The Rustik Travel Podcast

We have all grown up reading books. While reading many a times we have become so entangled with the characters and the plots in those that the line between imagination and reality has blurred quite often. Be it chasing Alice down the rabbit hole or following Harry Potter’s adventures. We have often wondered what inspires those writers to conjure such magic through their words.

S Venkatesh (Venky) is one author for whom travel is an integral part in writing. He is someone who is inspired by travel, someone who travels to research and quite often writes while traveling.

His two books KaalKoot and the latest one AgniBaan are a testament of that.

An investment banker, an IIT-IIM alumnus he is your atypical author who loves to travel and write and vice-versa :)

In this episode titled “Travel Inspired Writing with S Venkatesh” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we talk to him about his love for traveling and writing and how both are interlinked.

Podcast Summary: Travel Inspired Writing with S Venkatesh

Hosts: Hemant Soreng & Rajesh Nair

00:00:00: Intro. About yourself. Traveling while growing up. Earlier influences.
- How travel has influenced writing.
00:07:04: The process of writing. The first book - KaalKoot. Second book - AgniBaan
- a bit on the book - setting, plot and characters.
- How travel influenced while writing this book? Places, research etc.
00:45:13: Which travel experiences/destinations have influenced while writing your books? Esp. Historical places/events, ancient civilizations.
00:56:25: How has travel evolved and how has it impacted/changed you as a person?
01:02:06: Which places, cultures, setting would you like to write about? And visit as well?
01:04:01: Conclusion. Outro.

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In this episode titled “Marathons - Where’s the finish?” of the show Fiya’s Trivia (FT) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we will talk about the history of marathon, interesting anecdotes, how a woman conned the organizers to run the Boston marathon, ultra-marathons and unique marathons held in locations like Antarctica, Great Wall of China, Rann of Kutch desert and other interesting facts.

Fiya’s Trivia (FT) is a show on The Rustik Travel Podcast that is just about everything under the sun. And beyond! The show is meant for 8 to 16 year olds with interesting information for all age groups to listen in to enrich your travel experience. Fiya’s Trivia is also available as a stand alone podcast show in various podcasting platforms.

Hosted by Poorvi Daxini.

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Justin Burrett teaches in a renowned boarding school. He is a very passionate biker and that passion knows no bounds. In the episode we reminisce his childhood days of growing up on campus of one of India’s premier schools, how the adventures growing up there shaped his character and fuelled his passions. We talk about some of his lovely biking stories and how he picked it up in the first place to fill a void.

Now as a parent he strives to give the same adventurous life to his children and as a teacher he uses his life lessons from all these adventures to give back to students.

In this episode titled “Being One with my Motorcycle - Justin Burrett” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we would go on some exciting adventures with him on his motorcycle.

Podcast Summary: Being One with my Motorcycle - Justin Burrett

Hosts: Hemant Soreng & Tapas Biala

00:00:00: Intro.

00:02:00: About yourself.

- Growing up. Early adventures in Doon school.

- From studying to teaching in a boarding school.

00:14:45: How did you get into biking?

- Death of mother- trying to fill the void- gifted first bike by my father back in Sep 2003- Hero Honda Passion - first long distance- Delhi- Dehradun- several trips including into Himachal, Rajasthan (10,000km)

00:23:05: Everest Base Camp Trek

00:28:12: New bike - Enfield Thunderbird

- Sep 2007- Royal Enfield Thunderbird - first real tourer- comfortable- lots of touring including Leh Ladakh (three times!!), Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Himachal (Kaza trip with wife) (80,000km- piston changed at 60k)

- 2013- Kawasaki Ninja 650 (2013-2016) 12000 km - Delhi- Bombay-Delhi, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan; accident returning from Pushkar in 2014 broken collarbone- Nadir’s death- shaken up.

- Royal Enfield Himalayan (Sep 2016 till date)- 2016- sold Tbird and Ninja and went in for one do-it-all bike- 9000km (Himachal, Dehradun, Kodaikanal)

- Breakdowns- flat tyre (Shimla- Delhi) late night; electrical shorting- Enroute Leh; broken clutch cable (returning from Har-ki-dun)

00:49:45: Where next? Any other biking trips on your list.

00:51:53: Any tips/advise for biking in India.

00:56:01: Do you think that these adventures have shaped you as a more effective educator? If yes, then how?

01:04:00: Conclusion. Outro.

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In this episode titled “Cuisines of the World” of the show Fiya’s Trivia (FT) on The Rustik Travel Podcast you will learn about how humans evolved from sitting on trees eating fruit to making gourmet food, how cooked food made us smart, some popular cuisines like Chinese, Mexican, Italian, Japanese and more and how every region of India has its own ethnic food and dishes.

Fiya’s Trivia (FT) is a show on The Rustik Travel Podcast that is just about everything under the sun. And beyond! The show is meant for 8 to 16 year olds with interesting information for all age groups to listen in to enrich your travel experience. Fiya’s Trivia is also available as a stand alone podcast show in various podcasting platforms.

Hosted by Poorvi Daxini.

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What does it take to travel solo? And esp. if you are a woman in India given the typical conservative social structure, safety concerns you have to face.

Rooparekha Kathirvelu not only faced these obstacles but she overcame them. With geography as her favourite subject from school, she got around to actually studying it practically while traveling.

All she had to do was to just step outside her home and world became her oyster. Traveling solo was liberating. It was not lonely as she met strangers, her fellow travelers who have now become her lifelong friends.

A mother, grandmother and a businesswoman, Rooparekha has come a long way from trekking 45 days to Kailash - Mansarovar in Tibet as a 29 year old to making it to the Everest Base Camp as a 63 year young, and in between traveling extensively, mostly solo, in India and abroad. 100% pure inspiration.

In this episode titled “Adventures of a Solo Woman Traveler - Rooparekha Kathirvelu” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we would travel with Roopa as she takes us through her various travels over the years. A must listen for those who are hesitating to take that first step outside their comfort zones to discover the beautiful world out there.

Podcast Summary: Adventures of a Solo Woman Traveler - Rooparekha Kathirvelu

Hosts: Hemant Soreng & Rajesh Nair

00:00:00: Introduction.

00:02:24: How did it all begin? When did you start traveling? Earlier influences.

00:06:27: The 45-day Kailash - Mansarovar Trek (1985)

00:23:40: Trips incl. traveling solo

Trips:

- US (family trip)

- Ladakh Photography Trip (2001)

- Mother-son road trip in New Zealand (2004)

- Egypt (2014)

- Greece-Turkey. Europe.

Treks:

- Kangyatse Base amp Trek, Ladakh (2017)

- Everest Base Camp Trek, Nepal (2019)

- Other treks - Valley of Flowers, Chopta

01:06:07: How do you balance work/business, family and travel?

01:07:29: How has travel impacted/changed you as a person?

01:09:34: Solo Traveling

- Did you have any fears about solo traveling?

- How did you overcome that?

- Dos and Donts.

-Tips for other women solo travelers.

01:11:56: What next? Concluding remarks.

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Samosa is one of the popular snacks across the world. For every Indian, it's one snack filled with memories. All this while we had been thinking that it's an Indian snack, but you will be surprised to know that our beloved samosa did not originate in India. If we go by the reports and facts, samosa originated during the 10th century in the Middle East region. The first official mention of samosa was found in Iranian historian Abolfazl Beyhaqi’s work Tarikh-e Beyhaghi, where it was referred to as ‘Sambosa’. They were very small in size and that’s the reason they were used as a snack by travellers who could easily pack them in saddle bags and eat on the go.

