29/05/2021
https://www.facebook.com/188056068070045/posts/1699789406896696/
“We met each other on a movie set; we were aspiring filmmakers. There was a spark from the start. And the more we spoke, the more we realised how alike we were, especially when it came to our love for the mountains. I’m a pahaadi and Bharti visited the mountains every year. We gradually just fell into a relationship.
And when our shoot wrapped up, we took a trip to Manali to blow off some steam. We went on the most scenic treks and to the coziest cafes. I even introduced her to my friends and family there. Being in the mountains with Bharti felt so fulfilling and peaceful. Even when we came back to the city, we were mentally still there.
Resuming our lives back in the city and getting back to working 12+ hours a day was tough; I’d constantly think about our time in Manali. In fact, when we’d initially met, Bharti and I’d joke about moving to the mountains for good, but that trip made me realise I actually wanted that for us. And then it’s like the Universe heard us, because a production house got in touch with us–they wanted us to shoot a travel series in the mountains. We jumped at that offer and within a month, we took off.
Working on that travel series was like a dream come true. I was living in the mountains with the girl I loved while making travel content. We’d catch up with friends, spend our evenings reading and on weekends we’d work at our friends’ orchards. Even growing our own vegetables was a thrill.
A year went by, our project wrapped up, but we didn’t want to return. Now that we’d actually lived in the mountains, we couldn’t imagine getting back to the rat race in a concrete jungle. And so, we decided to start our own YouTube Channel–Ronnie & Barty!
Initially, our savings took a huge hit; vlogging was new back then. But we had to make it work– we wanted to live this life. So from discovering hidden gems in Himachal or restoring mud houses in Lahaul, we worked hard on building good content. Over 3 years, people took notice, we grew and then brands paid us to travel!
It’s been 5 years since we decided to ditch the city life. And it's been the best decision of our lives. ‘Ronnie and Barty’ could happen because Rohan and Bharti decided to work towards a life that they’d envisioned. We didn’t want to live a life chasing pay cheques, so we chose one where we chase sunsets!”
