As we begin the new year in 2025, the very active terrain of contemporary blogging has evolved into a vast multimedia space. This is reflective of the fact that the world in which we live has become altogether more accessible: culturally, geographically and conceptually. It is then a source of infinite excitement to explore. Sanika, who is the creator of the popular travel blog SaunterwithSanika, shared with us: “In my experience, the act of writing itself has become a lot more engaging and open in the same vein as most travel and activities – in short, that they are simply on one’s doorstep. Nowadays, you don’t even need to leave London to have an exciting time – recently, for example, I’ve been obsessed with the Christmas markets. There’s so many! When I do travel internationally, I am never alone as I am always connected to a massive like-minded community online. We are now able to uncover opportunity without really leaving the home.”
***
Sanika’s Instagram-based blog certainly demonstrates a pure unbridled passion and talent for suavely documenting diverse travel. One moment the elegant globetrotter may be swimming as if a multicoloured ‘mermaid’ through the rippling blue waters of Zanzibar and the next she can be seen cycling through Western Australia where ‘everything is half price because it converts to half the British pound.’ Her digital brochure is captivating and chic. Here, Sanika commented that authenticity is key in having an individual impact on an audience which is the secret to blogging success: “it is a saturated field. You must be yourself above all else: people do get drawn to personality and don’t want everything to be photoshopped or artificial – you must also be comfortable. You can be aware of trends to boost engagement but don’t pander to them. You should be patient with yourself throughout – you cant always be creative and be posting incessantly. Finally, don’t force the engagement – people who are loyal to your content will eventually find you. It may take time, but it will happen. It is important to emote your signature.”
Having grown up abroad in Nairobi, Kenya, before moving to the UK to attend university, Sanika told us: “my parents encouraged travel from a young age and it is from them that I got the ‘travel bug’ – my dad especially loved to take us to new places.” Recently, the young influencer has revisited her old stomping grounds of the African subcontinent, naming Cape Town as one of her favourite places to have travelled where she was earlier in 2024. “I had been touring Europe quite a bit before, but this specific capital city was beautiful.” Interestingly, together with her insatiable desire to wander to novel destinations, Sanika has a convergent love of literature where immersive imaginative adventure is the common uniting factor. In fact, the young influencer holds a degree in English Literature and works in publishing too: “my two professions do complement each other. I find that I get really interested in exploring a place if I’ve read about it in a book or other media –you can be inspired by so many different things nowadays as aforementioned. It is another example of strong interconnectivity. Indeed, conversely, writers such as Hemingway travelled the world so that they could write the way that they did!”
There is the age-old conundrum of the balance a writer must strike between time spent conjuring their gripping works of great fiction and actually living the life that substantiates this. Sanika seems to have broken, or rather glided, through the paradox: “it is possible to do and prioritise both! I am a huge bookworm and love being curled up o read, but equally will jump at the chance to go white-water rafting and truly experience life. There are a few different facets of myself that seem to organically work well together.” Indeed, another way in which Sanika’s penchant for expression neatly manifests is in her subtle but distinct style which shows in the synchronicity of her clothes against corresponding far-flung backdrops – a simple cool blue jumper accompanies a wintry expedition to Switzerland while a flowing yet princessy dress is sported in the medieval district of the French Riveria with a pearly headband to crown the regal look:
“I don’t think that much about what I wear so that really is a lovely coincidence – I am just feeling positively about the trip!” Not only does Sanika provide a lively record of all the colourful places across the globe one can visit, but also celebrates the idea of complex individuality which makes one radiantly unique. The many wonders of the outer landscape represent that of a profound inner one.
Did you enjoy visiting anywhere specific in Cape Town?
There were so many spots! However, I will try to name a special few: there’s Boulder’s Beach where you can see penguins! I thought you could only find them in Antarctica or the National Geographic but different places in the world have a lot of similarities as well as being different. When you see penguins on the African coast, it's surreal. There is also Cape Point nature reserve where you feel as if you are on the edge of the world – it’s so serene and quiet. That was very cool. You can look out but not see anything for miles – finally, there’s Chapman Peak Drive: this is basically a drive through Cape Town on the cliff’s edge. If you go during the sunset it’s the most beautiful thing in the world because the rays are reflected everywhere.
Is nature integral to your travelling itinerary?
Yes, but then so is a mix of everything, and what I end up doing is very dependent on my mood – on whether I want to be indoors or outdoors. If it is a summer holiday, I do want to be outdoors as much as I can. Nowadays, we are so much on our screens, hunched over laptops and being in the open in general is incredibly welcome.
Do you have any big plans for travel in 2025?
Yes, I am hoping to go to Canada to visit a friend! I do love immersing myself in culture and doing that through activities is the best way for me as food isn’t always an option since I am a vegetarian! I am looking forward to catching a baseball game during this trip to North America!
@SaunterwithSanika
