6k followers, worked in PR and marketing before choosing the influencer path. He noted that, due to brands' valuation of likes, Instagram has become a numbers game. "Not all brands focus on the quality of the content versus the number of likes," he said.Nath told Business Insider that she hopes Instagram hiding likes will make it more of a space for community and discussion."I feel that the obsession with likes often takes away from meaningful stories and conversations, especially in the travel space," she told Business Insider. "Glamorous travel photos might get a lot of likes, but are they really generating conversations on topics that matter, or even real value for a business partner?"&#xa0;Canadian travel influencer and vlogger Nadine Skyora (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/heynadine/">@heynadine</a>), who has 96.6k followers, said this change will prompt her to engage more with her followers. "I'll be focusing more on the description. Instagram content will become a cross of micro-blogging and photography now," she said.In short: "Comments will become the new likes," she said.&#xa0;&#xa0;<h2>Freedom to experiment with other types of content without harming their reach</h2>For Francesa Murray (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/onegrloneworld/">@onegrloneworld</a>) of<a href="https://www.instagram.com/onegrloneworld/"> One Girl One World</a>, the announcement comes as a relief. Murray, who has 42.2k followers and whose feed features a collection of bright and frequently beachy shots in locations like Barbados and the Cook Islands, told Business Insider that it will be a vast improvement to the Instagram experience for both users and creators."For creators, it will alleviate some of the pressure to make each post 'a hit,'" she said. "We'll be able to just focus on creating quality content and engaging with the people it resonates with via comments."As a result, Murray feels that she will have more liberty to experiment with her content. "I've been yearning to create more content around haircare and beauty because both impact my travels greatly, but have been scared of what that would do to my engagement."Murray's top posts this year have garnered up to 2.3k likes and around 300 comments. She almost always ends her Instagram captions with a conversational question to her followers, like "What comes to mind when you think of Memphis - and have you ever been?" or "Have you ever been to a black sand beach before? Where at?"<h2>It may take some time for brands to get on board, but they'll get there</h2>Erick Prince (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/minoritynomad/">@minoritynomad</a>), who runs the<a href="https://minoritynomad.com/"> Minority Nomad blog</a>, has visited 93 countries and aims to become the first African American to travel to every country. He told Business Insider that while he's never placed much importance on likes, they're important from a business perspective."I could get 0 likes and not care one bit," he said. "Brands care, though."Lee anticipates that there will be an adjustment period during which brands will renegotiate their key performance indicators."I think it's important to educate brands that likes shouldn't be a performance indicator, especially when you can buy them for a few dollars," he said.Sykora estimates that the change may make it harder for brands to discover influencers, especially those with smaller followings, but that, in the long run, it won't have too much of an impact, she told Business Insider."I think at first it'll take a hit, as marketing agencies figure out how to now pick and vet influencers, but realistically you still have comments, you still have followers, and you can still see the like count in your analytics," she said.<h2>A step in the right direction when it comes to mental health, though only time will tell if it's enough</h2>While Instagram's decision to start hiding likes <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-hiding-likes-test-teens-mental-health-addiction-2019-7">seems to have been made with its users' mental health in mind</a>, the travel influencers Business Insider spoke with have mixed feelings on the effectiveness of this goal.Nath, for one, believes that Instagram doing away with likes will improve the mental wellbeing of its users. "The peer pressure can be intense!" she said with regard to amassing likes.For Sykora, the benefits remain to be seen."While Instagram says they are doing this for mental health reasons, I'm skeptical of how big of an effect it'll have. Because unless you get rid of public follower numbers, and backend likes, then you really haven't changed anything at all," she told Business Insider. "People will still feel bad about seeing perfect people, living their perfect lives. People will still compare themselves to their friends and strangers."Are you a travel influencer with a reaction you'd like to share? Email this reporter at mwiley@businessinsider.com or message her on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/melissatwiley/">@melissatwiley</a>.&#xa0;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/stories-slide-deck?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=ctgr_bii&amp;itm_term=ctgr_leadgen&amp;itm_content=instagram&amp;itm_campaign=stories-slide-deck"></a><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-palm-oil-is-so-cheap-2019-11">Why palm oil is so cheap</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