The way samosa arrived in India, it also travelled to other parts of the world and was seasoned with regional flavours. The best part is, the popularity this glorious triangular snack has gathered over a period of time has resulted in so many innovations around the same. Here is how the world consumes it: in Portugal, Brazil, and Mozambique region, samosa is known as ‘pastéis’. While in the Arab countries, they call it ‘Sambusak’ stuffed with minced meat or chicken, onions, spinach and feta cheese. Interestingly, in Israel, samosas are stuffed with mashed chickpeas and in Maldives, they stuff it with a filling of tuna or fish mixed with onions.

Welcome to the show Stories in Monologue (SIM) by The Rustik Travel Podcast. In this show we will narrate the most unique, interesting and unheard of stories, that we have picked up from our travels. These stories are bound to tickle your curiosity and inspire you to travel to see or experience first-hand.

This episode is an ode to samosa. A humorous one tho’. Narrated by Rajesh Nair in Hindi.

There used to be a time when after reaching late into their middle ages one used to retire and enjoy the rest of your life taking it easy.

Not anymore.

Anand Krishnamurthy and Priya Anand is one such couple who have busted such myths. Rather than retiring in the Himalayas, they decided to trek there instead. They have proven that age is just a number and that its never too late to discover and pursue new passions however difficult they might be.

In this episode titled “Fiery and Vibrant Spanish Flamenco” of the show Fiya’s Trivia (FT) on The Rustik Travel Podcast you will learn about the Spanish Flamenco - guitar, foot tapping, clapping, passionate music and dance, the vibrant red dresses and the sassy dancers. You get to listen to some fiery flamenco music too and understand the history and evolution of Flamenco in Spain and the Indian influence.

Fiya’s Trivia (FT) is a show on The Rustik Travel Podcast that is just about everything under the sun. And beyond! The show is meant for 8 to 16 year olds with interesting information for all age groups to listen in to enrich your travel experience. Fiya’s Trivia is also available as a stand alone podcast show in various podcasting platforms.

Hosted by Poorvi Daxini.

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Flying, modelling, a glamorous corporate life and now a Yogi. That's Neetu Singh for you, who listened to her inner calling, quit everything to become a Yogi.

Born in an army officer's house, she was brought up in various cantonments. This frequent change of place instilled in her a passion for travel. As she says, she used to let go of old friends and make new ones every 2-3 years.

Later, like most of us, she chased worldly ambitions and got whatever she wanted. She became an air hostess, was a show stopper in fashion shows and made  it to the cover page of a glamorous magazine. She realised early in life, as to what she really wanted and that was to be a Giver.

Trained under Bharat Thakur, one of the leading proponents of Yoga India, she started learning Yoga 19 years ago and eventually teaching. She has a community called Total Yoga in Bangalore where she trains teachers on Yoga and conducts workshops across the globe. Her strong connect with her students enables her to reach out to them in various countries, and they support her in her workshops and travel.

She is an offbeat traveller and while conducting classes takes time to Trek on the Alps, enjoys each water sport, scuba diving etc.

Every year on just before New year’s day, she along with a group of runners run for around 130-140 kms……isn’t that a real cracker?

In this episode titled “The Fascinating International Space Station” of the show Fiya’s Trivia (FT) on The Rustik Travel Podcast you will travel into space, learn how the station was constructed in space, how astronauts eat and sleep and spend their time, what experiments are conducted and what long term space travel does to the human body. ISS can experience 16 sunrises and sunsets and many more interesting facts!

Fiya’s Trivia (FT) is a show on The Rustik Travel Podcast that is just about everything under the sun. And beyond! The show is meant for 8 to 16 year olds with interesting information for all age groups to listen in to enrich your travel experience. Fiya’s Trivia is also available as a stand alone podcast show in various podcasting platforms.

Hosted by Poorvi Daxini.

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Sanjay Desai is a design engineer by training and an artist by passion. While pursuing these he has traveled far and wide in India and across the globe. A self taught artist he has walked on the Bohemian parts of Paris, knocked on Kafka’s door in Prague and strolled along the scenic ghats of Varanasi looking for inspiration.

He spends time observing quality of light, shadows, shapes, architectural details, people, light, food, aromas in order to make the paintings authentic. He has exhibited his paintings internationally, delivered demonstration in watercolour festivals. His paintings are in collection of people across the world. He is based in Pune, but he travels around the world teaching art through his workshops and capturing the experiences on his canvas. For details please visit his website http://sanjaydesaipaintings.com/

In this episode titled “Exploring the World through Art with Sanjay Desai” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we will explore different places across the world captured through his canvas.

Podcast Summary: Exploring the World through Art with Sanjay Desai

Hosts: Hemant Soreng & Rajesh Nair

Producer: Tanvi Jain

00:00: Intro. About yourself. Growing up. Passion for painting.

07:02: Art, Design and Travel ---- How do these come together. Is there a relationship between the three?

09:29: Unforgettable experiences while traveling on work in India and abroad.

- Remote places in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu.

- Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic - Prague, China, Paris.

24:57: Watercolour painting - origins, style & technique

- Watercolour festival in Fabriano, Italy

- Difference with other styles of painting like oil

35:45: Journey as a watercolour artist: Varanasi as an inspiration

41:34: Art workshops

42:51: Searching for and discovering art while traveling and other related stories

49:27: Tracking Van Gogh’s house in Paris. Visiting Ustaad Bismillah Khan’s house.

54:31: How travel influenced in reading and learning more and vice versa?

57:57: Where next? To travel? To travel to find inspiration for art?

59:35: Conclusion and Outro

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In this episode titled “The Mysterious Bermuda Triangle” of the show Fiya’s Trivia (FT) on The Rustik Travel Podcast you will learn about the mystery around Bermuda Triangle, disappearing flights and ships, the many conspiracy theories including aliens abducting humans, supernatural elements and finally debunking of the myths and conspiracy theories. Sit back and enjoy!

Fiya’s Trivia (FT) is a show on The Rustik Travel Podcast that is just about everything under the sun. And beyond! The show is meant for 8 to 16 year olds with interesting information for all age groups to listen in to enrich your travel experience. Fiya’s Trivia is also available as a stand alone podcast show in various podcasting platforms.

Hosted by Poorvi Daxini.

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Meenakshi Garodia is a passionate traveler and a foodie, a vegetarian. Is it difficult to be all three esp. when veg. food is difficult to come by in many places around the world?

Not at all.

Meenakshi has gone ahead and not only discovered the best places to eat and the different veg cuisines but also brought all those recipes home and made it into a show - “Veg around the World”. Someone who knew nothing about cooking before moving to the US two decades ago, she is now an expert in the culinary arts.

A business graduate (from the prestigious IIM-Bangalore), blogger, ceramic artist, photographer and a budding filmmaker Meenakshi is truly multi-faceted.

In this episode titled “Veg around the World with Meenakshi Garodia” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we will travel with her to various countries around the world discovering yummy local vegetarian food, getting to know some cooking tips, experiencing her adventures and more.

Podcast Summary: Veg around the World with Meenakshi Garodia

Hosts: Hemant Soreng & Rajesh Nair

Producer: Tanvi Jain

00:00:00: Intro. How the passion for traveling start? Being a foodie. Being a vegetarian.

00:05:00: Veg around the World Show on YouTube.

00:07:26: Traveling style

00:09:01: Favourite places and food experience

Asia: Singapore, Myanmar

Europe: Denmark, Iceland, Scotland, Croatia

Americas: Yellowstone, US, Canada, Mexico, Carribean, Panama, Colombia

00:16:50: Food in Latin America

- Potato, Corn, Beans, Lard, Cocoa, Chocolate

00:19:41: How difficult is it to find veg food while traveling?

00:24:41: Do your friends love the food that you cook?

