“Hey! I am Shruti Arora aka The Travelling Lipstick, a travel and lifestyle blogger from India who is on a journey to explore this beautiful world. I realized my love and passion for travelling when I embarked on a soul searching trip to Ladakh in the summer of 2014 and it changed my life forever. Over the years my love for travelling continues to grow and I travel to 30 countries on 5 continents where I jump off a plane. swim with turtles, climb a volcano, ride an ostrich and volunteer in the slums of Kenya for 2 years. I was born and raised in a small town of U.P. and just like a regular Indian my idea of happiness was to ace exams, get into a prestigious college, land a corporate job, get married and have kids. However, despite following this path it still felt unfulfilling. That is when I took my first solo trip and experienced a sense of empowerment & true happiness and it was incomparable. I started TTL almost 2 years ago. It’s my personal space where I love to share my journeys and travel tips with people around the world. I hope to inspire you to follow your dreams. I know it is not easy to chase your dreams but it is even more difficult to not do it. I moved to Canada 2 years ago. And I work full time and travel with my 4 weeks of vacation.” – @the_travelling_lipstick
Here is Shruti Arora in a conversation with GOGO Magazine.
1) How did your journey start?
I have always been fascinated by the idea of seeing new places. Of course, I did not realize my passion for travel until I took my first solo trip to Ladakh in 2014. It was a budgeted trip where I did homestays and travelled cheaply. I was touched by the beauty of the Ladakh landscape and the kindness of the locals. It encouraged me to take more trips, later on, to explore faraway lands and meet warm loving people.
2) Who has been your inspiration?
Well on social media, I love to follow the travel journeys of Jack Morris (Doyoutravel) and Savi & Vid (Bruised Passports). They inspired me to travel and see these places for myself.
3) Why did you choose the name Travelling Lipstick?
To be honest, it was pretty random. When I started posting, I never thought, so many people would join my journey. I could not get my name handled hence, I chose this randomly.
4) Which has been your most memorable moment?
- It’s difficult to choose one so I will share a few
- A road trip across South Africa
- The first glimpse of Petra in Jordan
- Sky diving in Dubai
5) Suggest three tips for traveling full time.
- I think it is important to have a stable source of income to support your financial needs. Focus on monetizing your passion. This can be done in multiple ways like selling your own presets, through YouTube, launching your courses online.
- One can also choose a profession that will allow following their passion of travelling like being a travel writer, a flight attendant, a photographer on the cruise, or a yoga trainer in a luxury resort.
- Lastly, believe in yourself and take that leap of faith and even if it does not work out you would know that you tried.
6) Which has been the scariest incident while travelling?
While we were camping in Masai Mara in Kenya, a few hippopotami entered the camping area and since it was night, there was very little visibility with no electricity at the campsite. I was really scared and sort of ran barefoot with the oil lamp to the dining area to feel safe. Eventually, rangers came and drove them outside the camp area.
7) How did you become a full-time traveller?
I work full time and travel with my 4 weeks of vacation. I plan ahead in time and keep my options flexible to choose places where flight tickets are more affordable and I choose to travel in the shoulder season when costs are comparatively less.
FOLLOW THE TRAVELLING LIPSTICK
INSTAGRAM: @the_travelling_lipstick
FACEBOOK: The Travelling Lipstick
YOUTUBE: Shruti Raj Arora
WEBSITE: www.thetravellinglipstick.com
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