2011 to 2021 - 29 to 39 A decade well travelled!

 I have been wondering what to write in my decade post since the end of 2020. 1.5 years later, I know exactly what to write. I already know what I will be writing in my 2030 post though.

When I was younger, I never thought I would get married. In the 90's, a girl with certain health issues was destined to remain single and live alone. The joke about living with cats also came in very late, I would have been a happier kid had I known I will have a certain feline for company. 

Anyway, when I did get married, I had no expectations of travel. In the sad 90's, my sojourns were restricted to Nainital, Dadi house, and Nani house. Thank God my grandmothers lived in different cities than mine, otherwise Pinki, Billu and Chacha Choudhary would have severely restricted world view.

2011 - I was exhilarated when the Boy and I decided to go to Europe in 2011. I thought it will be my first and who knows, last trip to the beautiful continent. I insisted on going to France and Switzerland because I wanted to see the best places first lest I never went back. That was the start of the wonderful adventure we embarked upon and we have never looked back.

2012 - The Boy had started a new job and so we decided to take it easy and went to Turkey. Istanbul was one hyped city I did not like.

2013 - Since we were scared we might not get to travel much in life, we ventured into the U.S. of A! I loved the beauty of California and the unabashed Vegas. New York wasn't for the small town people like us - but I want to go again to like it!.

2014 - This was the luckiest year of our life in many ways. We won a free trip to Bangladesh for a Cricket World Cup final. The trip was like no other. We then went to Austria to give our parents a taste of beautiful Europe. It was the first and last time I cooked meals on a trip. We can eat almost anything and survive on outside food for months, but the elderly parents needed ghar ka khana and I was a good daughter-in-law! Our third trip this year was to Greece with friends. Santorini was beautiful but ruined by glorifying sunsets and hordes of tourists (like us!). We won a lot of lucky draws in 2014 and also bought our first luxury car. Ah, such an amazing year!

2015 - We went to Cyprus in the summer of 2015. We swam in the beach every single day and consider it one of our best trips. We also went to Amsterdam, Black Forest and Munich for Oktoberfest this year. I tried magic mushrooms and marijuana and the joy of being lost in thought and mountains. All these three places remain our favourite. 2015 was a triumphant year!

2016 - Portugal was a hidden gem that found a place in our hearts, Spain was a tad over-rated but Ibiza did live up to the hype. But the best part of 2016 was our impromptu trip to Prague. The beauty of that city is etched in my heart forever and it is my favourite city in the world.

2017 - This was a tough year for me. I became weaker and discovered that only when I could not walk a lot in my travels. Everything had suddenly become more difficult and it made me cry several times in Croatia. Dubrovnik was a joy, and Hvar island remains a place with one of our fondest memories of sleeping at the ferry terminal! We also took a 26-hour flight and travelled across oceans to St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica and Miami. Our love for Bob Marley was born.

2018 - We took a leap of faith and went for cruise to the Baltics. 13 days on a ship with seven ports and three days in St. Petersburg went by in a jiffy and left us craving for more. We dream of  cruises now and hopefully will return to them soon enough.

2019 - I took my first girls trip to Amsterdam. It was a nightmare!! My health makes me anxious and things weren't easy. I hope I can break that feeling and go back with my girls who insist on taking me again! We went to U.K and Ireland this year as well. Watching the Cricket World Cup in the mecca of cricket was an experience I will never forget. We went to Jindal Naturecure in Bangalore and learnt so much about our health and eating. And then, we went to Prague again and fell in love with every single minute there.

2020 - Little did we know this year will be a tough one. Since we did not travel to a foreign destination, we moved to the suburbs leaving a fun filled apartment life. We are village people now and like it in many ways. We miss the hustle bustle of the city and miss it a lot too! We did go to Goa which is a leap year tradition and we wouldn't have missed it for Corona!!

2021 - We went to our favourite Black Forest and discovered the joy of doing nothing in Budapest. It was one of the best trips also because it was after a long hiatus. Yes, we have been to Europe several times but its so gorgeous that I would go there year after year and not feel bored.

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I consider myself very lucky that I can travel so much. We go to India atleast twice a year and visit Dubai often. Travelling from Bahrain is not easy - it requires long flights and expensive tickets since air travel isn't cheap here. Yes, we spend a lot of money on this but it is how we relish every year of our life. We plan to spend more and more and invest in these memories for best returns in our old age. I leave a piece of my heart wherever I go and give flying kisses to the hotels. I don't miss my bed or friends or anything. Travel with the Boy is easily my most favourite thing and hence, this decade was amazing beyond words!

Memories from the Germany-Hungary trip

 

When you visit a new place, every single day is an experience. Sometimes there are challenges which make you learn and grow. Isn’t that what travel all about? Apart from the immense joy it brings to your life, of course!