From taking the pressure off 'glamorous' photos of their trips to a new focus on comments,&#160;here's how travel influencers feel about Instagram hiding likes

Are you planning a trip to<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=europe&amp;sortorder=effectivedate"> Europe</a>, as we speak? Well if you are, then we have some advice. Ditch the traditional way and go <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=backpacking&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">backpacking</a> across the continent, instead? Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? We thought so, too. 
 
So, we got <a href="http://www.skyscanner.co.in/">Skyscanner</a>, a leading <keyword id="6354692" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Travel">travel</keyword> search engine to bring you, our reader (and traveler) the absolutely must-know facts regarding <keyword id="642246" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="backpacking">backpacking</keyword> across <keyword id="28249" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="europe">Europe</keyword>. 
 
Everything you need to know is in this article. We guarantee. Plus, we also have tips from seasoned travelers- Shivya Nath and Kedar Jaidev. 
 
Hop on! 
 
 
1. From dreaming to planning: where to START? 
 
This is the most important part of the entire trip. The smartest thing to do is to start planning early. You need to do a lot of research to decide on the countries that you want to visit – from the travel documents that are required, and value-for-money deals for flights and hotels. The research will also help you determine the duration of your stay at each place which will give you a fair idea about your itinerary. 
 
2. How not to go overboard and land up broke? 
 
In addition to the flight and visa costs, you must fix a daily budget for yourself, which would include food, accommodation and travel costs, along with the budget for the entire trip. Maintain a daily diary/log of expenditure whilst travelling so that you are on track and don’t end up over-spending. 
 
 
 
3. Europe is vast, where should you go? 
 <keyword id="227170" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Skyscanner">Skyscanner</keyword> recommends that you visit the <a href="http://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-countries-list/">Schengen Area</a> in Europe, which covers 26 countries. This gives you the freedom to travel across the international borders of these countries with a single visa. However, keeping in mind that this is a backpack trip, some of the countries that we also recommend are <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=AUSTRIA&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Austria</a>, Lithuania, Romania, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=ITALY&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Italy</a> and the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=czech+republic&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Czech Republic</a>. 
 
The avid traveler, Shivya also adds that for backpacking, one must plan to visit the countryside, instead of the main cities. You will enjoy a much more enjoyable trip eating local food, getting introduced to the local cultures and traditions, and also ensuring that it’s light on your pocket. Plus, you can always plan day trips to the main cities from the countryside. 
 
4. What is the best time to visit? 
 
June and July are the peak months for traveling in Europe, so we recommend a trip in the months of September to October so that you may enjoy the ideal weather. 
 
 
 
 
5. What modes of transport to take while tripping? 
 Kedar says, “Public transport is all you need in Europe.” Most cities have a travel card facility that covers trains, buses, subways, etc. You may also rent a bike, where you get the first hour’s ride for free, and are then charged between 2 to 7 euros per hour. As per Shivya’s advice, it’s also a good idea to get an <keyword id="3356272" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Eurail">Eurail</keyword> pass, because traveling by train is an awesome way of viewing the great European countryside. Most of Europe is a pleasure ground for walking, and that’s what we suggest you do in each city that you visit. Typically, local transport would cost you about 10-15 euros per day. 
 
6. Where should you stay? 
 
Europe offers a host of safe accommodations. Keeping in mind that we are suggesting a backpacking trip, hostels would be your best choice. These hostels provide all amenities like clean toilets, fresh bed sheets, towels, access to the kitchens, access to the Internet/Wi-Fi, as well as laundry services. They are budget-friendly, and most of them have a bar, which is a great place to meet fellow travellers. You might just have to put up with the noise, and the fact that you need to share toilets and washrooms. But, meeting with fellow backpackers can help you with valuable tips. Couch surfing is another good option to consider, where you stay at a local host’s place, and in return, you offer your own place back home to travellers. We recommend that you do your homework about the person you are staying with and read their reviews, if available. 
 
