I have been spending a lot of time exploring WordPress nowadays and it feels like I have discovered a whole new world. Through my 3 month blogging experience, I have realized that there are tons of interesting articles on this platform and even more exciting bloggers who contribute to the content. I personally was very drawn to the blog “Bombay Ficus” because of its simple yet elegant aesthetics. The page largely focuses on relatable and helpful content revolving around travel, fitness, life experiences and inspiring stories. I would 100% recommend y’all to check out the page for some great travel, fitness, and mental health tips if you find this post intriguing. Now, let’s dive right into our interview.
1. How did you get into blogging/writing?
It’s actually a really interesting story. Dhrumil got into blogging between the transition from high school to college because he was going through some tough times. He initially started a personal blog that focused on two of his biggest passions: travelling and running. However, he decided to create Bombay Ficus because of the love his personal blog was getting from everyone.
2. If you could only ever visit one more place in your life, where would it be and why?
Dhrumil picked Nice, France as he is in love with its pebble beaches and turquoise waters. He really likes the fact that Nice is only an hour away from Monaco. Monaco has numerous interesting activities like gambling, F1 races, and football clubs. Monaco’s tourist friendly vibe appeals to him greatly and he just loves how beaches in the city are within walking distances. He’s actually putting together an article on Nice, so you should definitely give it a read if you want to know more about this magical city in France.
3. What is one life lesson that travel has taught you?
“Don’t judge people”. Dhrumil strongly believes that there is dignity in all kinds of work people do and friends I couldn’t agree more with his statement. Growing up in India, he noticed that the society looked down upon household help, waiters, grocery shop owners, etc. because they did not have a good education or “status” in the society. However, his perspective completely changed when he met a girl in Paris who was simultaneously studying design and working at a café to pay her college bills. He learnt and understood the dignity of labor only after he started travelling. He really liked the fact that there was no bias against people who are working at cafes, grocery shops etc. in France and hopes that every human is respected in the society.
4. What’s one advice you would give to other people on how they can improve their mental health during these tough times?
“Find a way to vent whatever you are feeling”. He strongly thinks that we do not give as much importance to emotional burden and mental health. He advises people to find a way to express their emotions and keep themselves busy during these tough times. Some activities that you could try to enhance your mental health are drawing, painting, journaling, and working out.
5. How do you afford to travel?
He has mostly travelled abroad with his family, however, he went to watch the Euros in 2016 with his friends. He saved up for a couple of years for that trip and it was an extremely memorable experience for him. Dhrumil prefers cheap travel like staying in hostels, eating at local cafes, taking public transport etc. when he goes on solo adventures and his travel is mostly funded by his savings.
6. How do you find inspiration for your content?
Dhrumil’s writing is very emotionally driven and he generally gets his initial ideas when he’s frustrated or hurting. He uses his blog to process and deal with his emotions. The content on his blog diversified as he was not always experiencing those emotional moments. He started writing articles related to travel and cooking to make up for the weeks when he wasn’t able to tap into his emotional store for content ideas.
7. What methods do you use to engage with your followers?
He mostly uses social media like Facebook and Instagram to engage with his followers. One of his newer strategies is to connect with other bloggers out there and expand his blogging community. He also uses word-of-mouth to market his blog and connect with his viewers. He is also going to start Instagram live sessions soon, so get excited. I know I’m definitely tuning in to those live sessions to get some useful travel and life tips.
Shades and Polaroid 