So this year when we went to Germany and Hungary, the Boy and I had our share of interesting experiences which I thought I’d share here.

Transport offense

Our hotel in Frankfurt gave us a complimentary pass for the local transport for the length of our stay which was 4 nights. It had my name spelt wrong so I had to change it when I noticed the mistake the next day. On day 3, we were on a local tram when the inspectors came to check the tickets. We took ours out and as I was holding and waiting for the inspectors, I noticed that the receptionist had given me a 2-day pass by mistake and it was now expired! The inspector came to our seat and just as I was about to show him my ticket, he walked behind us where a drunk man was sitting and spitting all over the place. We had actually noticed him before and therefore decided to change our seats and sit away from him. Anyway, the inspector and his colleague dragged him out and made him get off at the next stop. We too got off without them checking our tickets!

It was a narrow escape. Even though the fine was 60 euro, I had major palpitations because I am the types who follows the rules to the T. Lesson learnt – drunk people are super cool.

License blunder

While we were in Baden-Baden, we went to pick up our pre-booked car. We had plans to drive around the Black Forest for 3 days. We had done the area before in public transport and so this time we wanted to do something different. It was quite exciting because the prospect of stopping anywhere, going to random places without planning, and just exploring at our own pace was fun in itself.

When we went to Sixt to pick up our vehicle, the manager asked the Boy for his international driver’s licence, his passport and his licence from the country of residence. Now when we travel, we tend to empty our wallets and keep only the necessary cards and cash. The Boy had left his national licence in Bahrain because it was not required. The manager refused to give us a car without it.

Frustrated that all our plans will need to change now, we tried to contact the other car rental agencies. Avis readily agreed to give us a car with our documents in hand and we had a Volkswagon in less than half an hour!

Lesson learnt – keep only the important things with you when you travel. Oh, we know this from before!

Health struggles

I always plan my trips very diligently because I don't want any health struggles. I have difficulty climbing steps and walking uphill and so before going to a place of interest, I see how the location is wheelchair friendly because if it is good for a disabled, it should be ok for me.

This trip was planned at the last moment due to forever changing covid numbers. I was not able to plan every single thing. When we were in Budapest, we decided to go to a cute near-by village called Szentendre. This town was one hour by train. When we reached the train station I saw that the step into the trains was very high. Usually the Boy lifts me up in such situations. But I have a thing with trains. Since they stop only for a minute or two, I panic in case of a difficulty. That is exactly what happened. I could not climb, it was a huge step, the Boy tried to help me but his usual style wasn't working, and the train's door was about to shut and leave the station!

It was the scariest moment ever. But my Knight in shining Armour lifted me with all his might and I was in the train. It took me a while to get over this and while returning I was just glad that Szentendre was the first station for the train and I had ten minutes to get into it!

Why o Why do they make steps like that! We need a more inclusive society and this is one reason I dread going back to India. There I can't do anything alone!

Leap of faith

I love being in nature. The idea of being in a dense forest with the smell of nothing but trees and wet sand is my most favourite thing in the world. But unfortunately, most of this involves hiking which I cannot do. When we were in Baden-Baden, we took a cable car to the top of a hill. This place had mesmerizing views and a dense forest along the way. It was approximately 4 kilometres from the base which didn't seem like a difficult task going downhill.

I entered a part of the trek on the top and was amazed by how serene it was. Emotions took over me and I started walking downhill convincing the Boy that I will manage the whole way. After one kilometer I realised what a mistake this was. Although I was loving every breath I took, each step felt like an enormous task. With several breaks we managed to reach the base but by then it had started raining and I was drained! I lost balance and fell down, without getting hurt, thankfully. We didn't have a car on this day and the bus was about half an hour away. With no bench in sight, we decided to call a cab.

The next day was super scary! When I walked out of the hotel for breakfast, the floor was moving. My nervous system had completely gone bonkers from the experience! I prayed for this to pass which it did in two days.

Will I do the downhill trek again! Oh, yes, but probably towards the end of the trip so that I can have my bed rest for two days!

Sweetest gestures

When we called the cab after my experience mentioned above, it was raining heavily. On arrival to the hotel, the cab driver told me to wait in the car. He ran to take out an umbrella from the boot and escorted me to the hotel door! I cannot forget his sweet face ever! 

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Ah, sweet memories, I want to go back already!

How to get a digital EU Covid health pass if you are vaccinated outside of Europe

If you are familiar with Covid-19 applications, then there must be one which is widely used in your country. It has your vaccination details, your test history, the situation in your country, and is needed at many places for entry. Similarly, Germany has Luca for its citizens and since June, EU launched an application which saves your vaccine certificate digitally to make travel easy between the Schenghen zone. It is called CovPass.

How to have your vaccination certificate issued in your country visible on the CovPass or how to convert your vaccination certificate into an EU digital certificate? The process is simple although it has certain steps.

