{"id":152718,"date":"2023-12-05T16:40:28","date_gmt":"2023-12-05T12:40:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.headout.com\/blog\/?p=152718"},"modified":"2024-08-16T09:14:16","modified_gmt":"2024-08-16T05:14:16","slug":"about-aakanksha-singh-devi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.headout.com\/blog\/about-aakanksha-singh-devi\/","title":{"rendered":"Aakanksha Singh Devi: Traveler, Dreamer, Writer"},"content":{"rendered":"

\ud83d\udca1 Where do you get your ideas?<\/h2>\n

From doom scrolling on Instagram and Twitter, of course. But then again, I really do love to travel, and with a family who travels at least 5 – 6 times a year, a lot of my inspiration comes from real life experiences. I\u2019m also quite an avid reader – be it non-fiction, romance novels, or magazines. I still adore the news websites across the globe. The Guardian<\/a>, The Strategist<\/a> and Time Out London<\/a> for me are most fun! Oh, and Roads & Kingdoms<\/a> founded by journalists Nathan Thornburgh and Matt Goulding, and backed by the late and inimitable Anthony Bourdain. <\/p>\n

\"quinta<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udde3\ufe0f How would you describe your writing style and approach to storytelling?<\/h2>\n

I write how I speak, so my writing is almost always straight from the heart. I try to infuse my personality and experiences into my words, which I hope keeps the reader engaged! You\u2019ll find more of my writing on Headout here<\/a>. And also articles from my time at LBB,India<\/a> and the New Indian Express<\/a>. We won\u2019t go beyond that please. It might get embarrassing! I\u2019ve evolved as a writer, yeah?<\/p>\n

\"quinta<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd0d How do you do your research?<\/h2>\n

I start as most people do\u2026on the divine Google search bar. I also find reviews on products, pages, videos and posts are nowadays one of the best sources of information. These are true gems that are coming from real people. Nothing is more valuable than that.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd8a\ufe0f Who are your favorite travel writers?<\/h2>\n

Paul Theroux<\/a>, Colin Thubron (especially To a Mountain in Tibet<\/a>), Jon Krakauer<\/a>, Pico Iyer<\/a> and plenty of travel bloggers which I usually quite randomly come across, and sadly, forget even though they\u2019ve entertained me as I read. <\/p>\n

\"quinta<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd16 What is your favorite travel book and why?<\/h2>\n

I\u2019m going to take the liberty to say three! <\/p>\n

1\ufe0f\u20e3 The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux:<\/h3>\n

Descriptive, insightful and thoroughly entertaining, this one is an account of a 4-month long, arduous train journey. I loved the sardonic, often grumpy tone used to describe places and people. Lovely combination of sharp observation and wit.<\/p>\n

2\ufe0f\u20e3 Into Thin Air by Jon Krakaeur:<\/h3>\n

A gripping and detailed account of the tragedy of 1996 on Mount Everest, this one hit closer to home. Not quite a travel book, I appreciated how it was told – with a blend of personal insight and journalistic clarity.<\/p>\n

3\ufe0f\u20e3 Vroom with a View by Peter Moore:<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s about Italy. I love Italy. Moore\u2019s humorous and vivid writing style make it a fun read, while also weaving in personal growth and experience. Besides, what is not to like about a romantic portrayal of motorcycling through Italy on a vintage Vespa.<\/p>\n

\u2708\ufe0f What ignited your passion for travel and writing?<\/h2>\n

Enid Blyton can be credited for this! So, perhaps since the age of 7 years, I\u2019ve wanted to write and travel. I wanted to escape to secret islands like The Famous Five, I wanted to go caravanning like them and I certainly wanted to write about it all in my diary, like the Girls of St Claire! I started out as a journalist knowing that sports and travel were the two things I wanted to focus on. So, after working in sport for a few years with the BBC Radio, I switched to lifestyle writing for the newspapers. Then came the digital world, and here we are!<\/p>\n

I had no other aspirations growing up. So, thankfully, it turned out okay. <\/p>\n

\u2763\ufe0f What has been your most memorable travel experience and why?<\/h2>\n