- Korean cuisine

00:27:10: Similarities in various cuisines around the world. Cuisines influenced by the fusion of cultures. What is the different staple food around the world?

00:35:10: Culture around having food.

00:40:39: Have eaten anything unusual in your travels?

00:41:56: Have you faced any problem due to language while asking for veg food?

00:45:05: How’s the street food been while traveling? And esp.Indian food and from the subcontinent.

00:49:40: Carribean food

00:50:21: Other Travels: Driving trips and adventure sports.

00:53:49: Where next?

00:55:37: Beyond food & travel - being a ceramic artist and studying to be a filmmaker.

00:56:51: Travel tips for vegetarians.

00:58:30: Conclusion and Outro.

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In this episode titled “Antarctica: The Final Frontier” of the show Fiya’s Trivia (FT) on The Rustik Travel Podcast you will get to hear the most interesting and amazing things about the white continent. Penguins, race to the south pole, icebergs, the continent Gondwana 170 million years ago and lots of other fun facts!

Fiya’s Trivia (FT) is a show on The Rustik Travel Podcast that is just about everything under the sun. And beyond! The show is meant for 8 to 16 year olds with interesting information for all age groups to listen in to enrich your travel experience. Fiya’s Trivia is also available as a stand alone podcast show in various podcasting platforms.

Hosted by Poorvi Daxini.

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How does it feel to travel all around world? Having visited almost all the countries that are out there. With 100 of them on an Indian visa. On a vegetarian diet. Through the conflict zones in the so-called war torn countries.

Prasanna Veeraswamy and Sangeetha Ranganath are your “typical atypical” couple who have been there, done that…..literally.

While growing up in the middle class India of the 80s Prasanna and Sangeetha were your typical couple. They met as students in BITS Pilani and then moved to the US after graduation. Had a good job, house, big car and traveled abroad for vacations. They were well settled and were set out for life…but instead they chose a life filled with wanderlust and enriching experiences. A life which allowed them pursue their dreams, passions and opportunity to find themselves. A life less ordinary.

In this episode titled “Visiting Every Country in the World with Prasanna & Sangeetha” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we will hear about their inspiring story as they traveled around the world visiting each and every country that is out there.

Podcast Summary: Visiting Every Country in the World with Prasanna & Sangeetha

Hosts: Hemant Soreng & Rajesh Nair

Producer: Tanvi Jain

00:00:00: Intro.

00:02:07: About you? Traveling while growing up? Earlier influences? Moving to the US. Traveling to around 100 countries with the Indian passport and stories around that.

- Traveling to 174 countries together. Prasanna traveling to all the 193 UN recognised countries.00:11:56: Visa application and trip to Pakistan.

00:18:33: How many countries are there in the world? Classification.

00:24:55: The North Korea experience.

00:29:24: Does it take lot of money to travel? Does one need to quit one’s job to travel? What is happiness to you?

00:35:46: Traveling together as a couple - stories and anecdotes.

00:46:40: Living in different countries

00:49:11: How has the travel style and you have evolved with travels?

00:54:27: Interaction with the locals. Making friends from 50-100 countries.

00:59:18: Language barriers and anecdotes.

01:05:00: Scary moments. Perception of India. Bollywood influence.

01:14:46: About your blogs and more stories. Media perception vs ground reality.

01:23:50: What advise will you give to your younger self?

01:27:51: What next?

01:30:27: Conclusion and Outro.

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In this episode titled “Magic of the Mountains: High-Altitude Trekking” of the show Fiya’s Trivia (FT) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we are going to talk about the majestic mountains, gurgling streams, awesomest sunrises and sunsets, trekking gear, sleeping in tents, mountain sickness and a lot more. You also get to hear from a senior citizen who has done more than a dozen treks!

Fiya’s Trivia (FT) is a show on The Rustik Travel Podcast that is just about everything under the sun. And beyond! The show is meant for 8 to 16 year olds with interesting information for all age groups to listen in to enrich your travel experience. Fiya’s Trivia is also available as a stand alone podcast show in various podcasting platforms.

Hosted by Poorvi Daxini.

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Don’t we all just love road trips! The freedom to take a turn we want, to stop where we want, to chase the sunset that we want. See the world pass us by on our own terms with a window that is larger than in any other mode of travel. Sometimes see the landscape change at every turn, at other times see the culture change at every turn. Yes, we definitely love road trips more than anything else.

In this episode, we are glad to bring to you someone who lives road trips. Rikhia Pal heads a road trip company and has done a multitude of road trips across the country even though she doesn’t know how to drive. Also known as the “Boss lady” of the Kolkata Road Trippers Club, Rikhia has found her passion in life and is making sure she lives her life to the fullest.

Tune into to hear some of her travel stories, how she got here, the road trips that she has done why she loves road trips. Finally, why you should do road trips and some suggestions for you.

In this episode titled “Road Tripping with Rikhia Pal” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we will hear some of her travel stories, how she got here, the road trips that she has done why she loves them. Finally, why you should do road trips and some suggestions for you.

Podcast Summary: Road Tripping with Rikhia Pal

Hosts: Hemant Soreng & Tapas Biala

Producer: Rustik Travel

00:00-03:14: Intro. About you, how did the travel bug bite, where all have you travelled?

03:14-09:46: How did road tripping start?

- Initial influences as a child road trips with family.

- Transitioning from a corporate executive to doing what you like.

- “Boss lady”

- Road Tripping Club (RTC)

09:46-17:30: Road tripping as a job

- The planning

- Trips to Tadoba, Kanha, Jharkhand, North Bengal

- Road tripping during the lockdown

17:30-36:39: Road Trips in different places of India

- From Mumbai - the western ghats in the monsoons

- From various metros - Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata.

- Road tripping while moving to different cities

- Discovering new and offbeat places while driving

- Driving through Uttarakhand from Garhwal to Kumaon via Jim Corbett National Park

- Delhi to Ahmedabad: Road trip with husband

- The best conversations happen in the car during road trips

- Music while driving

- Learning how to drive

- Long rides to Rann of Kutch, Puri.

36:39-43:34: Why should anyone go for a road trip?

- Experiencing the changes in terrain, culture, food, flavours, houses

- Pack as much as you can

- Spiti road trip: change in terrain, culture

- Kolkata to Bhutan

43:34-47:51: Tips/advise for a short and long multi-day road trip

47:51-48:51: Conclusion and Outro

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Fiya’s Trivia (FT) is a show on The Rustik Travel Podcast that is just about everything under the sun. And beyond! The show is meant for 8 to 16 year olds with interesting information for all age groups to listen in to enrich your travel experience.

Hosted by Poorvi Daxini.

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Fiya’s Trivia is also available as a stand alone podcast show in various podcasting platforms.

Surya Prasad studied to be an engineer, but given a choice he would’ve preferred to be an archaeologist traveling around the world discovering historical sites and civilisations a la Indiana Jones. It is a passion has remained with him and has become a part of his prolific travels around the world. Inspite of visiting some 70 plus countries he is always eager to travel to new destinations and uncover some old civilisations.

He is a successful fintech entrepreneur and is totally passionate about Cross Fit.

In this episode titled “Rediscovering Ancient Civilisations  in Asia & Europe with Surya Prasad” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we pack up our digging tools and don our Indiana Jones hat to follow Surya on his various trips and excavations to rediscover and maybe uncover some unknown ancient civilisations.

Podcast Summary: Rediscovering Ancient Civilisations in Asia & Europe with Surya Prasad

Hosts: Hemant Soreng & Rajesh Nair

Producer: Tanvi Jain

00:00:00-00:12:45: Intro. How the passion for history and travel start? Curiosity about ancient civilisation and culture. Architecture and structures.

