This MBA Graduate Went On A 55-Day Sojourn To The Hills And Decided To Never Come Back!

Tripoto

Instagram is a wonderful space that allows for creativity to flourish and bloom. One of the numerous photographers that adorn your feeds is Shubham Mansingka, a travel blogger by profession whose inimitable work has found him a special place in the hearts of 10k people and honourable features in The Hindu, LiveMint and Hufflington Post! We caught up with him to know his story.

Welcome to Tripoto community. Please introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi! I am Shubham Mansingka, a full time traveller and professional travel blogger from Rajasthan. I started out on this path in 2015, when after my MBA, I went for a solo trip from Manali to Leh; a trip that changed the course of my life forever. During the same time, I was also diagnosed with a severe case of asthma; a 55-day trip to Rishikesh in order to recuperate made me realise that I would love to breathe fresh mountain air every day of my life. I knew I could survive here, I called my parents and told them I wasn’t coming home.

Where all have your travels taken you to?

Ever since I started out, I have travelled to four countries and more than 22 states across India. In fact, I've travelled to some of the highest places in India during the winter months of January and February when most people think it is not the right season to do so.

Travel changes us in the most extraordinary of ways. Do you feel any change in yourself or your perspectives?

I think the travel gene in me was planted by my parents! They were avid travellers themselves and used to love taking unplanned road trips. Travel has made me realise the world is a wonderful place and there is so much goodness everywhere. From natural beauty to culture, local foods, crafts, folklore, architecture, there is a whole lot to explore. Travel has taught me to live in the moment and not worry about what’s going to come next. I am happy to breathe normally and realise that I should be thankful for a renewed passion for living, thanks to the travel bug.

We see that you have a special liking for the mountains. What made you fall in love with them? Also, what is the story of your furry hat that we see frequently in your travel pictures?

Mountains are where I find my fresh air and stunning views with locally grown food, and these are some of the few reasons why I love the mountains! I love collecting different varieties of hats and the furry hat is very special because it was bought at a bargain from a Kashmiri shop. That hat has kept me going in the unbearably cold winter of Ladakh and Spiti.

How do you fund your travels?

I fund my travels by earning money through my travel blog and freelance photography. I also work as a freelance travel and lifestyle writer, digital media influencer and as a travel consultant for companies. Basically, I travel both for my passion and my profession!

If given a chance to make any place in the world home, which place will you choose?

Any place that has freshly grown food, lots of natural light surrounded by greenery and a wooden home! I guess that’s all I need to live. Oh and WiFi, we all need to make a living!

Can you tell us 5 memorable travelling experiences that made you feel glad to be alive once you were done?

While there have been many moments of such life saving experiences, I'd say: Walking on a frozen river in Markha Valley, solo trekking to Zanskar, finding a stay after walking for 20 odd km in Kerala, snow blindness scare in winter in Lossar village, Spiti and when I got duped by a bunch of locals in Garhwal that I now know I shouldn't have trusted.

Do you have any advice for young Indians who aspire to travel the world?

Yes, I would like to say that a travel blogger’s lifestyle might appear to be a lot of fun, but beneath the surface is hours of hard work, even more so than a regular job. Relevant advice I would like to share is that if you're planning to tread on to this path, make sure you have a fall back option in terms of finances. Remember the fact that "there are no shortcuts to success." If you try for long enough, you will eventually find a way to make things work.

Check out Shubham's Instagram handle for more such breathtaking pictures!

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