Lakshmi Sharath: “Travelling Is Not Really A Job, It’s A Way Of Life”

After 15 years of working at various media houses, Lakshmi Sharath gave up her cushy corporate job to travel the world. Sounds like the dream, huh? In just a few years, she has travelled to 5 continents and over 25 countries, and continues to explore every nook and cranny of the world, India included, with every step she takes.

Lakshmi works with a number of tourism boards and digital influencers, and maintains a blog where she jots down stories from her travels. She chats with Hauterfly about how it all started and about her personal travel preferences.

 

 

A Way Of Life

For me, travelling is not really a job, it’s a way of life. Every travel is an experience and every experience has its best and worst moments. And pitfalls are many — health, money, relationships –one needs to find a way to balance.

When I first stated travelling, I was looking for potential partners with whom I could work with and who had the same passion and idea. It could be tourism boards or influencer platforms…and it just happened.

Tip: Always keep your mind open to partnerships. and if you’re travelling alone, always try and blend in with the culture of the region.

The best part of travelling is undoubtedly exploring unseen places and meeting new people, and the worst part has got to be the transit at airports.

 

 

Best Memories

My most memorable trip was when I went travelling with my parents and grandparents to the hills of Karnataka, which were filled with jungles, coffee estates, and temples. We used to often visit a temple town called Sringeri. It was absolutely beautiful — mists, rains, rivers.

There were no proper roads then, just dense forests, and we used to drive along muddy roads. My grandfather, a coffee planter, used to tell us so many stories of his wildlife escapades. I’ll never forget those moments.

Travel Dreams

While I love travelling, I also love India, and wouldn’t really want to live anywhere else. But yes, I would love to spend a few months maybe working on a project in Germany, somewhere in Bavaria. As for holidays, I can go anywhere in the world.

 

 

Top 3 reccos for 2017
Internationally: Croatia, Copenhagen, Seychelles
In India: Ladakh (my eternal favourite), Sindudurg, Andamans

Beaches or mountains?
Beaches

Backpacking or luxury?
Neither. I choose the middle ground. I prefer homestays and bed-and-breakfasts, which are cosy and have a character.

Hotels or Airbnb?
Airbnb

Best vacay spots for Indians (budget/visa in mind)?
Seychelles, Indonesia, anywhere in Europe if you get a Schengen visa.

India’s hidden gems?
The Western ghats of Tamil Nadu — this region has barely been explored.

Next adventure?
Croatia