- Lepakshi Temple

- Ajanta and Ellora Temple

- Pyramids

- Visiting traveling for work. Visiting 70+ countries.

00:12:45-00:29:40: Europe:

Italy - Rome: Roman Civilisation

- Roman Fora

- Vatican Museum: Sistine Chapel

- Movies: Roman Holiday, Da Vinci Code.

Greece: Greek Civilisation

- Meteora (Featured in James Bond movie - For your eyes only)

- Athens

- Similarities between mythologies - Greek, Roman, Indian

- Greek Philosophy

00:29:40-00:29:40: Asia:

Israel:

- Jerusalem: Birthplace of three religions

- Jericho

- Biblical lands and stories. Crusades.

- The legend of Masada

Jordan:

- Petra (Nabataean Kingdom)

Mesopotamia:

- From the museums - Louvre

Mongolia:

- Mongol Empire

South East Asia: Cambodia

- Angkor Wat and other temples in Siem Reap, Cambodia

- Thailand

- Myanmar

01:03:08 - 01:04:07: Conclusion and Outro

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Aparna Sanjay is the epitome of a mindful traveler taking the road less traveled. Very early on in her career she followed her calling as she moved away from a lucrative corporate job to join the non-profit sector. And it is here during her travels to remote and rural parts of India, working with the various craft clusters she learned the essence of sustainable and experiential travel. A learning that she continues to imbibe and apply in all her travels.

A business management graduate (from the prestigious IIM-Bangalore), blogger, trained Carnatic singer with deep interest in yoga and mindfulness, Aparna is truly multi-faceted.

In this episode titled “Sustainable and Experiential Travel with Aparna Sanjay” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we look into her experiential travels through the lens of sustainability.

Podcast Summary: Sustainable and Experiential Travel with Aparna Sanjay

Hosts: Hemant Soreng & Rajesh Nair

Producer: Tanvi Jain

00:00:00 - 00:07:26: Intro. How the passion for traveling start?

- Traveling as and with kids.

- Varanasi, Bodhgaya

00:07:26 - 00:16:22: Professional Journey & related Work Travel:

- Move from corporate to social impact sector.

- Traveling to Craft clusters in India. Working with artisans.

- Sustainable Tourism in Bundelkhand, Madhya Pradesh.

- Exploring and experiencing the rural destinations

00:13:59 - 00:39:55: Sustainable Travel

- The dynamics, landscape and the problems of Sustainable Travel

- Peru: How they do it?

- Rajasthan

- Bali, Indonesia

- Declining Art & Craft Traditions: Helping though Patronage vs consumerism

- Problems facing Sustainable Travel

00:39:55 - 01:11:27: Sustainable Travel Experiences:

Countries/Destinations that are doing it right/wrong. Experiences/stories from:

- Costa Rica: Pura Vida - Pure Life

- Madhya Pradesh, India: National Parks - Conservation & Tourism

- Sri Lanka: Local experiences.

- India: Kashmir, Amritsar - Doing it wrong

- Varanasi: India as a microcosm.

- Israel: Discovering the place through the lens of food

- Kashmir: Interactions with locals

- Cotswolds, England: Making a human connect

- Virginia, US: Story of Thomas Jefferson: Traveling in a way to become aware of the local and not so dominant narrative

- Over tourism

01:11:27 - 01:16:05: Reactions from travel companions: Friends, family

- How to subtly curate sustainable and experiential travel?

01:16:12 - 01:17:30: Is sustainable travel expensive?

01:17:32 - 01:20:37: Tips and advise.

01:20:37 - 01:25:32: Travel & Music: Signing off with a song from the Hindi movie set in Spain - Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.

Conclusion and Outro.

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Sharath Krishnamurthy is a digital media professional and a passionate traveler. He is a certified open water diver and loves adventure in his travels. He prefers taking off the beaten path and exploring a destination through a different lens. Driving is one such lens for him while exploring a place, be it in India or anywhere else in the world.

In this episode titled “Driving through Croatia, Slovenia & Italy with Sharath Krishnamurthy” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast he drives through the picturesque locales, quaint villages and beautiful countryside exposing a totally different side to traveling in these countries.

Podcast Summary: Driving through Croatia, Slovenia & Italy with Sharath Krishnamurthy
Hosts: Hemant Soreng & Rajesh Nair
Producer: Tanvi Jain

00:00:00 - 00:04:50: Introduction. Early days of traveling to different destinations, countries.

00:04:50 - 00:05:32: Traveling in India

00:05:32 - 00:10:39: First driving trips in Australia and driving tips

00:10:39 - 00:13:01: Driving abroad

- Left-hand driving in Croatia

- Advantages of driving holidays and the Croatia trip

- Using GPS while driving

- Game of thrones locations in Croatia

00:13:12 - 00:18:48: Driving trip in Croatia (2017)

- Croatia: Zagreb, Plitvice, Trogir, Split, Dubrovnik

00:18:49 - 00:19:48: Tips on hiring a car:

- Driver’s license, type of cars, insurance

- The downsides of using GPS

00:19:48 - 00:32:35: Driving trip in Italy, Croatia & Slovenia (2018)

- Italy (Milan-Trieste) - Croatia - Slovenia - Italy (Venice)

- Croatia: Pula, Hum (smallest town in the world), Istria, Rovinj

- Slovenia: Ljubljana, Lake Bled

- Italy: Milan, Trieste, Venice

- Economics of driving trips

00:32:36 - 00:41:15: Tips on hiring a car (contd.):

- Driver’s license (local vs. International Driver’s License)

- Which car rental company to choose?

- Type of car

- Insurance - which one to take?

00:41:15 - 01:07:05: Driving trip in Italy, Croatia & Slovenia (2018) - contd.

- Getting lost and finding new destinations and experiences: Slovenia - Julian Alps, Lake Bohinj

- People make places: Taking tips and guidance from locals. Warm hospitality. Local interactions.

- Spending time at a bar in Ljubljana, Slovenia after closing time

- Trying to get a Rabies injection in Croatia

- Getting a ride from a city bus in the night to get to the hotel in Italy. Helped by a local.

01:07:05 - 01:08:29: Driving holidays elsewhere:

- Scotland: Missing out an opportunity for a driving trip

- USA: Skipping tollbooths and driving experience

01:07:05 - 01:12:15: More tips and advise:

- Car Rental companies

- Parking lots

- Toll booths

01:12:15 - 01:13:25 - Future driving holidays

01:13:25 - 1:15:12 - Conclusion. Outro.

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This episode titled “Unconventional Travel with Rahul Prakash II” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast is the second part of the two-part series (Listen to Part I at Unconventional Travel with Rahul Prakash I). Rahul narrates some of the interesting stories from his brand of unplanned travels. Unconventional as they may seem, imitate how he lives his life. An author, electrical engineer, sociologist, business graduate (from the premier IIM - Bangalore), IT consultant, advanced open water scuba diver, and many such diverse titles describe Rahul. He lives in Seattle, US with his family, but has temporarily moved with them to Mexico exploring the place, learning a new language while working remotely. He joins us from there to tell us about his amazing adventures traveling.

In this episode he will take us through many of his amazing and crazy travel adventures.

Podcast Summary: Unconventional Travel with Rahul Prakash II

Hosts: Hemant Soreng & Rajesh Nair

Producer: Tanvi Jain

00:00-03:52: Intro

03:52-15:09: Russia:

- Solovotsky island and police incident

- Travelling through Russia and meeting Vovan’s family

15:09-28:26: Stye of travelling:

- Relating academics to travel

- Dead Sea, Jordan

- Travel-work balance and how travel styles reflect on your life. Life choices.

