The Shooting Star: A Girl, Her Backpack and the World
At just twenty-three, Shivya Nath made a bold choice: she walked away from the corporate world. No steady job, no fixed home, no possessions weighing her down. Instead, she packed a single bag and set out to explore the planet on her own terms. What follows is a striking journey across continents. She's shared meals with Mayan families in Guatemala, trekked through the raw beauty of Ecuador's highlands, and faced unexpected dangers in Central America. She's watched meteors streak across Gujarat's salt flats from her sleeping bag and navigated river crossings between countries. Each experience chipped away at her anxieties, replacing fear with quiet confidence. This memoir captures the grit and wonder of solo travel through prose that feels genuine and immersive. Rather than glossing over the hardships or romanticising every moment, Nath presents a portrait of someone genuinely transformed by movement and connection. The landscapes she describes linger long after you've finished reading. More importantly, her encounters with strangers reveal something deeper: how wandering the world becomes a mirror for understanding yourself.
- Author: Shivya Nath
- Publisher: Penguin
- Genre: Travel Writing & Guides
- ISBN: 978-0143443193
- Pages: 216 pages