A chai talk with a.k.a ig @travelester_shikhs

This is a conversation over a Chai(tea) with Shikha Kumari, while we sip, let’s know about her.

Shikha Kumari is a Travel spree, Blogger, photographer, Digital creator and also the Brand ambassador of Mytravaly. She upholds 'Travel before life ends' and expresses her views upon Mytravaly's closed community, its utility and value it adds to the life of travellers, and her personal experience related with it.
She endeavours expressing the amazing experiences she had while on tours and enables the readers to learn from them and so following is her interview with us! 

• What is your Date of birth?

My date of birth is 9th May 1991.

• About your Profession:

Right now, I am a Research scholar, doing PhD in BioChemical Engineering from IIT BHU Varanasi. I Did B.Tech in Biotechnology from Amity Lucknow and masters from IIT BHU itself.

• What is your relationship status?

I’m not single & soon to be married. My fiancé, Mihul Prakash is from Bangalore. He is a Design Engineer at an Indian Ridesharing Company. We have much common in many ways. He likes travelling like me and a foodie. We are little opposite as he is an introvert and myself a proud extrovert. He is also quite caring and loving 🤭.

• The Best tourist spot according to you.

I recently visited Gokarna and found it so serene and beautiful. I fell in love with the view. It was peaceful and I stayed there at Uma garden and my room was in front of kudle beach where the night view was to die for!

I celebrated this new year there only and it was really a great experience for me. I had a lot of seafood there too but honestly the local experience is what I always mesmerize. So, I had this Banana bun there with sambar and it literally took my mind off. I also tried squid for the first time there and it was so delicious.

I trekked there from paradise to half-moon beach which is not that huge but it looks quite amazing during the eve. I visited all the beaches there, first 'kudle'  then 'om' thereafter 'paradise' and finally 'half-moon'. 

I also went to the local market and the ganapathy temple there and the architecture is enchanting. You can see my insta page for that too. I bought a lot of spices from there and they are so good to smell❤️❤️. I met a lot of people there, it's a small place but still it has its own essence.Some suggestions for visiting- Try some shacks and local food it's always worth giving a try. If you want to experience the true Gokarna visit it during winters. It's the best time otherwise you are gonna sweat a lot. Also, it's safe so you can even plan a solo trip there.

• Any place you haven't been but longing to visit since lockdown?

I think it  is Auli, as I'm planning to visit Auli soon. I've heard a lot about its 360 degree view of the Himalayas. Its unexploited snow slopes, snow games, Asia's longest Gondola ride and best of garhwali cuisines are the things that I'm waiting to experience. I've been wanting to visit the hill station since long. So, my next trip is Auli and also a suggestion for the readers. 

• Who's Your Major Crush? 

As a traveller, I have a lot of them but currently I have a crush on Ranveer Singh (Indian Actor) “Simmba” of Bollywood, due to his outgoing, playful nature that I love. He never fails to surprise us even when he is in public, a striking personality, lives life completely on his own terms. He says," I am only me, I am unique, I would feel uncomfortable dressing as per other people's expectations of others". I love that enterprising, versatile and extreme kind of personality.

• What's your Favorite dish? 

I've tasted multi cuisines from across nations but for me Indian dishes still stand tall in comparison to the west and American cuisines. So I have given my heart to Indian spices and my love for it would never fade.  My favourite dish is 'Chicken Biryani' (layering marinated chicken, layered with parboiled rice, herbs and spices) and I'm ready for it's flavour and punch anytime. Would love to have this with you people someday. Apart from that I think the flavourful aroma of Rajma Chawal (kidney beans served with boiled rice) can easily pull me from anywhere around.   

• Your All-time favorite song: 

Currently I'm loving the song Mai ne Meriye by Jonita Gandhi. This song can get me a healthy dose of dopamine and flips my 'lost' switch instantly. I turn this on repeat while on a road trip or solo journey. The song has a Pahadi touch and is based on hilly areas of Uttarakhand, so definitely recommended if you are connected with the region.  I also like the song Ritviz Liggi, I like its chilling vibe.

• What would be Travel advice for female solo travellers?

For all the female solo travellers, my advice would be following. The more you stand out and appear unfamiliar in the location makes you prone to criminal attention. Therefore, have a thorough research about the place you are going to stay and try to look familiar by outlook, dressing and all. 

Try not to carry any valuables while on the trip or stick to a minimum. Avoid traveling at night time as dangerous activities are likely to happen when there's less of a crowd. If doing so, be extra cautious with the number of local emergency numbers on your quick dial. Always carry your self-defense gadgets like a defense pen or a bug spray. If someone asks if you're alone, lie to them that your boyfriend/husband is waiting at the restaurant/hotel or such.

Be armed with your sanitary napkins, painkillers, heating pad if you're anywhere near your menstrual cycle. Make sure someone's friends or family knows where you'd be at a given time, avoid going off the plan for longer periods. Inform immediately if you change plans. And lastly look confident at all costs, even if you're not!

Shikha Kumari likes travelling across the globe. Her next visit is Auli, Uttarakhand, if you are travelling to and by fortune, if you meet with Shikha, don’t hesitate to say hello to her, after all the world is round. Catch her @ MyTravaly’s Closed Community to know her visiting schedule and amazing travelling stories.