Shruti’s friends describe her as a Free-Spirited Butterfly who loves to follow her passion to travel. This old-school soul seeks joys in everything she does, be it having a cup of good tea, enjoying a sumptuous meal, having an introspective conversation with friends or simply writing letters to strangers.
For Shruti, friendship and love go beyond moderations, she believes in going out of her comfort zone for her loved ones.
She started writing quotes since a year and loves to pen thoughts in few yet meaningful words that touches the heart. You can read her thoughts on love, life and travel at Musafir Shruti.
The Flower Child
1. How would you describe yourself in 3 words
- Mush (means friend)
- Empathic
- Dreamer
2. What made you fall in love with travelling?
The Sense of freedom. Though I am blessed to have good travel experiences with family but the actual love happened in 2014 when I took charge of the whole travel process- planning, zeroing the place, finding the right accommodation etc. After a lot of friends ditching out, I went to Kasauli with a crazy colleague and that when I relished the sense of freedom to be away from daily chaotic life and just be close to Mother Nature. Over a period of time, my way of travel has evolved but the love for the new journey and destination keep growing stronger than before.
3. Which is your favourite destination in India and why?
This awards goes to Himachal Pradesh. The land with diverse landscape, lip-smacking food options, and humble locals, there is no dearth of awesomeness in Himachal Pradesh. Spiti is one of the best places that stole my heart for many reasons. Thanks to some of my amazing friends with similar interests, I keep ending finding lesser known places. From adventurous to laid back trips, I can zero down places easily in Himachal. I can’t thank enough to HRTC bus services for easy and safe connect from my city to almost anywhere in HP.
4. What’s the longest single journey you’ve taken so far?
This would be 10 days trip to complete Spiti circuit.
5. According to you, do you think one has to be rich to travel the world?
It’s all about how passionate are you for travel and what kind of traveler you are (laidback or luxurious). Travel keeps me alive and I ensure keeping enough funds in my account to avoid compromise on travel.
6. Given a choice, would you leave your job for travel?
If I can find job which pays me well enough to manage my expenses and allows travel, I wouldn’t think twice. Until then I do need steady source of income to manage my livelihood and passion.
7. Did travelling make you a better person?
Each of my experience helped me evolve as human. If life is on-going chapter of experiences and lessons, travel is biggest teacher for me. I learnt to trust myself while exploring unknown avenues while on the road. I learnt to cherish life with limited resources available around me while enjoying rustic experience during my stays with locals. Getting a new perspective at looking at life situations is one of the biggest learnings I have got from travelling.
8. What are the 5 essentials that you always carry on your travels?
Own flask (which can refilled for water), clean set of clothes and undergarments, medicines, diary and a book.
9. How do you travel sustainably?
For most of my trips, I prefer staying at homestays in villages or small towns to support the local community. Also, I have picked the habit of carrying my own water flask to avoid purchasing plastic bottles.
10. Are you a planned or impromptu traveller?
I am more of planned traveler when it comes to booking onwards ticket and accommodation. Once I reach the destination, then I go totally impromptu whether by taking inputs from the locals about lesser known places or simply exploring unknown roads.
11. One quote that expresses your wanderlust?
“It is not the destination where you end up but the mishaps and memories you create along the way.”
Penelope Riley
12. Name a person who inspired you to travel.
Suman Doogar for her experiences in most of the parts of India.
13. What is the one thing that scares you while travelling?
Falling sick especially be it while travelling with friends or solo. I have came across few creepy men during my trips and that shivers me to the bone. Fear of theft when I am on solo trips.
14. Your advise to people who wants to start travelling.
Travel is an investment that would leave you with memories, lessons and experiences to last for the lifetime. “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” So, don’t hesitate to plan even a weekend trip to get started.
15. Who are your two most favourite travel bloggers/writers?
• Radhika & Rachita from Nomllers
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