The Shooting Star Diaries is a new series to reflect on the month that was, share stories Iâve enjoyed writing, recommend offbeat books and films, showcase new eco-friendly / vegan-friendly finds⦠and check in on you! Welcome to the June 2021 edition. As I write this post, Iâm mentally preparing myself to move to our eighth rental since March 2020. You read that right. Weâve moved eight times over the last 15 months â in the midst of a goddamn pandemic! Admittedly a couple of these moves were out of choice. Like in June last year, when my partner and I â stuck in different corners of the universe â decided to move to Goa, the only Indian state that would take us in back then. Or in March this year, when life finally seemed to be normalizing, we took a leap of faith to move to the middle of nowhere in the Garhwal Himalayas. But in between, we found ourselves living in what we jokingly called âthe jail,â got chased out by inconsiderate owners, and lived in a place where the wash basin was inconspicuously missing from the bathroom! And donât even get me started about rentals with mouldy walls, dated furniture and design so unaesthetic, it hurts the eye. Hopefully, itâs a case of eighth time lucky. Iâve long believed that weâre a product of our choices. I, for one, chose freedom over the stability of a long lease or ownership, and flexibility over the security of a full-time job â and was secretly proud of my choices. But when the pandemic hit, these choices became the bane of my nomadic existence! In my story on The Dark Reality of Not Having a Home During the Pandemic on Journeys, I delve into all the unexpected challenges and deep introspection that have plagued my life over the past 15 months. Other stories I loved writingMinimalism â And a Rush to Fill the Void When I first began working full time and earning a sizeable salary, I experienced a constant urge to buy the next great thing to feel fulfilled. On the road, I slowly learnt to fight and block out that urge. But the absence of travelling has created a void in my life, and my mind has begun to find other tangible ways to fill it. In Search of a Forgotten Family Member in Myanmar During my solo land voyage from Thailand to India via Myanmar, I unexpectedly found myself on a different kind of journey â searching for a long lost family member in Yangon! Truly Breathtaking Mountain Villages You Wonât Spot on the âGram When things get better (and they will!), escape to these idyllic getaways in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh for a workation, hike or detox. My Home Behind the Patient Mountains In Iran, I came to realize that what I felt within me was a deep ache of being separated from a people, land, culture and identity that felt part of my own. As though I wasnât an outsider at all. I was merely coming home⦠Subscribe to JourneysIndian readers International readers Most shared post on InstagramBooks and films I recommendIâve heard much about the British-led exploitation of Uttarakhandâs forests, but never knew the history or extent of it. Through the life story of âPahari Wilson,â a runaway Englishman who married two Garhwali women and settled in Harsil, investigative journalist Robert Hutchison recreates life in Garhwal in the 1800s. A delightful read, if somewhat painful to think of the wilderness weâve lost. A fascinating book about the Tarahumara, an obscure indigenous tribe in Mexico, considered the worldâs greatest ultra-runners! At a time of no travel, this book by Christopher McDougall took me virtually to the most inaccessible reaches of Chihuahua, a state I had eyed longingly on the map while in Mexico. A charming Hinglish film based on the young son of a Hindu-Muslim couple who quit their high-flying jobs and moved home to India to chase the dream of making a film. Available on Netflix. A bizarre, bizarre film based on a true story that played out multiple times in fast food chains across the US. Available on Prime Video. The true story of US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsberg and her early battles for gender equality. Gives me hope that one person (supported by others) indeed has the power to change an entire system! Available on Prime Video. Stuff Iâm lovingTurns out, weâve been eating chocolate all wrong! Nitin and Poonam Chordia â Indiaâs first certified âchocolate tastersâ (yes that certification exists!) â have developed vegan-friendly dark chocolates with Indian cacao that are a sensory experience. They include a cute note on how to taste it (a bit like wine) â and instead of the regular packaging, the chocolate comes in a wrapper made of upcycled cotton and cacao husk, in a thick aluminum foil that can be reused. They also do a lot more in a bid to be sustainable â see my Conscious Vibes video about it. Assav Organics â A zero waste store in Dehradun, finally! Every time I visit my folks in Dehradun, Iâm so excited to see how the valleyâs evolving despite being plagued by traffic and chaotic construction. The latest jewel in its crown is a zero waste store set up by ex-armyman Colonel Arvind, that sells certified organic groceries sourced from across India. Take your own containers or get them in paper bags. From founder Pardita Mascarenhasâ kitchen, Break of Dawn delivers fresh homemade vegan feta cheese and almond milk (Iâm mad about the rose flavor) at doorsteps across Mumbai â at the break of dawn! Over almost six years of being vegan, Iâve tried many vegan milks and cheeses â and Parditaâs raise all benchmarks. Lucky you, Mumbai. My latest videoFor World Environment Day 2021, I imagined that our Planet Earth is calling us humans⦠my latest video is an interpretation of her message. Howâre you doing 15 months into the pandemic? What kept you busy in June? What stories, books, films, videos and finds did you enjoy during the month?The post The Shooting Star Diaries: The Dark Side of Being a Digital Nomad During a Pandemic. appeared first on The Shooting Star. The Shooting Star Diaries: The Dark Side of Being a Digital Nomad During a Pandemic. published first on https://airriflelab.tumblr.com via Tumblr The Shooting Star Diaries: The Dark Side of Being a Digital Nomad During a Pandemic.
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About UsPhysical Educator and sports coach from 6 years , with degree in sports science and physical education from RLT University in US. Coach of football, skating, hockey and rugby teams. Now working as Sports development officer in Perth city. |