desi Travel Digest 2015

Favorite Travel Blogs of 2015 : A desi Travel Digest

We may be late with our desi Travel digest for December 2015, but let me assure you the wait was worth it.

For those who are yet to read monthly desi digest here is a quick update:  Monthly desi digest is a round up of my favorite travel blog posts from around the world, with a clear bias towards desi travel bloggers.

So far I was using my discretion for the same but for the year end 2015 special I thought why restrict desi digest only to what I like ? So I invited constant traveler- Abhinav Singh, who shares his travel stories on  Abhinav Singh’s Soul  Window. Also as this was an annual digest so he chose posts he loved in  and not just from  2015.

So without much delay let us hop on to desi Travel Digest for December 2015, curated and edited by Abhinav Singh, a desi Traveler with a difference. 

 

My 10 favorite travel blogs of 2015 for desi Traveler

When I was given this opportunity to curate my favorite blogs of 2015 for desi Traveler (Year end special), I jumped at it. I already had some blogs in mind which I enjoyed reading over the year. It was great fun to go through those blogs again. Hope the readers of desi Traveler enjoy the selection carefully handpicked by me.

Here are the blogs which enriched me and made me smile/ think/ sad in 2015.

1) Alka Kaushik Life in Transit

A traveler’s job is to find out what lies beyond the obvious.  This blog was a revelation.  Most know Amritsar for great food, inimitable hospitality, mustard fields, lively music and of course Golden temple. Who knew the world-famous Kohinoor diamond has a connection to this city. When this story was published on the front page of a local daily, it was picked by the English newspapers the very next day. That’s the power of a good story. I love other posts of Alka Kaushik for their lyrical description, witty one liners and treasure of knowledge on all things travel. She makes Hindi look cool.

Read her post:  Most Famous Stone In History Of Humanity

2) Richa Gupta –  Travels And Stories

I most identify with Richa’s sensible voice. Like her, I too am an aspiring anti consumerist and try to make my travel meaningful. Her blogs are not always about pretty locations and wow factor. She delves deeper and writes thought-provoking articles on sustainable tourism. Here she talks passionately about how we end up making caricatures of locals, treating them as show pieces than real humans. She also raises her voice against unethical use of animals in tourism. This is how a good blog should be like- read it here:   The Dilemma Of Supporting Local Community While Traveling Responsibly

3) Medhavi Davda – RAVENOUS LEGS

This blog is topical. Since it’s the time for Chadar trek, (the walk on frozen river), the tips shared by her are very useful and handy. I trust her since she’s my go to person for all things adventure. She is one of the few female travel bloggers in India whose core expertise lies in adventure.  I enjoy reading her blogs for great pictures, crispy stories and good information on destinations.  Her chosen post is about :   How To Prepare For Chadar Trek

4) Ami Bhatt – THRILLING TRAVEL

Rajasthan attracts an influx of tourists from across the world, especially in winters.  It’s another topical blog which covers most of the concerns of travelers. The tips shared here are useful not only for foreign traveler but also for domestic nomads.

I like Amy’s blogs for its freshness and good content, here is here post about  Top Ten Travel Tips To Rajasthan

5) Parnashree Devi – My Travel Diary

Parnashree’s forte is discovering and documenting hidden gems of our planet.  She goes off the beaten trail again in this beautiful blog on Chattisgarh. The blog reveals the many surprises that this neglected destinations hides. This blog covers her 10 best moments in Chattisgarh. Who would have thought Chhattisgarh is bursting with all things exotic, from wildlife to tribals; from voluptuous waterfalls to one of its kind food. – Check her   Epic Moments In Chhattisgarh 

6) Mahesh Semwal – Visit The World Thru Eyes Of Mahesh & Divya

This blog is in sync with the voice of Desi Traveler. It shows how family holidays are not cumbersome but fun! More importantly, the blog shows how one can have the time of their life not very far away from home. Backyard Tourism at its best!  Growing up in metro cities the kids lose their touch with village life. So, it’s important to acquaint them with the good earth in a safe and healthy manner. This blog post talks of one such journey –  Pratapgarh Farm- Unlimited Fun and food

7) Manish Kumar – मुसाफिर हूँ यारों

Travel is not always about happy places with great food and sights. Travel should also make us think, ruminate over the wrongs of past and learn from it. This blog talks about the futility of war and the havoc caused on the city of Hiroshima. The vivid descriptions are bone chilling. Presently, there are conflicts galore across the globe making Hiroshima relevant even after so many years of disaster.

Maneesh describes it in a sympathetic tone. His blog is one of the leading Hindi travel blogs of India not for nothing.-  यादें हिरोशिमा की – क्या हुआ था वहां ७० वर्ष पहले  Hiroshima Peace  Memorial 

8) Dipanshu Goyal- मुसाफिर – सैर कर दुनिया की ग़ालिब 

I enjoy trekking and always find time to trek 2-3 times an year. The views one gets on a trek are breathtaking but accessible only on foot. For those who are adventurer at heart, treks are a great way to communicate with oneself. But those are dangerous terrains. One should be aware of the perils and not be overconfident or disrespectful to the mountains. Mountains know how to show you your place in the scheme of things. I remember as a child, reading about the sudden demise of famous danseuse Protima Bedi in a landslide. Dipanshu travels to those places and reminds us that the mountains are beautiful and dangerous, like his post about:  छोटा कैलाश ट्रैकिंग  का रोमांच

9) Shubham Mansingka or Travel Shoe Bum- A boy who travels

I travel solo mostly. Generally it’s the women who face problems travelling solo. As a man, I hardly faced any danger even while getting stuck to the remotest of places, in the darkest of hours.  Perhaps because I always remained unscathed, I still believed it’s totally safe for men to travel alone until I read this blog and the myth was assaulted. I was horrified to read how Shubham was kidnapped and tortured in the mountains (Supposed to be safe and full of friendly people.) The post is an eye opener and after reading it I am more cautious on my solo adventures after I read:  My own episode of ‘Jailed Abroad’ in Garhwal Himalaya 

10) Jey and Meenakshi – Artologue

I have always believed travel should be more about giving back then taking. Presently I am not in a position to give much but I contribute to locals in my own little ways. I like the way, Jey and Meenakshi in their inimitable style encourage creativity in children and ‘harass’ them to come up with great works of art. They travel to unheard of places on their bike Kesariya and Hari Bhari (Sometimes I doubt his bikes are living breathing creatures) and leave with colorful walls, enriching the lives of kids.  Salute to the real travelers. This is how travel should be like :  The Elephant and the Specs

About the Curator and Editor: Abhinav Singh is 33 year old travel blogger from India who has traveled to 100 destinations in 20 states of India since 2010. Though he enjoys all genres of travel but passionate about adventure, trekking, rural tourism, spiritual, wildlife and eco- tourism and specializes in budget travel. You can follow his travel stories here

Instagram  : @AbhinavSoulWindow

Twitter  : @abhinav2111

FB travel page : Abhinav Singh’s Soul Window

       YouTube travel channel :  Abhinav Singh

So dear readers, would love to know what do you have to say about this episode of desi Travel digest ? Do pay these bloggers and our Curator for the month a visit and leave a comment if you have time, and follow them to read their future posts. Would you like to nominate any post  that you read in January  anywhere on the net then please share it with me using the contact desi form or tag me on twitter.  

Note to featured bloggers: You know whom to sue / say thanks for taking your pictures  and showcasing here 🙂  

 

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