First, you have to find the pharmacies that issue digital vaccine certificate in a particular city. Our first city was Baden-Baden in Germany. I found a list of pharmacies there which issue the same and emailed a few. This list can be found here.

There were a few that said that they will not convert, but one responded in the positive. It said that they need my vaccination proof with a QR code and my passport.

When we landed, this is the first thing we did. The pharmacist scanned my QR code and performed checks on their device. Then she issued me an equivalent vaccine certificate for Germany which had another QR code. All I had to do then was scan this code into the CovPass and I was done! I was now free to move in the Schenghen zone! I could also scan this code in the local Luca application which was checked at many places in Germany.

Note that I am vaccinated with Pfizer Biontech vaccine. You can only get an EU pass with certain vaccines. As far as I know, Sinopharm and Sputnik are not accepted.

We travelled to Germany, Hungary and France after this and did not have any problems. We showed our CovPass whenever asked which was quite a few times and it was easily accepted.

To find the list of pharmacies issuing this certificate will require some research. For the German list, you can look here.

There might soon be a global application to show your vaccination status. Or better still, Covid-19 will miraculously vanish from the face of the world and we will be able to jump with joy across borders without any problems.

Planning a trip during this pandemic requires a lot of research. But trust me, it is all worth it in the end!

P.s. Rules regarding Covid-19 are forever changing. This was my experience in August 2021 in Germany. Please do your research before travelling.

X is for... X'mas in Prague

There was a life before Covid19. A life in which we were working crazy hours, travelling the world and planning an exciting 2020. I was there too.

But before 2019 ended, the Boy and I decided to take an impromptu trip to Prague. Normally, we plan our vacations one year in advance, but 2019 was different. We went to a Naturecare Institute for 13 days and badly needed a vacation after that. We did not have any leaves left so had to utilize just the four days of public holidays in December. Luckily, we had a valid Schenghen visa.

Can you blame us for loving this city?

So, we scouted for the cheapest ticket, which wasn’t so cheap considering school holidays had already started, and landed in Prague, for the second time in four years.

We based ourselves in a different area, it was freezing cold and every nook and corner was decorated in Christmas spirit. It was a very different Prague that I had seen last time. Only this time, it was more magical!

Different squares were decorated and there were a lot of Christmas markets.
The food and the wine was incredible.

Prague is a city out of a fairytale, Christmas makes it more dreamy.

Anyway, I was keen to take a photo in the same spot as I did on my last visit. That particular picture had won me 500 USD, so it was special. Also, it was my most favourite picture from all my albums.

We took the exact same tram and walked over to Letna Park. Since the daylight hours were much less, we could not reach the spot on time. When we reached the place, I took a hundred pictures but it did not come out exactly the same. Then the Boy searched for the last one and then matched the scenery! We walked a bit more and found the exact same spot!

In four years, I seem to have aged more, and the light is less, other than that, everything looks picture perfect!

Me in  Dec 2019

Award winning, fave picture, me in Oct 2016

The next day, the Boy went to exchange some money in a shop. We had walked a lot so I decided to sit on a bench while he hunted for the best rates. Prague can be pretty tricky when it comes to exchanging Koruna. Anyway, while he was gone I was just looking at my phone when a man came and sat rather close to me. I felt he was staring at me and I did not like the vibe.

I immediately got up and walked close to a mother who was sitting on another bench with her three children. There was no space on the bench and so I just stood there praying that they don’t leave before the Boy comes. I was so scared that I didn’t even try to check if that man was gone or if he was still following me. The family stayed for a bit and then walked away. I immediately found another spot I could go to if the man came back!

I was sitting on one of these benches during the day..

So, these things happen when you are travelling! Unpleasant experiences are a part of the travelling game. Nonetheless, they make you smarter, like I was the moment I saw the man sit next to me!

On another note, do visit a European city in second half of December. The Christmas markets are beautiful, and the weather is not too cold to handle. Prague is my last travel memory before Covid, and certainly one of the best ones. 

Please, please, please visit these cities once during Christmas time.
You won't regret it!

R is for... Riga and Rum and Coke

It is the third phase of AtoZ and I am unable to write. I must post a write-up beginning with R nine hours from now, and it makes me anxious that I haven't even thought about what I am going to pen down. Writing should not be that hard right?

At the same time, this AtoZ has made me happier than I would have been in this lockdown. I wake up wanting to read different blogs, spend my day thinking about what I will write, and sleep after publishing the post of the day. The process reminds me how much I love writing and how I should be spending more time on it than I do.

Anyhow, for the last one hour I’ve been sitting with my laptop in front of me but cannot write a word. It happens to all of us. So, I thought about sharing my experience in Riga from 2018. Remember, I started out with writing Travel stories this month? Ha!