- Inspiration from John Lennon, David Bowie.

- What is a “real traveler”?

- Choosing a travel destination

- Travelling to developed, tourist locations versus travelling to developing countries

28:26 - 33:37: Swaziland & South Africa:

- Lord of the flies

- Being dubbed a “white man” on a bus to South Africa

33:37 -37:40: East Africa:

- Tanzania and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

37:53-44:10: China:

- Breaking pre-conceived notions and talking to a middle school history teacher in Yangshuo

- Meeting a boy travelling with his sister’s life savings

44:10 - 50:20: Commonality in diversity across the world. Helpful folks everywhere.

50:20 - 54:01: Tips and advise - traveling unconventionally

54:01 - 55:34: Conclusion and Outro

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Traveling across the Sahara on the roof of an iron ore train, traveling with a local he just met in Senegal, hanging out with an US marine in Russia, surfing and cliff diving in Coffee Bay, South Africa or climbing Kilimanjaro on a Keto diet. These are some of the innumerable stories Rahul Prakash tells us from his brand of unplanned travels. Unconventional as they may seem, imitate how he lives his life. An author, electrical engineer, sociologist, business graduate (from the premier IIM - Bangalore), IT consultant, advanced open water scuba diver, and many such diverse titles describe Rahul. He lives in Seattle, US with his family, but has temporarily moved with them to Mexico exploring the place, learning a new language while working remotely. He joins us from there to tell us about his amazing adventures traveling.

In this episode titled “Unconventional Travel with Rahul Prakash I” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast he will take us through his amazing and crazy travel adventures.

Podcast Summary: Unconventional Travel with Rahul Prakash I

Hosts: Hemant Soreng & Rajesh Nair

Producer: Tanvi Jain

00:00:00 - 00:08:42: Intro. How did the travel bug start?

- Mountaineering club in the University

- Trip to Turkey with son

- Rahul’s style of traveling

00:08:44 - 00:13:12:  Egypt

- Interacting with a fellow passenger wearing a hijab with SpongeBob SquarePants print, on the train from Cairo to Alexandria.

- A mix of tradition and modern outlook

- Literacy

- Bollywood influence

00:13:20 - 00:28:37: Senegal & Mauritania

- Riding on the roof of the iron ore train

- Traveling with Salem

- Packing for traveling

- Sahara desert

- Atar/Terjit

00:28:37 - 00:35:35: Style of traveling

- Flexible traveling - taking decisions on the go

- Flying back just before the Covid-19 lockdowns

- Planning and choosing destinations to travel to

- Style of traveling - slow, long, flexible, unplanned, people centric

00:35:35 - 00:38:19:  Russia: Solovotsky Island….To be Continued. Outro.

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Witnessing the surreal Northern Lights is a unique experience. Ask any traveler who has seen it and they will swoon over it. But what it is like to view this magnificent light show in the sky from all the different places and countries possible? Ask this husband-wife couple of Nitesh & Reshma, who have been there and done that.

Nitesh Saxena & Reshma Arora are both passionate travelers. They are the perfect example of how a traveling couple should be. They work as corporate executives in a large multinational company, earning a living. But, they are actually living, a life that they love through their adventures and travels. While the last year of Covid-19 pandemic was a downer for travel but it didn’t hamper their spirits as they have been using this downtime to plan for their future travels :)

In this episode titled “Chasing the Northern Lights with Nitesh & Reshma” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast they will take us to all the places where they saw the Northern Lights from and tell us about their adventures while doing that.

Podcast Summary: Chasing the Northern Lights with Nitesh & Reshma

Hosts: Hemant Soreng & Rajesh Nair

00:00:00 - 00:15:23: Introduction. Favourite places traveled to. Affinity for traveling to cold remote places.

00:15:23 - 00:51:33: The Northern Lights

- Scientific definition. Myths and stories.

- How does it look? How does it appear with the conditions?

- First Northern Lights experience - Tromso, Norway - 2013.

- Cruise to Norway. Watching Northern Lights from the ship and other experiences.

- How to capture it through the camera?

- Iceland: Exploring the country - stories and experiences, along with watching the Northern Lights. Driving on icy roads in winters.

- Canada: Watching Northern lights from the Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Exploring the quaint town.

- Finland: Santa Claus Village and other stories.

00:51:33 - 01:01:57: Tips for planning the Northern Lights experience.

01:01:57 - 01:03:51: What next? Concluding remarks.

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Rajkumar, our guest from the earlier episodes - Rajkumar’s Motorcycle Diaries I & II, both of which have been well received by the listeners, is back. And this time he is going to talk about his other passion - Scuba Diving.

Rajkumar Koodali Tazathveetil is from Kozhikode in North Kerala where he was born and raised. After graduating as an Electronics and Telecommunication engineer he joined the IAF - Indian Air Force. After serving for 8 and a half years with the IAF he retired voluntarily in 1997 as a Squadron Leader. Since then he has been working as a Telecommunications systems expert engineer in the Oil and Gas sector with various companies in the middle east in countries such as Syria, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, where he is presently lives now along with his family comprising of his wife and two daughters. He will be retiring in 2023. He is eagerly looking forward so that he could travel more around the world on his motorcycle and Scuba Dive.

This episode titled “Scuba Diving with Rajkumar” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast Rajkumar talks about his passion for Scuba Diving. He talks in detail the technicalities, the skill and the diving trips to explore the beautiful world underwater.

Podcast Summary: Scuba Diving with Rajkumar
Host: Hemant Soreng

00:00:00 - 00:04:49: Introduction. Quick facts about the Oceans and the state they are in.

00:04:49 - 00:38:16: How the passion for Scuba Diving Started. Cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico. Snorkelling.

- PADI Open Water Diver (OWD) Certification in Puerto Galera, Philippines.

- Scuba Diving Organisations - PADI, SSI, BSAC. Different certifications.

- What is PADI OWD?

- Improving diving skills.

- Which courses/certifications to do?

- About BSAC

- Experiencing Narcosis

00:38:16 - 00:50:31: Scuba Diving Trips.

- Liveaboards, Sardine Run

- Philipines

- Gulf of Oman

- Jordan

- Egypt

- Malaysia

- Koh Tao, Thailand

00:50:31- 01:04:21:

- Scuba Diving in India

- Millennials

- Diving gear - must haves

- Cost of diving

- Accidents underwater and how to act and not panic

01:04:21- 01:07:21: Diving bucket list

01:07:21- 01:16:38: Pollution in the oceans. Conservation. Sustainability. Concluding remarks.

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This episode is an introduction to trekking together as a family. It is about the experiences of the mother-son duo of Neelima and Nikhil for whom the mountains were literally love at first sight and how age is never a barrier when it comes to following your passions in life. Neelima was introduced to the Himalayas when she was nearly 40 years old and Nikhil at the age 9 years when they did the Dayara Bugyal trek. They have never looked back since then and have made it a point to explore new hikes every few months. They have some fabulous stories to tell about their travel and trekking journey including their encounter with wild ponies during a trek in the Himalayas, how Neelima introduced her father to the Himalayas when he did his first trek at the young age 70 years and how a little bit of brandy in the cold there turned him into Super Man. :)

Neelima Koneru is a programmer currently working from home. She loves the outdoors and is a volunteer adult lead- boy scouts. She is very passionate about camping, covid gardening, dragon boat racing, cycling, swimming and throwball.

Nikhil is first year student in the University of Florida, studying to be a rocket scientist. He is a certified advanced open water scuba diver and a boy scout who loves tutoring and teaches Calculus to high school students in his free time.

