Who is American Yatrik?

Welcome to the American Yatrik Travel Blog, where I journal my travels, share the beautiful scenery through photography, and offer my insights on places to go, things to see.

Hello to all the travel enthusiasts, family and friends of the American Yatrik, and everyone who happens to wander onto this blog site.

So who (or what) is American Yatrik?

Well, my name is Ashesh (pronounced: uh-shay-sh) Vora (pronounced: Voh-rah) and I am the American Yatrik. I enjoy traveling, taking pictures, and sharing my experiences.

The significance of the title "American Yatrik"

Now that you know who American Yatrik is, the question becomes "what's the significance of the American Yatrik title?" The simple answer is it describes what I do and have been doing since my early childhood.

The American identifies who I am, where I'm from, and the location of most of my travel.

And the Yatrik part? The Yatrik identifies what I enjoy doing, and that is traveling. You see, the work Yatrik is a Hindi word (with Sanskrit roots) translating to "traveler". For those who may not know, Hindi is the national language of India. The use of a Hindi word not only allows me to uniquely describe what I enjoy doing but also allows me to honor my Indian heritage.

Where my love of travel began

In the 80's, a family vacation meant ROAD TRIP. We'd wake up early, pack the family car, and head out on the highway. Back in those days, with no cell phones, tablets, or modern electronics, entertainment was playing card or board games, looking for out-of-state license plates, reading (which i rarely did), or sleeping. The "are we there yet" line of questioning came up quite often and annoyed my parents. Besides the memories and time with family, what I loved about the road trips was playing navigator (I'd hog the AAA Trip-Tik and give directions) and watching America pass by in the window; the mountains, the rivers, the sunrises, the sunsets, the night sky, the city skylines from a distance...

How my joy of photography started

Getting to take pictures with the family camera was a big deal. My dad was very cautious when it came to who handled the camera, let alone trusting a child (keep in mind I was under 15 throughout the 80's) to handle something as expensive as a camera. The first few times I got to use the camera, I had a chaperone. But the more I asked for the responsibility, the more trust I built. And, by the late-80's, I became the family camera man. By the mid-90's I was proficient with both a camera and a camcorder. Back then, most of the subject matter was family, friends, events, and landmarks. It wasn't until I graduated college and began work as a Field Service Representative, traveling the country for months at a time, when my focus shifted to landscapes and nature.

Back before Apple and the iPhone ushered in the smartphone revolution, I would've had to carry a camera and film from place to place. So, rather than carrying a camera with the possibility of losing or breaking it, or having to worry about unprocessed film in an airport x-ray machine, I decided to work with pharmacy-store quality disposable cameras. For the time, and as a hobby, it fit the bill. I got a few good photographs. But it wasn't until around 2001 that I upgraded to small digital camera.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Travel Blog and Photography

American Yatrik isn't my first travel blog. Back in the early 2000's, during the height of my traveling career, I started a website and shared my traveling lifestyle, photography, and thoughts with a small group of interested friends. As my life changed with time, I let that site phase out. Hindsight being what it is, I probably missed out on a golden opportunity. Well, fast-forward to today. I'm back. And I'd like to pick up where I left off. Along with this site, I have photo-portal / store where you can also view my work and purchase the images that captivate and inspire you.

Thank You and Join Me!

I appreciate your time and getting to know me and I'd love to have you join me on my quest to find and explore much of America's hidden gems, as I continue to journey across America.

If you are not already following me on Instagram, you can find me @AmericanYatrik

Also subscribe to the American Yatrik blog to stay in the know. Be one of the first to read the newest blog posts, view videos of my recent adventures, and see additions to the travel galleries as they're uploaded.

Please share with your friends and family.