Ambica Gulati, is a well-known name today in the blogging industry, though traveling is her niche, she also covers other blogging domains like food, wellness, art & culture etc.
Let’s see what Ambica has to share about her blogging journey
Tell us about your journey, how did blogging come into the picture? Are you a full-time blogger?
I call blogs ‘saving grace’. They are a space to unleash your creativity and find your strengths. I came out of a very senior position in the media and was unemployed for a long while. Then an ex-colleague, a junior, suggested we start a blog. Well, coming from the print media, the web was a confusing tool. But she handled the technical and web aspects and I did the content. Eventually, we parted ways but by that time, I had managed to get some technical know-how. And I launched my own blog, cumalive.blogspot.com and later atravellerswishlist.com. There are highs and lows but the journey continues since 2013.
Tell us more about your life story. What did you do before you set up your blog?
I have been a print journalist for almost 20 years now. I have been writing mainly for travel, wellness, new age, cuisine, art and culture and everything nice!
How did you decide on a niche for your blog?
Well, cumalive.blogspot.com was a potpourri before I narrowed down to travel. I like exploring, I like new experiences and I love open skies. And trying to do everything on your own was tough, so anything under the open skies became my forte.
What challenges have you faced with your blog?
Mostly all technical stuff like understanding SEO, need for circulation among groups and on social media, being constantly active because the web is the fastest moving human invention. But it keeps me on my toes!
Skills or Qualities required for becoming a Travel Blogger.
You have to love the world around and make your eyes the glasses through which the others see the world.
Was becoming a travel blogger something you always wanted to do?
I wouldn’t say that, I would say the hand of fate intervened.
Which was the one trip that changed everything for you?
My first trip as a blogger was to Churu in Rajasthan where we had to buy own tickets. As a journalist, the entire trip came funded for the hotel/resort wanted publicity. So that was a change. But it was a nice change I would say, more professional. And I met a very nice group. We had an amazing time, watching a meteoric shower in the desert. My stay was so good, that I wondered why I hadn’t got into this earlier.
What according to you is the future of travel blogging in India?
It needs to get more qualitative than quantitative. Better edited blogs with correct facts need to be there. A lot is fluff or some personal promotion, but hopefully, this will sift and change shall highlight more authentic writers.
Tell us 3 other travel blogs you religiously follow and absolutely love.
www.wandersmiles.com
https://jaipurthrumylens.com/
https://phototravelings.blogspot.com/
What advice would you give to other people who want to start their own blogs?
It’s a do or die thing. Do it with your heart and soul and you will see returns. Do it half-heartedly and it’s nothing but fluff. The returns are slow and the business chaotic. But you do find your own ground if you are passionate enough.
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
Settled in some foreign land, writing more, taking more pictures and exploring more lands.
You can read Ambica’s work and follow her on Instagram to know more about her travel tales