They join us from Florida, US, where they are presently based to narrate their amazing stories along with a trekkers perspective on how to begin one’s journey into the Himalayas.

In this episode titled “Trekking with the Mother-Son Duo of Neelima & Nikhil” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we would trek with them in the Himalayas through their stories and experiences.

Podcast Summary: Trekking with the Mother-Son Duo of Neelima & Nikhil.
Hosts: Hemant Soreng & Tapas Biala.

00:00:00 - 00:06:30: Introduction. Favourite places traveled to.

00:06:30 - 01:03:30: Trekking in the the Himalayas.

- How and why it all started?

- First trek: Dayara Bugyal in the Garhwal Himalayas.

- How and what to prepare for a trek esp. the first one ever?

- Stories and anecdotes: Playing cricket, carrying live chicken to the top, taking a bath vs not taking,

- Why should one trek in the Himalayas?

- Har Ki Doon Trek (00:27:15): Pristine beauty like Mt. Kailash.

- Beas Kund Trek (00:28:37): Watching avalanche up and close. Finding the way. First trek for Neelima’s father a 70 year old. Keeping warm with Brandy. Cooking “saucener”.

- Spiti Trip (00:36:37)

- Creating memories. Meeting different people. Experiencing life through travel.

- Improving mental strength through trekking and being in the outdoors.

- Conservation, Awareness of issues such as global warming, receding of glaciers like Gaumukh.

- Spiti Trip contd. (00:49:22)

- Tips for first time trekkers

- Food during the treks

01:03:30 - 01:10:00: What next? Concluding remarks.

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Keya is a published author, a poet laureate, an academic scholar, a robotics programmer, an award winning artist and a traveler.

She started traveling outside of visiting family at the age of 10 months, going to China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Ever since she has been to 88 countries.

And she is only 12 years old.

We have Poorvi Daxini, our guest from last week’s episode continuing to enthral us with her offbeat travels. And this time with a journey on the Trans Siberian Rail.

Poorvi is a senior executive working with a global corporation. However, inspite of her extremely busy work schedule she has ensured that she finds time to pursue her passions and explore new experiences and skills. Every year she tries something new – from music, dance, theatre, painting, tennis, swimming, blogging, podcasting, astronomy, trekking, adventure sports to riding a motorcycle, and many more. The list is endless. She has done it all.

This quest for exploring new has prompted her to travel extensively in India and to more than 35 countries across the globe. Each time exploring new destinations, flavours, cultures and experiences.

One such unique experience is the Trans Siberian Railway journey she took with her friends. We are going to talk more about that among many of her other adventures and travels.

In this episode titled “Riding the Trans Siberian Rail across Russia, Mongolia and China with Poorvi Daxini” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we would be taking a ride on the Trans Siberian Rail with Poorvi and her friends.

Poorvi is a senior executive working with a global corporation. However, inspite of her extremely busy work schedule she has ensured that she finds time to pursue her passions and explore new experiences and skills. Every year she tries something new – from music, dance, theatre, painting, tennis, swimming, blogging, podcasting, astronomy, trekking, adventure sports to riding a motorcycle, and many more. The list is endless. She has done it all.

This quest for exploring new has prompted her to travel extensively in India and to more than 30 countries across the globe. Each time exploring new destinations, flavours, cultures and experiences.

One such unique experience is her trip to Iceland, The Land of Fire and Ice. We are going to talk more about that among many of her other adventures and travels.

In this episode titled “Exploring Iceland, the Land of Fire and Ice with Poorvi Daxini” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we would be exploring this beautiful country, Iceland.

Lakshmi is a story teller, travel blogger, writer, digital influencer, content specialist, media professional  and photographer. And at the core of it a true passionate traveler.

After working with various media organisations for a decade and a half, inside an office, behind a desk, she decided to head out, travel and see the world.

And in the process, she traveled extensively in India and across the world visiting multiple countries, and emerged as one of the top travel bloggers and social media influencers in India. Her travel blog lakshmisharath.com has a huge following and has won several awards.

She continues to do what she loves the most, that is travel and tell stories.

In this episode titled “The Art of Storytelling by Lakshmi Sharath” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we would be hearing one particular story from Lakshmi. Her own.

Podcast Summary: The Art of Storytelling by Lakshmi Sharath

00:00:00 - 00:11:15: Introduction. How the love for travel started. Inspiration and influences while growing up. First international trip.

00:11:15 - 00:30:12: Corporate career and moving away from it. Traveling within India. Exploring Hoysala dynasty, researching, storytelling and venturing into the travel domain.

00:30:12- 00:46:40: The art of storytelling. How it all started. Pursuing it as a profession. Evolving storytelling with new formats, social media platforms et. al.

00:46:40- 00:57:05: Favourite stories and experiences. Spontaneous trips. Unplanned road trips, watching hundreds of Flamingos, camping at Pangong Tso, Ladakh, adventurous trip from Rameshwaram to Dhanushkodi, and many more.

00:57:05- 01:02:12: Branching out professionally - Content Writing, Content Marketing and Personal Branding Workshops.

01:02:12- 01:17:22: The business of travel blogging. Advise and tips.

01:17:23- 01:23:59: What next - travel and work? Concluding remarks.

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Rajeev Bhattathiripad is an avid traveller, quizzer and a story teller par excellence, who with his Wodehousian humour and John Le Carre style of suspense will keep you hooked to the last words when he writes.

As a traveler, Rajeev is a railway enthusiast and has made some of the most interesting train journeys in India, on fascinating routes, some unheard of, on all the three gauges of Indian Railway, that is, Broad, Meter and Narrow.

His stories that bind travel into making it possibly one the of the most cherished memories for all of us is what we will listen from Rajeev in this Podcast.

In this episode titled “Reminiscing Train Journeys with Rajeev Bhattathiripad” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast Rajeev takes us on a nostalgic train journey with the Indian Railways.

Podcast Summary: Reminiscing Train Journeys

00:00:00 - 00:09:22: Introduction. How the fascination for the railways started. Early train journeys. Maharashtra to Kerala route.

00:09:23 - 00:17:20: Nostalgic moments of a train ride. Comics, books, drinking water from clay surahis, khus khus curtains, TTEs and ticket reservations, fellow passengers, holdalls.

00:17:21- 00:30:15: Planning trips to specifically learn, explore and experience the different aspects of the railways.

Broad vs Meter vs Narrow Gauge:

Meter Gauge: Pallakkad, Rameshwaram, Rajasthan - Udaipur, Chittorgarh. Omkareswar (from Akola). Dhulghat spiral. Agartala - Lumding.

Narrow Gauge: Matheran. Satpura lines - Nagpur-Chindwara-Jabalpur. Himachal Pradesh - Kalka, Shimla. Darjeeling. Coonoor-Ooty.

Driving with the locomotive driver.

00:30:18- 00:32:55: Nostalgic, funny moments and stories.

Sleeping through the journey and missing the station.

Traveling without a ticket.

00:32:55- 00:42:08: Broad vs Meter vs Narrow Gauge (contd.). Role of the guard. Exchange of tokens. Books and authors of train related. Meeting with Bill Aitken and Ruskin Bond.

Indian railways vs. trains in other countries.

00:42:08- 00:54:12: RailFanning. Indian Railways Fan Club (IRFCA). Early trains (pre-independence days). Rail museums. Railway terminology. Electric, Diesel and Steam Engines. IRCTC, ticketing manual vs computerisation.

00:54:13- 01:00:50: Scary moments and stories (contd.). “Patient cured, snake dead.”

01:00:51- 01:06:20: Food and delicacies on the platforms. Stations design and architecture.

01:06:20- 01:07:31: Concluding remarks.

