However, our stay on Libaran Island, where a sustainable turtle conservation project was launched ten years ago, really stood out to us. In spite of the large endeavors completed by the task and the local area in tidying up the sea shores and imaginatively re-utilize plastic, the shore is washed day to day with lots of plastic coming from the tides. It was quite shocking to walk on a carpet of plastic that almost obscured our view of the beach below.

I experienced contrasting feelings of sadness and rage when confronted with this global issue in person, which quickly gave way to determination: to reduce our use of plastic as much as possible. When confronted with significant issues, we may at times feel powerless, but we ought to be aware that even minute adjustments can actually have an impact!

Soujanya made the decision to retreat to the mountains when both her professional life and her personal relationships were deteriorating. The Himalayas provided the ideal setting for escaping the world and regaining perspective. She learned in a small village that real connections are more important than technology. A trip to India changed her outlook on life in this way:

I wasn’t in a good place in life in the middle of 2019 either. I was going through a serious breakup, I was exhausted at work, my family was having issues, and my ever-increasing sense of isolation had pushed me into a depression pit. Traveling and blogging were the only things that made me feel good at that point in my life.