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Follow UsNishchay Bharati Jain talks about being a travel photographer and Barty the Van
Everyone wants that "Bunny" carefree life where they can just travel where they want, experience new places and witness their bucket list being completed. But not everyone actually gets to live it! Most of our lives are sucked by our choice of a 'well-paying' corporate life, with our dreams being tucked away in the corner that we rarely revisit. That's exactly why we find ourselves following people we meet online who take a chance in life. We admire them for choosing a life that excites them and that's something we aspire to do. Nishchay Jain will definitely be among the list of travel photographers who has a complete grip over us by sharing parts of his incredible adventures. The talented photographer joined the influencer industry when he realised the love that his content was receiving online.
With making niche for himself in the ever-evolving influencer industry, he's a self-taught photographer known to capture intricate moments that ooze rustic Indian charm. He uses his skills and knowledge to weave magical visual stories that are a treat not just for the eyes but for the soul too. “As a travel photographer, the allure of exploring new places and capturing the beauty and culture of the world has been a driving force in my life for the past 8 years. My initial days of doing portraits and street photography worked as a rick foundation for my current dreams, but it was my visit to Ladakh that truly captured my heart.” The stunning landscapes, rich culture, and unique experiences that he encounters during his travelling have fuelled his passion for travel photography further. He gets to document beautiful and diverse destinations that he witnesses across the world and share those moments with others. “It's a way for me to combine my love for photography, adventure, and exploration, and to inspire others to witness the world in new and exciting ways.”
Living on the road has changed has had its impact on his life besides being exposed to diverse cultures, landscapes, and people that positively enriched his overall perspective on life. “I've learned that kindness and human connection are universal, regardless of language or cultural barriers, and that being open-minded and adaptable is key to navigating the challenges and joys of long-term travel.” He wants aspiring travellers to embrace the unknown and encourage them to prioritise meaningful experiences over materialistic possessions. Nishchay wants them to cultivate an attitude of gratitude and humility towards the world and its people.
This life is equally exciting and demanding considering all the challenges that it brings with itself. One has to really commit to every bit of it and be open to face any backbreaking situations with calm and patience. He was raised by a single mother, so life was never all rosy for him. Talking about facing challenges along the way and dealing with the same, he said, “I started working back in my college days to handle all my personal expenses. It was quite a difficult task to convince my mother to allow me to pursue travel photography as a full-time profession but with subsequent time, it all happened. The only lesson I have learned over all these years is that the virtue of patience is the key, and everything will fall into place at its own pace and time.”
In this era where everyone walks around with a portable camera in hand, ready to capture anything and everything they feel looks good, Nishchay uses his skills to reach out to a larger audience through content creation. It was not just travelling that was a dream for this self-dependent artist who works on keeping originality alive in everything he shares. Nishchay Jain’s travel journey took a dynamic turn when he finally turned his dream a reality of owning and travelling into his very own Home on Wheels - ‘Barty The Van’. Named after his mother ‘Bharati’ whom he lost in November 2021, the van that has become his partner-in-crime is a tribute to her memories. “Back in my school days, I used to curiously watch a lot of shows about food trucks, and even tried to convince my mother for a food truck after my junior college but it didn’t happen. When I started doing photography, I saw a few photographers living in a van that gave me inspiration again but this time to build a home on wheels.”
He's been on a journey with his caravan to capture fascinating visuals from unexplored locations across the country for a while now. He aims to explore and travel across the country while capturing the hidden villages and towns’ magical stories that need to be seen more.
While the van holds a sentimental value in his life, it is not all merry as social media or the movies will make us believe it to be. There is a lot of effort, time, and energy that one has to spend on it to make it the dream ‘home on the road’ that you need. Nishchay who has been living in one was open about the struggles that come with the joy of owning a caravan. “It's not as fancy as it looks on social media. You always have to worry about the place that you're going to park, whether is it safe or not. Further, the van culture is very new in India so we lack infrastructure facilities currently such as van parks but, in a few years, I feel it will be much better.”
Not to forget he highlights the basics of this life that attracts one the most - being minimalistic and self-sufficient. “You learn to appreciate the simplicity of life and become more resourceful in managing your daily needs, from water and electricity to cooking and storage.” He talks about the freedom that the van life offers to travel at one's own pace and explore off-the-beaten-path locations. “You have the flexibility to change your itinerary and stay in different places, allowing for unique and spontaneous experiences.”
Considering how exciting this life sounds, one might always wonder what restoring a van looks like. Especially with social media, there are influencers who share their journey of turning an old beat-up van into a liveable space that they can travel around with. The plan is to join the tribe, for which Nishchay has a guide.
“Restoring a van and making it habitable in India requires careful planning, resourcefulness, and attention to detail. It's important to prioritise safety, comfort, and functionality in your design, and be prepared for challenges along the way. With proper planning and execution, you can create a cozy and functional living space in your van to explore the diverse landscapes of India.”
Before letting us go, he gave us insight into what people can expect to see in his home and it's definitely not disappointing.
He mentioned everything one will come across when entering his van. When you enter the van from the right-hand side, there's a fully functional kitchen, and on the left side there’s a restroom and there is a 50 litres fridge which runs on solar power. Barty also has a 2.5 feet bed which opens to a proper queen size bed and there are two working desks one is inside, and the other is outside to help me complete my work whenever and wherever I want. Further, there are overhead storage compartments with ratan work on it.
There are ample charging ports inside the van. Additionally, on the roof of the van, there are 3 solar panels and a sitting deck and on the left side of the van, there's a canopy that opens to 5 feet that can be expanded as your living area.
If anything, Nishchay and Barty the Van has a lot of adventures and stories to share. Ones that we would always be excited about and have an open ear to.
Life on the road don't seem so bad after all! What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
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