Without a doubt the few nights I spent in the deserts of Jordan. Navigating the sand and sun through the dunes to Wadi Rum in a 4×4, deftly driven by a local guide as the car and I both, hummed and heaved over the bumps; riding a camel to a sand dune, and then climbing (scrambling up, really!) the dune to witness the most sublime sunset I have ever seen, and then settling into a tent at Bedouin camp, singing traditional songs and then seeing the Milky Way above us\u2026and staring into space, quite literally, until the sun came back up. The highlight however, was a young bedouin lad asking if I would marry him. He probably asked every other lady he wanted to get a tip from, but let\u2019s just assume it was only me!<\/p>\n

\"quinta<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udccdDo you have a favorite destination or type of place you love writing about? What makes it special?<\/h2>\n

The mountains have my heart, but I\u2019m not fussy! I\u2019ve loved Durdle Door in Dorset as much as I loved climbing the walls in Dubrovnik. I enjoyed the coffee in Chikmagalur, India and much as I did the tea in Petra. Japan\u2019s austerity was as intriguing as Spain\u2019s chaos. So really, I\u2019ll be happy anywhere I go! <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udee3\ufe0f Are there any travel rituals or habits you have while on the road?<\/h2>\n

I have a few morbid ones! I usually travel in a thick t-shirt, jeans (don\u2019t judge me!) and sport shoes. My logic is that if the plane were to crash, or the train crashed in the middle of nowhere, this kind of outfit would last longer than a flimsy dress. I also always wear bright coloured tops or t-shirts so that I can easily be spotted by a rescue team! <\/p>\n

\ud83e\udd1d How do you immerse yourself in different cultures during your travels?<\/h2>\n

Almost always, it is food that brings me close to the culture of a place. It is a clear reflection of the heritage, the region’s history, geography, and heritage. It also gives me great insight into the area\u2019s climate, resources and it\u2019s a great conversation starter. After all, recipes are a culture in itself, no? Food is, to me, an intimate way to experience the local way of life, hospitality, and traditions.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd7a\ud83c\udffd Outside of travel writing, what are some of your other interests or hobbies?<\/h2>\n

I love sports – to watch, play and talk about. Especially football, basketball, Formula 1 and tennis. I also love hiking and climbing, running and dancing. I don\u2019t think it classifies as a hobby, but music and reading also makes me happy! <\/p>\n

\"quinta<\/p>\n

\u262f\ufe0f How do these interests influence or complement your travel writing?<\/h2>\n

Oh, they fit perfectly! I travel to see games, races and concerts. They feed off each other. I travel to write and I write to travel. <\/p>\n

\ud83d\uddfa\ufe0f Is there a particular destination or travel experience you’re eager to explore and write about?<\/h2>\n

I dream about visiting New Zealand. I hope to go there in 2024. But for now, my aim is to climb to Mount Everest\u2019s Base Camp when the season begins next April. <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd0b What do you do to unwind and recharge when you’re not traveling or writing?<\/h2>\n

I run, read and watch copious amounts of television to unwind. Playing board games is another way I relax.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\ud83d\udca1 Where do you get your ideas? From doom scrolling on Instagram and Twitter, of course. But then again, I really do love to travel, and with a family who travels at least 5 – 6 times a year, a lot of my inspiration comes from real life experiences. I\u2019m also quite an avid reader […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":144,"featured_media":157172,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[7086],"yoast_head":"\nAbout Me | Aakanksha Singh Devi<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"My love for adventure, sports & food has taken me to 40 countries including Jordan & Japan! 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A seasoned writer and editor, I fully believe that the pen is mightier than the sword. If I were given three wishes, one would definitely be to have the ability to travel - in time, dimension and places! Basically, I want a TARDIS! Of the 40 countries I've visited, Jordan, Japan, Italy and Croatia are my top favourite. London, having lived there, will always have my love, but Nepal and India have my soul! I love adventure (I'm from the mountains, what did you expect!), sports, music and food, so I travel to catch concerts, matches and races. I mostly write about off-beat travel, local experiences, best shopping spots, travel guides and coffee shops. Basically, give me coffee, a book, adventures and an enchanted forest, and you'll never hear me complain.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/aakankshasd\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/aakankshasinghdevi\/","https:\/\/x.com\/https:\/\/twitter.com\/AakankshaSD"],"url":"https:\/\/www.headout.com\/blog\/author\/aakanksha\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.headout.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152718"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.headout.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.headout.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.headout.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/144"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.headout.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152718"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/www.headout.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152718\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":182899,"href":"https:\/\/www.headout.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152718\/revisions\/182899"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.headout.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/157172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.headout.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.headout.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=152718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.headout.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=152718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}