Ep. 04: Feat. Utsav Mamoria

“There are no new destinations, only new ways of seeing”

Utsav Mamoria is a market researcher by training and profession, and a slow traveler by passion. If that sounds familiar, that’s because you’ve heard him say those words atop his podcast, Postcards From Nowhere. In this show, Utsav talks about slow travel - the practice of appreciating and building memories rather than checking off a box. And in many ways, that philosophy could be extended to life itself.

Utsav was the perfect guest for Getting Meta. He’s deeply passionate about his job (market research), something that’s a rarity in today’s corporate world. He’s a passionate traveler, but not for him the Insta-perfect vistas and the beaten path - he’s all about the stories, the people, the unexplored, the offbeat, with no guarantee that things might even go right. Basically, slow travel. And he’s also a delight to talk to as he brings points from all his various passions and experiences together, often drawing parallels from market research to travel.

In this episode, Utsav and I discuss:
Optimism and acceptance of privilege
How his profession really is just an extension of his nature (understanding people and the world around him)
Delightful stories from the field: Including when someone confessed about their condom habits to him in a mall
How to find the future (and job) that is right for you
The three things that you need for good travel (a selfie stick is not one of them)
Making connections between various dots that come out of experience and stories
Good financial advice = good travel advice = good life advice

Utsav and I are good friends and we’ve spent many conversations joking about - but this was one of the more serious and intense conversations we had. We’re pretty sure you will like it and get something out of it.

Everything Utsav Mamoria
His podcast, Postcards From Nowhere (Website | Spotify | Apple | Stitcher | Google)
His Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whywetravel42/
His Twitter:

References made during the show, not in order:
His post on questions to ask yourself:

Utsav has appeared on my other show, Simblified, many times: To talk about market research, taking a sabbatical, and traveling on a desi budget. All of those can be found here:

A game designer who analysed QAnon: