Traveller of the Month: Charu from Travel with CG
Welcome to the final Traveller of the Month feature of 2021 – and possibly the final Traveller of the Month ever! I’ve been running this series over the last 18 months, featuring a fellow world traveller and blogger every month to share their stories, travel tips and beautiful photos from around the world.
Will Traveller of the Month continue into 2022? At this point, I will not be continuing the series into the new year. I have really loved virtually meeting so many fellow travel bloggers and getting to showcase them on my blog. However, I want to mix things up a bit in 2022 and not commit to a monthly feature. Will I still be sharing fellow travellers’ interviews and stories? Absolutely! In fact, I have an awesome interview all about pet travel coming up next month.
But let’s finish out the 2021 series with a bang: I’m so pleased to introduce December’s Traveller of the Month: Charu!
And if you missed last month’s, check it out here!
Who are you, where are you from and where are you now?
Hey Riana! I am Charu, a luxury travel blogger and content creator from Jaipur, the pink city of India. I am currently back to living in my home city to explore more of Asia (in particular India and its many lesser known cities), but was actually based in the UK when I first began sharing my travels online.
What’s your travel story? How did you get into travel and what kind of travel are you doing now (or were you doing pre-pandemic)?
Growing up, I had always been fascinated by the idea of travelling. Discovering unknown lands, meeting new people or tasting unfamiliar food are some of the things that I would constantly find myself wondering about. Considering the fact that my family barely travelled before I got the bug, I think I initially got into it because of books and movies. So, when I was given a choice to go study in Europe at age seventeen, I jumped right on it and the rest, as they say, is history.
Over the years, my travel style is something that has evolved quite a bit. It started from being an international student in Europe who travelled on a budget during the weekends, to now working full time as a luxury travel blogger. I am someone who loves having touristic places to myself, so you will often find me twirling around beautiful monuments at sunrise whilst taking countless pictures!
When did you start your blog and what sort of stories do you share there?
I started journaling about my travels from the very first trip that I took in middle school, but only created my website travelwithcg.com in early 2019. However, Travel with CG has been around on Instagram for four years now, and I mainly share destination guides, photogenic spots, hotel reviews, and blogging tips across all my platforms.
What do you do when you’re not travelling or writing about travel?
Well, I spend my day thinking about it! Seriously speaking, since I love taking pictures and meeting new people, I do photo tours in Jaipur when I am not travelling. Because tripods aren’t allowed in most places here in India and language could act as a barrier, I take people around my favourite spots in the city and help capture some wonderful travel memories.
I also teach photo editing in my Lightroom masterclass that is usually hosted every few days and love helping budding creators in any way I can.
What’s your best travel memory of the last five years?
Ah, so many! I think I have travelled the most during the last five years, so it would be really difficult to pick just one. I will tell you my latest favourite memory instead:
On a pre-pandemic trip to Kerala in February, I woke up one morning to go canoeing in the backwaters of Kumarakom. I did expect to see serene landscapes and lots of palm trees, but had no idea about the unreal experience that was really awaiting me. Being an area of India that is famous for its nature, I was stunned that our canoe was the only one out that morning (due to COVID related cancellations). We floated where the waves took us and gazed at sky high palm trees while listening to chirping birds and a melodious flute that our guide was playing. It was so mesmerising that I have been wanting to go back ever since!
What do you want to inspire other travellers to do?
To leave places either as they find them or better. As travellers, I think it is our responsibility to show the world the same amount of care regardless of where we are and not litter faraway places like we wouldn’t our own home.
How have you been coping as a travel blogger during the COVID-19 pandemic?
It has definitely been difficult to not be able to travel as much as I would have liked. I entered 2020 with multiple trips lined up thinking it was going to be the most rewarding year of my career as a travel blogger yet, but unfortunately had to cancel or postpone most of them because of COVID-19.
On some days, I found solace while reflecting on the experiences I have been blessed enough to already have and others, I spent daydreaming and researching for when the borders open again. Fortunately, I was able to still work during this time and diversified into teaching online and launched my Lightroom masterclass that I mentioned earlier. So, it hasn’t been all bad if I am being honest.
What is still on your travel bucket list? What have you recently checked off?
Every single place that I haven’t been to yet! I have always wanted to go to as many places as I can, but Jordan a little more than the others I think. As for where I have been recently, I went hot air ballooning in Bagan, Myanmar in 2020 and absolutely loved it.
What’s your earliest travel memory?
My earliest travel memory is from when my parents took my brother and I to Singapore and Malaysia in 2007. It was the first time that we sat on a plane, went on a holiday, and explored another country. I may not remember everything about it today, but it will always remain a memory that I hold very close to my heart. After all, that is where it all began.
What’s something you do, pack or eat on every trip?
Do: Wander without a plan! I love researching and having a list of places to visit, but also always leave a little time out to just explore aimlessly. The best kind of places and experiences are sometimes hidden away from the typical tourist route and I like to let the city itself guide me right into them.
Pack: Reusable cutlery set and a water bottle. In continents such as Asia where street food is so huge, I always make sure to take my reusable cutlery set with me to avoid feeling guilty about single use plastic, or missing out on things due to the presence of it.
Eat: As much of the local vegetarian food as possible. I am an avid lover of trying different cuisines, so it is something that I will always indulge in on every trip.
What is the best accommodation you’ve ever stayed in?
On my birthday in 2019, my family and I went to stay at the only warrior fort in India that has now been converted into an upscale resort. Staying at such a marvellous accommodation that had actually been there for centuries and restored to its former glory was definitely an experience for the books.
What food instantly transports you back to a favourite travel memory?
Without a doubt, pizza! I think due to the number of pizzas that I have indulged in during every single trip to Italy, there is no other food that I so strongly relate to a destination. My friends actually never believe me when I say this as I was never a pizza person before Italy, but there truly is nothing like an authentic Italian pizza.
What is your process of writing a blog post?
It varies a little from blog post to blog post, but I generally keep a list of topics that I would one day like to tackle. I find inspiration for ideas during my travels and hope to create posts that I would have personally found helpful when planning the said trip. A lot of the times, I also ask my audience on social media what they would like to read and often end up writing about the most frequently asked ones.
What is your favourite blog post that you’ve written and why?
My blog post about the best Instagram spots in Jaipur is definitely a favourite of mine. It was one of the first blog posts that I ever wrote and being about my home city, it does hold a special place in my heart.
Lastly, where can we find you online?
I’m available on:
Blog: https://www.travelwithcg.com
Instagram: instagram.com/travelwithcg
Pinterest: pinterest.com/travelwithcg
Facebook: facebook.com/travelwithcg
Twitter: https://x.com/travelwithcg
Thank you for closing out my Traveller of the Month series, Charu! Head on over to Charu’s blog to see more of her gorgeous photography and follow along on her next adventure!