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We have all heard of the famous Kohinoor diamond, which is currently housed in the Tower of London. But did you know that there is another diamond, double the size of the Kohinoor, still in India? This diamond belonged to the Nizam of Hyderabad, who was also once the richest man in the world. But what makes the diamond even more interesting is how it was found - it was discovered in a shoe - and the man it was named after, a very mysterious Mr. Jacob. How did all this happen? Listen in to find out. Narrated by Rajesh Nair. Welcome to the show Stories in Monologue (SIM) by The Rustik Travel Podcast. In this show we will narrate the most unique, interesting and unheard of stories, that we have picked up from our travels. These stories are bound to tickle your curiosity and inspire you to travel to see or experience first-hand. This episode's story is a riveting tale of a diamond. Narrated by Rajesh Nair. This podcast is owned and produced by Rustik Travel, which will air only neutral and unbiased content relevant to travelers. 

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This episode titled “Rajkumar’s Motorcycle Diaries II” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast is the second part of the two-part series. Rajkumar talks about his accident, his philosophy of riding, traveling and living and his exciting motorcycle trips across the world, the stories and experiences.

Rajkumar Koodali Tazathveetil is from Kozhikode in North Kerala where he was born and raised. After graduating as an Electronics and Telecommunication engineer he joined the IAF - Indian Air Force. After serving for eight and a half years with the IAF he retired voluntarily in 1997 as a Squadron Leader. Since then he has been working as a Telecommunications systems expert engineer in the Oil and Gas sector with various companies in the middle east in countries such as Syria, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, where he is presently lives now along with his family comprising of his wife and two daughters. He will be retiring in 2023. He is eagerly looking forward so that he could travel more around the world on his motorcycle.

Podcast Summary: Rajkumar’s Motorcycle Diaries II

00:00:00 - 00:05:40: Introduction and Recap from Rajkumar’s Motorcycle Diaries I.

00:05:40 - 00:21:21: The accident. The philosophy.

00:21:21- 00:42:33: The motorcycle rides and tours:

The software - the genesis, dynamics, logistics and experience.

The Hardware - the gear, equipment and the bikes.

00:42:34- 00:49:45: Motorcycling, a lifestyle. Family. Safety. Responsible riding.

00:49:45- 00:56:07: Rajkumar’s bikes and tips.

00:56:08- 01:00:00: Adventure motorcycling:

The concept. Central Asia. Ewan McGregor - Charley Boorman rides.

01:00:00- 01:12:10: Motorcycle riding trips across the world.

- Ride for Tolerance: New Zealand. Europe: Croatia-Hungary-Bosnia.

- US West Coast.

- Spain.

01:12:10- 01:15:15: Responsible riding.

01:15:15- 01:19:50: Concluding remarks. Simple riding and traveling. Simplifying life.

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Rajkumar Koodali Tazathveetil is from Kozhikode in North Kerala where he was born and raised. After graduating as an Electronics and Telecommunication engineer he joined the IAF - Indian Air Force. After serving for eight and a half years with the IAF he retired voluntarily in 1997 as a Squadron Leader. Since then he has been working as a Telecommunications systems expert engineer in the Oil and Gas sector with various companies in the middle east in countries such as Syria, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, where he is presently lives now along with his family comprising of his wife and two daughters. He will be retiring in 2023. He is eagerly looking forward so that he could travel more around the world on his motorcycle.

In this episode titled “Rajkumar’s Motorcycle Diaries I” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we are going to hear from Rajkumar about his biking trips across the world, the stories and experiences. This episode is in a two-part series. We are releasing the first part this week. The second part will be released next weekend on Saturday, 9th January, 2021.

Podcast Summary: Rajkumar’s Motorcycle Diaries I

00:00:00 - 00:29:06: Introduction. Growing up. Career in Air Force. How passion for traveling started? Early days of traveling - in the Air Force, trekking in the Nepal Himalayas (Annapurna Base Camp).

Working and traveling in the Middle-East - Syria, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Jordan. India connection.

Traveling to 40-45 countries. Philippines - eternal favourite.

00:29:07 - 01:11:05: Motorcycles: passion, philosophy. First bikes and rides. Recreational biking and overseas biking tours. Mapping routes. Planning and organising biking tours.

- Solo ride in the US.

- Riding through the Stelvio Pass (Italian Alps).

- Ride in the Alps, to the Balkans.

01:11:06 - 01:12:18: Conclusion. The accident…. To be continued.

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Srinivas Kasturi (or Srini as he is fondly called) is a multi-talented person in as diverse fields as technology, art, writing, film-making and many more yet to be uncovered.

He is an alumnus of IIM-Bangalore and a Senior Banking Professional based in London. His work has taken him to many places around the world over the years fueling his passion for travel.

According to the United Nations, there are 195 countries in the world. Well, Srini has already visited more than 100 of them, but he’s not counting. What counts is not the checklist of places visited but the experience gained through the cultural discovery that has made him take a soulful inner journey transforming and growing with each travel.

In this episode titled “One Hundred and Counting” of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we are going to hear from Srini about his experiences and stories from his travels around the world.

Podcast Summary: One Hundred and Counting

00:00:00 - 00:07:20: Introduction. How passion for traveling started? What traveling means? The Philosophy. Transformations of self and cultures discovered over time while traveling.

00:07:22 - 00:15:01: Growing up. Early motivations. First overseas travel as a student after winning an essay competition - Europe - Frankfurt, Paris, Zurich. Traveling in the 90s without internet and knowledge of local language - China.

Pre vs post Internet era of travel.

00:15:03 - 00:22:32: Work and travel. Planning travel around work trips. Trips across continents around the world.

00:22:33 - 00:29:30: Pakistan: food, flavours and familiarity.

00:29:32 - 00:34:00 : Traveling with family - as a couple and with a child. South-East Asia - Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos. Portugal, Stockholm, Germany.

00:34:01 - 00:39:38 : The Cuban experience.

00:39:40 - 00:43:55 : Nigeria: Remember me. China: Lost in translation.

00:44:00 - 00:43:35 : Africa - South Africa, North Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar.

00:45:10 - 00:49:10 : What makes me travel? Cultural discovery.

00:49:13 - 00:55:22 : The Indian connection. Bollywood. Samosa. Similarities in dissimilar cultures. Silk route.

00:55:25 - 01:02:00 : Central Asia - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan. Societies in transition.

01:02:00 - 01:05:04 : Stuck in protests, clashes and strikes in a foreign land.

01:05:05 - 01:11:54 : Conclusion. Places to visit in the future. Concluding remarks.

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Amitava Deb is a graduate from IIT Kanpur and an MBA from Ohio University. He has worked in the US, Europe as a Management Consultant with the top Consulting firms and has been the India Head for Insurance for a global company. He now has a Fintech company, focusing on the Insurance space. He has travelled to more than 30 countries.

Arpita, his wife is a teacher at Inventure Academy in Bangalore. Arpita is an avid traveller. She has travelled to the US, Japan and a number of European countries. And she is one person who wanted to be a teacher and nothing else & to travel.

We can say that while Amitava is a technologist to the core and loves everything about it, Arpita is a voracious reader. They have a daughter Amisha (or Anju as she is fondly called), who also follows her mother in being an avid reader and also loves travelling.

In this episode of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we are going to hear from Arpita & Amitava Deb about their travelling experiences and stories esp. during multiple road trips they have done across the world, and their experience of traveling with an infant when their daughter, Anju was just a baby.

Podcast Summary: Driving and Traveling with Arpita, Amitava & Baby Anju

00:00:00 - 00:04:34: Introduction. How passion for traveling and esp. road trips started? What traveling means?

