Table of Contents
An Interview with Dipali Bhasin from SpoonsandSneakers
1.Tell us a bit about yourself?
I am Dipali Bhasin, donning many hats – A food and travel blogger, theatre artist, a photographer and a volunteer for an NGO, Forum for Breast Cancer Protection. Being a General’s daughter and the wife of a globe trotter has given me ample opportunities to soar my wings and span the near and distant horizons. I have travelled more than twenty countries and savoured unforgettable experiences. Whether it was a leisurely stroll along the Bosphorous River in Turkey or the Grand Canyon in Arizona or watching the wildlife in Kruger National Park, standing astride the Prime Meridien in Greenwich or having a dinner party in front of the Egyptian Sphinx; have all left an indelible impression in my mind and an imprint on my heart. Along with this comes the joy of exploring cultures, cuisines and camaraderie of people. Having varied cuisines like eating the street food of Malaysia, the snakes and scorpions in Cambodia, the super-expensive Kobe beef in Sushi Samba in London or even the local food of Thailand and the regional cuisines of our country, have tickled my taste buds and made me appreciate the confluence of food with travel. Enriching experiences like spending time with the Karen Tribe in Chiang Mai, the African Aboriginals or even the devout worshippers of Pushkar have enlightened me with the power of human connect.
2. What’s your biggest achievement as a Travel Blogger?
I have managed to create a treasure trove of precious memoirs that I document in my blog “Spoons and Sneakers” and I share my travel stories and experiences with other travel aficionados.
3. You have an unlimited travel budget for 24 hours. Give me your itinerary?
I would take a flight to Coorg for a walk through the coffee plantations, hop on a caravan amidst the golden sands of Jaisalmer, go river rafting along the Brahmaputra and enjoy a meal in Nagaland.
4. How do you fund your travel?
I was running a successful business for a decade earlier. I had saved a neat kitty to explore my passions.
5. What is the single most effective strategy that a blogger can use to bring traffic to a blog?
Pick a topic that attracts traffic, create better quality content that meets a specific need and promote with social media.
6. What tools do you use to monetize your blog? Which works best for you?
Liaison with companies, travel agencies, restaurants. I ghost write for a couple of organisations.
7. What is the first trip you remember taking and how old were you?
Army families are nomadic.. Ever since I was little we travelled from one city to another, thanks to Dad’s postings.
8. Have you been anywhere which turned out to be totally different to how you imagined? If so, how?
I left with a few friends for Vaishno Devi on an overnight trip. On our way to the airport, we decided to miss the flight back to Delhi. Instead, we took the next one to Srinagar to stay with our Kashmiri friends and owners of Nedous Hotel, Gulmarg. It was in Gulmarg where I witnessed a beautiful snowfall and had an ethereal picturesque view of the snow clad Dagu Glacier.
9. Have you had any bad experiences whilst travelling?
An inept travel agent and a misunderstanding about the dates and tickets, left me stranded in Istanbul alone with hardly any cash in hand. It made me realize that any change in plans must be followed to the T.
10. Where is your favourite place in the world?
Cape Town is a confluence of cultures, cuisines and landscapes and undoubtedly, my favourite place in the world.
11. Do you have a bucket list? If so what is on it?
I dream of chasing the Aurora Borealis in Norway and capturing it on my camera. I want to see the Waitomo Glowworm Caves in New Zealand and visit the Plitvice Lakes in Croatia. I missed going to the Kumbh this year but it is definitely on the cards. Taking a holy dip in the sacred river with the sea of religious humanity is something I want to experience once in my life. I want to spend a considerable time exploring the North-Eastern states of our country too.
12. If you were not travelling what would you be doing instead?
I would have been an author.
13. What has travel taught you?
Saint Augustine of Hippo said, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” I couldn’t agree more. Travel helps open the mind and develops a wider world view. With my travels not only have I garnered new experiences and explored new places but it has helped me understand myself better. It has built my confidence and made me realize my capabilities which I never knew I had. I have learned different cuisines, a new language and a few skills along the way .Meeting people from different regions and religions has widened my perspective, and facilitated my understanding of humans better.
14. Who, in your opinion, is the most successful travel blogger? Why do you think that is?
Daniel of “Dan Flying Solo” is an amazing travel writer. His writing includes a plethora of useful tips and stories and I love his captivating photographs and videos.
You can follow Dipali Bhasin from SpoonsandSneakers on her social media profiles and blog where she shares her travel updates : Instagram | Blog
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P.S. If you want to be interviewed and share your travel stories with us, then send an email to instatravelstyledotcom@gmail.com