 
 
7. What should I prioritize in my backpack? 
 
It’s a backpack trip. So plan your essentials wisely. Because we have recommended you to travel during Autumn, you should carry about 6 to 7 pairs of comfortable clothes, shorts, t-shirts, sleepwear and adequate undergarments and socks. Kedar says that you should always carry a towel and a hand towel in your backpack at all times. Also recommended are essential toilet accessories, a torch with extra batteries, basic medicines and a simple first-aid kit. Shivya suggests that you do some research on the weather of the places you plan to visit, and pack accordingly. Make sure that you pack optimally, so that you don’t have a very heavy backpack on your shoulder. This will hinder walking and hiking options, if you are planning to. 
 
7. The most essential Do’s and Don’ts. 
 
Remember, you are visiting places that are native to the locals. So it makes sense for you to read up on the local cultures and traditions of the places you plan to visit. Treat the people the same way you would like to be treated by travelers in your country. Be polite at all times and avoid littering. Across Europe, the local tourism boards are very helpful with information; not only what’s available officially, but also from other travellers who hang around the tourism counters. Their inputs might lead you to have an unforgettable experience. A very significant aspect of this kind of travel is to pick up phrases in the local language, adds Shivya. 
 
TIP: Save some of the local phrases in your phone. It could be very useful when you least expect it. 
 
8. What is the preferred mode of carrying money in Europe? 
 
We’d highly recommends that you get a travel card from your bank or an agency that facilitates this. Make sure that you get a card with a chip because almost all ATM’s and other ticket machines across Europe have switched over to “chip-only.” You should also carry an adequate amount of cash with you for miscellaneous expenses (no need to carry cash in bulk). Travelers' cheques are also a good option, but this will require you to go to a bank or an authorised agency to encash. 
 
9. What modes of communication to use while traveling in Europe? 
 
Kedar is of the opinion that you would rather be disconnected if you are traveling to the countryside, and wouldn’t want to connect with the outside world for some time; and we agree! However, families and friends do get worried if you don’t keep in touch. Shivya suggests that if you must communicate with worried parents back home, online communication is the most cost-effective. Most budget hotels provide free Wi-Fi, and if you plan to carry a mobile device, you can always send e-mails, or call them through Skype. Another option is to get a local SIM in Europe, which turns out to be economical as well. 
 
Well, so what are you waiting for? 
 
Go avail a few days of leave, buy a good backpack (if you haven’t done it already), pack your essentials, get your Schengen visa and book your flight ticket to Europe today! Bon voyage! 
 
(This post was done in association with <a href="http://www.skyscanner.co.in/">Skyscanner</a>. All pictures are courtesy Skycanner.)

You Searched For "Shivya" and got 4 results

Traveling the world and yet earning money: Read the fascinating story of this Indian blogger

Suchayan Mandal

This is India’s first community-run Instagram account. Here’s how it is helping rural Kumaoni women seek alternative livelihood

Suchayan Mandal

From taking the pressure off 'glamorous' photos of their trips to a new focus on comments, here's how travel influencers feel about Instagram hiding likes

Melissa Wiley

A traveller's guide to backpacking across Europe

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You Searched For "Shivya" and got 4 results

Traveling the world and yet earning money: Read the fascinating story of this Indian blogger

Suchayan Mandal

This is India’s first community-run Instagram account. Here’s how it is helping rural Kumaoni women seek alternative livelihood

Suchayan Mandal

From taking the pressure off 'glamorous' photos of their trips to a new focus on comments,&#160;here's how travel influencers feel about Instagram hiding likes

Melissa Wiley

A traveller's guide to backpacking across Europe

Guest Author

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides

From taking the pressure off 'glamorous' photos of their trips to a new focus on comments, here's how travel influencers feel about Instagram hiding likes