Misadventures With The Misfit Rebel

A woman made of many stories, Nadia Hasbi shares her tales of adventure— and misadventure, as well as her tips on travelling outside comfort zones

- Nafisa Dahodwala

From being a corporate queen to starting her own enterprise, the founder of Fit Rebel has wooed fitness freaks and yoga posers with her collection of hand-painted batik sports leggings that add colour to any daily morning run. The witty and bubbly entrepreneur, who adds ‘author’ to her already-impressive resume with the release of her book, The Misfit Rebel, is also a very eager traveller.

Having travelled to over 20 countries, Nadia shares some travel advice for business travellers, adventurers as well as first-timers who are ready for a rebellious adventure, just as Nadia was when she first started travelling.

“DON’T BE AFRAID TO TALK TO STRANGERS. YOU MIGHT JUST GET FED.”

The gallivanter recalls a trip she made to Peru in pursuit of exploring Machu Picchu. It started with a hike up an Inca trail to get a bird’s eye view of the famous landmark. “On the hike, I befriended a fellow tourist from Australia and we began sharing our travel tales and tips. Once we reached the summit, I reached for my bottle of water and I suddenly realised that I did not carry any! Just as my stomach growled with hunger, my hiking buddy came up to me and offered some granola bars and a bottle of water. It was such a treat,” says Nadia.