00:04:35 - 00:09:55: Driving and traveling, road trips in UK, Europe, US, India.

00:09:55 - 00:17:23: Planning road trips, traveling and driving with a baby.

00:17:25 - 00:20:23 : Stories and experiences from road trips - Switzerland.

00:20:24 - 00:23:17 : Tips on hiring cars, driving license requirements, driving with a child.

00:23:18 - 00:45:03 : Stories and experiences from road trips - Netherlands, Portugal, US (Florida), Belgium, India (Coorg, Munnar, Ladakh, Rajasthan, Pokhran). When to travel with kids? Driving and navigating experience stories and tips. Driving across countries and places.

00:45:04 - 00:46:25 : Conclusion. Bucket list. Concluding remarks.

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Ramnath is a Senior Business Intelligence and Analytics professional in the BFSI sector, and an expert photographer.

He loves traveling esp. exploring a city, walking the streets and alleyways, observing people and capturing the sights and sounds with his camera, which is his permanent travel companion. In fact, he studied the art and craft of photography in the US at the Chicago Photography Centre more than a decade ago. And since, then he has been perfecting the art traveling and shooting in different cities, curating photowalks and mentoring photography students. An alumnus from IIM-Bangalore and a busy corporate executive, he always finds time to pursue this passion and mentor students of photography.

In this episode of the show Travel Conversations (TC) on The Rustik Travel Podcast we are going to hear from the master himself about the art of street photography and how it enriches the experience of travel.

Podcast Summary: Travel and Street Photography with Ramnath Siva

00:00:00 - 00:07:50: Introduction. How the journey started?

00:07:50 - 00:19:28: Definition of street photography. Planning photography trips - itinerary, research, equipment to carry. Pre-trip and on-trip tips.

00:19:30 - 00:35:34: Varanasi, Kolkata, Kumbh Mela, Rath Yatra as photography destinations/events - experience, tips and stories.

00:35:35 - 00:43:25 : Teaching and mentoring photography students - Chicago, HSBC India. Curating KR Market Photowalk, Bangalore.

00:43:27 - 00:48:43 : Still vs motion photography. Shooting documentaries.

00:48:45 - 00:56:34 : Conclusion. Anecdotes, awkward moments and stories. Some more tips and info. Bucket list of places to visit for photography. Concluding remarks.

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Vishnu Rajesh is an NIT-IIM alumnus and is currently an M&A Consultant with Deloitte Consulting. But beyond the serious job titles and heavy educational qualifications he is just a young traveler out there to explore the world and himself. Just 26 years old, he has has already traveled extensively in India and backpacked across 20 countries in Europe. His passion for history, culture and the two Fs - Food and Football has prompted him to explore and discover places, stories and flavours that one just can’t find in a travel guide book. Truly a true blue new age millennial.

In this episode of the show Travel Conversations (TC), he shares his travel experiences and stories with special focus on his backpacking trip across Europe in 2019, while studying in Strasbourg as an exchange student. During that time he visited France, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Czech, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Belgium, Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Monaco, Spain and Portugal.

He also shares a detailed overview of how and and where to travel in Europe with tips on places to visit, local transports, stays, food & beverage, football, events and much more, while keeping an eye on the budget. So do listen in esp. if you are planning a trip to Europe :)

Podcast Summary: Backpacking in Europe with Vishnu Rajesh

00:00:00 - 00:12:40: Introduction. Growing up, studies, backpacking and traveling in India.

00:12:40 - 01:00:20: Stay and travel across Europe. Tips on backpacking, places to stay and visit, food, football, fans, wine, beer, Oktoberfest, chocolates and more. Cultural immersion. Anecdotes, stories and experiences.

01:00:23 - 01:06:11 : Conclusion. Some more tips and info. Concluding remarks.

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Kranthi Kiran, an IIT-IIM alumnus and currently leading the Business Excellence projects at a German conglomerate, believes in lifelong learning and sharing.

He is an ardent traveler, thrill seeker, Yoga Practitioner, dance enthusiast, doodle artist, instant photographer and an avid blogger.

In this episode of the show Travel Conversations (TC), we had a soulful chat with him on his solo 30-day backpacking trip to South America that he did in the off-peak months of September-October in 2016.

Podcast Summary: Backpacking in South America with Kranthi Kiran

00:00 - 05:54: Introduction. Philosophy of traveling, why backpacking, why South America?

05:55 - 14:15: Pre-trip preparation, itinerary and tips.

14:16 - 28:02:  Peru:  Lima. Cusco. Inca trail trek to Machu Picchu. Local cuisine. Interaction with the Incans. Iquitos. Amazonas. Interaction with the tribes. Ayahuasca ritual.

28:03 - 47:42:  Colombia: Leticia. Speed boat ride. Tres Fonteras. Tanimboca -> Zip lining over the forest canopies. Santander. Tabatinga. Cartagena -> Gabriel Garcia Marquez memorial. Rosario Island Trail. Playa Blanca. FARC rebels peace treaty. Medellin. Pablo Escobar. Salsa. Dancing. Impression of India. Bucaramanga. Barichara. San Gil -> Rappelling, Spelunking (Caving), Mountain Biking, White Water River Rafting (Rapid 5 in Suarez river). Tejo - traditional throwing game.

47:45 - 52:01: Argentina: Buenos Aires. El Calafate (Patagonia) -> Perito Moreno glacier. Upsala Glacier. El Chalten (Patagonia). Mate tea. Tango. Argentinian steak and wine.

52:01 - 59:35 : Conclusion. Some more tips and info. Concluding remarks.

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What could be better than trekking or climbing to explore the majestic Himalayas? Tapas Biala found that out pretty early on when he was just a toddler.  Since then he has not looked back. He has been trekking and climbing in the Himalayas from very early on. At 12 years old he became the youngest climber in India to climb 6,000m plus peak till that record was eventually broken by another climber. However, a few years later his passion for trekking and climbing took a major blow, when he was diagnosed with cancer…leukemia. But, the motivation of getting back to the mountains helped him overcome that. And now he is back in the mountains doing what he loves the most.

Tapas is an outdoor learning and adventure entrepreneur having co-founded My Himalayan Adventure and Rustik Travel.

His life so far is an awe inspiring one as he talks in this episode of the show Travel Conversations (TC) with the host Hemant Soreng about exploring Himalayas and more:

- Growing up trekking in the mountains (Doon School, Youngest Climber in India to scale 6000 m peak)

- Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (Basic and Advanced Mountaineering Course)

- Nature Photography

- MBA and Adventure Entrepreneurship

- Tips for first time trekkers

- Outbound learning program for schools

- Overcoming cancer

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The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the world forever. The entire world came to a standstill with lockdowns and travel restrictions. In India, as the “unlock down” takes place with the steady decline in the number of active infections, there is a bit of optimism in the air. With travel restrictions easing, people have started to head out and travel wherever possible. More are panning to do so in the near future, having been cooped up in home for a long time. However, the virus is still out there. And one needs to be careful and follow certain protocols to be safe.

In this episode of the show Travel Conversations (TC), the hosts Rajesh Nair and Hemant Soreng discuss the various protocols and safety precautions one needs to follow while traveling.

Welcome to The Traveler's Show (TTS) by The Rustik Travel Podcast. This is a show hosted by one of you, our listeners. In each episode we will have a guest host who will be curating the show.

However, in this episode we are kick-starting off this show with a very pertinent question - Why travel? Narrated by our host Rajesh Nair.

This is a podcast from the passionate travelers for the passionate travelers by the passionate travelers. It is a travel podcast that covers stories, journeys, interviews, conversations and experiences that are fun, adventurous, intriguing, interesting and inspiring, with a focus on sustainable and responsible travel.