- Kavindi Athapattu on her travel blog
Aside from spending time running her digital media company, 25-year-old Kavindi Athapattu also works on her food and travel blog, Travel for Food, dedicated to all travel enthusiasts and foodies all over the world.
She grew up facing many hardships, which in turn inspired and shaped her to be the funny, extremely friendly soul who has so much love for humanity. She prides herself in being able to stand up for what she believes in and striving to be organised and work on time.
In conversation with her, she mentioned that her love for people sometimes ends up with her in the wrong place at the wrong time, where she is faced with judgement.
She also had a passion to study medicine, but eventually changed course to study psychology instead. Eventually, she became a digital media marketer and began her own digital advertising company Clinxnflix with her best friend, which is what she is currently pursuing along with their blog.
Here’s what she shared with Brunch.
How did you discover your passion for travel?
I didn’t truly travel anywhere until the beginning of 2019 – that is when I was super depressed and had nobody to help me to cope up with my depression. That empty feeling in my life was all gone, thanks to one trip Down South with my bestie.
What inspired you to start a travel blog and how has the journey been so far?
I deleted my old account and made this account, which hit 1,000 followers overnight with just three pics. I got hooked on that feeling and idea, and thought it would bring change to my life. I truly had a new meaning to my life after all, and it was all about travel and food.
Then we took the next step and started up our food blog Travel for Food, which we did out of nothing but real passion.
What is your most memorable travel experience?
As mentioned earlier, that very first trip Down South on 2 March 2019 changed my whole life forever! It will be something that I’m going to remember until my last breath.
Have you been to somewhere which turned out to be totally different from how you imagined it to be? If so, how?
Yes, life itself! I never pictured myself living the life I dreamed – who gets paid to eat? That would be anyone’s dream job. I also do have more plans down the line; hopefully, once this whole pandemic situation ends, when we are really free to travel and nibble as before, we will start up again and that will be a new comeback.
What has been your most successful blog post to date and what was it about?
It wasn’t actually travel related; rather, it was about one of my favourite spots in Colombo, a hidden gem – Mitsis Delicacies. They invited me over to try their high tea, which wasn’t very popular at that time, but right now, their high tea is in high demand and a crowd-pleaser, known for being “the most reasonable high tea in town”. I absolutely loved the gastronomical experience I had with their cheesecake. Oh, what a phenomenal experience it was; it will bring me great happiness to see them do well.
What are the biggest challenges you faced when you started out your travel blog? Anything that you would’ve done differently today?
Challenge? Oh, I faced quite a few. Once my blog started to boom and get public attention, people around me, especially the aunties, started to make rumours about how I travel and what I wear, why I’m not married, etc.
What I would’ve done differently is not care about how cruel people from your own blood could be and not have several mental breakdowns over it.
On some days, I had so-called family members making up fake accounts just to stalk my social media platforms, which deeply affected me, and later made me confused because I wasn’t doing anything wrong.
But today, at this age, all I can say is that they themselves were just concerned because of the lack of confidence they have and how they wished they were me!
What are your travel plans for the rest of the year? Are there any bucket list destinations you will be ticking off?
This year is so painful; I am still dealing with the loss of my dearest grandfather due to Covid-19. I am really insecure about how 2021 would turn out with the current pandemic situation, but definitely one day soon, Bali and Paris would be on top of my top travel destinations in life.
Do you have any advice or tips for aspiring travellers?
Be happy and do whatever you want, but don’t hurt anybody. For the girls: You wear that short dress; don’t care about what your jealous aunties want to gossip about behind your back!
It’s also important to be safe out there. You have to balance your life with what is happening around you and live the life that you have always dreamed of.
Before you travel, earn and save or use your own money for doing so, rather than wasting your parents’ hard-earned money.
Blog: travelforfood.blog
Instagram: @travel_and_nibbles
