About Mariellen

Welcome to Breathedreamgo! My name is Mariellen Ward and I’m an award-winning professional travel writer based in Rishikesh, India. I started travel blogging in 2005 and launched Breathedreamgo in August 2009 — inspired by my extensive travels in India (and South Asia). Click here for more about this site, Breathedreamgo, or for my company India for Beginners.

I have a BA in Journalism from Ryerson University in Toronto (1986) and write for leading international newspapers, magazines and online sites (see portfolio below). I am also a seasoned communications professional, copywriter, and editor. You can find out more about my corporate communications work on my Linkedin profile.

India travel blog

My passion is travel in India, the underlying theme of my writing is the power of travel to connect and transform, and I am an advocate of women’s solo travel and responsible travel / sustainable tourism practices.

In 2019, I won the National Tourism Award for Best Foreign Travel Journalist / Blogger from Incredible India Tourism (2019), and I have been short-listed several times for responsible tourism awards — most recently for the Outlook Indian Responsible Tourism Award (2020) for Best Communicator.

To find out “why India” please read How I quit my job to travel or My Story. In 2010 I published my first book, Song of India: Tales of Travel and Transformation. You can get a free PDF copy of this book by signing up for my inspiring newsletter Dispatches.

Responsible travel

Responsible travel principles have always been important to me, since the start of my career. I carry a reusable bottle when I travel and refill it with filtered water. I take great care to show cultural respect while travelling and in my writing. I try and promote fair trade artisans and organizations, responsible tourism companies, and well-managed wildlife tourism. I speak out against irresponsible practices and animal cruelty, such as elephant riding. In 2020, I trained as a naturalist at a tiger reserve in India.

Please scroll down to see a select portfolio of my travel-related writing.

For profile / travel pictures please visit this Flickr set.