In our series of interviews with travel blogger and influencers across the globe, we look for travel influencers and nomads with interesting lives who can share some inspiring stories and useful advice from their experience. This week we have Priyanka from OnMyCanvas blog.
Table of Contents
Tell us a bit about yourself
I am from a small town in North India. About a decade ago, I graduated with a B.Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IITD).
In 2016, five years into an evolving investment banking career, I decided that I had had enough of the corporate world. So, I quit my job. Writing and living a meaningful life was on my mind. I spent the next year traveling around South America and Southeast Asia, solo.
I launched my blog On My Canvas in 2017. I write and travel full-time now. On My Canvas is a collection of my travel journeys, mostly long and solo, and personal growth ideas. These growth articles are an amalgamation of making my own path, breaking the boundaries in a conventional India, and are backed by tonnes of personal development books that I read.
What’s your biggest achievement as a Travel Blogger?
Telling stories that various people from around the world have loved reading and will continue to(I hope). My blog On My Canvas has also been included in the list of Top Travel Blogs 2019 by Gary Arndt, is in the Top 100 Solo Female Travel Blogs in 2019 by Feedspot, and is part of the Best Indian Blogs 2019, a list curated by the IndianTopBlogs for nine years now.
You have an unlimited travel budget for 24 hours. Give me your itinerary.
I will hire a plane and fly above the world so close that I can see it all. And when the 24 hours are over, I will visit each of these places slowly.
How do you fund your travel?
I earn and save and then travel. This earning used to be from my job before but now it is from writing and the income generated from my blog.
What tools do you use to monetize your blog? Which works best for you?
I use various affiliate networks in my blog that work well for me. Booking, GetYourGuide, TripAdvisor are some. Occasionally, I also collaborate with travel organizations for meaningful travel campaigns. My blog also works as my writing portfolio, and clients approach me directly from my blog.
What is the first trip you remember taking and how old were you?
My school took our class on a picnic to Dehradun from my home town in Uttar Pradesh. I must have been 10-11 years old then. Also, another short trip with my parents to Haridwar is one of my earliest travel memories.
Have you been anywhere which turned out to be totally different to how you imagined? If so, how?
Almost every place I have been to. Except for Southeast Asia, for the more I visit its different countries, the more similarities I see.
Have you had any bad experiences whilst traveling?
Many. As I mostly travel solo, I often find myself in unexpected situations. Being stalked by strangers, getting mugged in Santiago, and stranded at the Chile-Bolivia border are some.
Where is your favorite place in the world?
That’s a hard question. South America is my favorite continent. I love many states of India, such as Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, too.
What has travel taught you?
Well, the longer version is here in an article on my learnings from travel. But in a few words, I can say that travel has made me more open, has shown me the world, and has made me appreciate the universe much more than I would have if I didn’t travel.
Who, in your opinion, is the most successful travel blogger? Why do you think that is?
Legal Nomad. Judi tells compelling travel stories and connects with locals. I relate to her travel and writing style the most.
Do you prefer solo travel or with someone else?
Mostly solo. I travel with my partner sometimes.
What is your dream traveling experience?
Walking around during the day, talking to people, visiting the local grocery markets, sitting down under the sun, and then slowing down during the evening on a mountain or on a beach or on a streetside restaurant/ pub chatting with the locals.
You can follow Priyanka: Instagram | Blog | Twitter
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