I had never heard of Riga in Latvia. I had not even heard of Latvia in Europe. So when the Baltic cruise offered this port stop, me and the Boy were excited to explore a lesser known destination. However, we were disappointed by what it had to offer. We picked up the map of a hop-on-hop-off bus tour and decided to explore the spots by walking.

Within a couple of hours, we had seen a square, a museum, and a palace. We walked along a stream and that was it. So we decided to do what we enjoy most – sit in an open café, drink cocktails and watch the world go by.

My favourite go-to drink is rum and coke, or Cuba Libre to the more alcohol-educated community! I had one and then another one, and then I was set.

To the alcohol uneducated, set means happy high. It means the most boring thing starts to look fun. It creates a buzz in your head and then you begin to create a buzz around yourself. I love being set. Anything more than set is something I cannot stand, I will explain the stage beyond set in another post!

So here we were in Riga, a town that had created some decorative bears representing every country in the world, to make each cruise visitor happy. Beyond that, there were no photo opportunities, nothing spectacular about this dead city.

But rum and coke makes everything better. After me and the Boy were a tad runk, we both started our walk again. Only this time, we sang hindi songs at the top of our voices. The fact that at 4 p.m. most of the cruise visitors were already back on the ship and most of the town dwellers were seemingly asleep, helped us be invisible even at a high-pitched volume.

I am a big believer of state of mind. This experience re-enforced my belief that you can be happy and satisfied if you want to be. Riga remains one of my happier destinations and I credit that to rum and coke!

E is for… England and Cricket Match Stories

I had chosen Travel stories as a theme for my AtoZ Challenge this year. However, my mind is wandering and I feel like writing some fiction. So, after today, I will write stories, but they can be about anything! Lets do this.
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If you want to learn how to do a great business deal, learn it from a Sindhi. I was at the Oval, in London, you know. India was playing against Australia in a league match of ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. We were thrilled to get the tickets which we had chanced upon only one day before the match. I wore my best clothes lest I came on television, just like the last match. Last match? Oh yes…

Let me start from the beginning. We decided in 2014 that we will go to London in 2019 when they host the Cricket World Cup. I don’t know my right arm swing from my LBW, but I do know Virat is a vegan and Dhoni has a daughter. I love clapping, screaming, dancing and trying all my moves to come on television. So, I tried to get the tickets for the event in 2018 and succeeded.

We went for India vs South Africa in Southampton. I was on television just after the toss, so bucket list no. 1 was done and dusted. People from all over the world messaged me that they saw us on television. Mission was accomplished, task was completed, now we had to sit through 8 hours of bat and ball.

Me and the Boy on TV. Someone paused Hotstar and took a photo for us!

Easy-peasy. Sing, dance, eat, drink and be merry. I had fun doing the Mexican wave too.

We went to London thereafter and met many friends while we were there. We hardly saw the city because we were busy chit-chatting with people from college. I had planned my stay in London according to a scheduled match date because I knew we will get lucky. Overconfidence, I tell you. It worked.

Watching a match in the Oval was the best experience. I don’t know how many times I screamed – Dus rupay ki Pepsi, Mera Kohli Sexy. Also, Panch rupay ka cola, Mera Dhoni Shola. There were some cool, rowdy boys behind us singing patriotic hindi songs. I sang along in my croaky voice just because you only live once!

We had a huge group from Gujarat sitting in the row just below us. You know how some Gujaratis are – they had theplas, haldiram bhujia, laddoos, and what not in their backpack. As much as we frown upon this strange characteristic, I would anytime eat Haldiram bhujia over French fries with Beer in a stadium in London! There is a certain amount of thrill attached to it.

Anyway, although we had exchanged quite a few smiles between us, I could never ask for those snacks. We were happily sitting with our flags and hair wigs and just eyeing the goodies. The ladies below us wanted to wear those props and take cool selfies to send home. Very conveniently, one of them almost pulled the wig from my hand and then, one by one, they all started posing and taking pictures.

Now I am certainly not the type who would let this go without a barter. I mean, asking for my stuff is one thing, literally taking it was another! When they opened the next packet of bhujia, I commented how it all looked yum. With some hesitation, they filled a plate with spicy Haldiram mix and handed it over to us!

I cannot tell you how fulfilling that was! Also, watching them go crazy so that they can come on television was a whole lot of fun too. I am sure someone was relishing my excitement just as much!

Even though we explored a bit of Scotland and then went to Ireland as well, the best thing about this trip was the experiences we had watching the matches. I cannot wait to go to another event like this one – whenever that may be.

Also, no matter how many IPL matches you go to, or watch Twenty-twenty from close quarters, nothing can beat the thrill of a One-day international match. I hope and pray that this generations starts to like this form of cricket and keeps it alive.

B is for… Bahrain – My Current Home

After living with my parents in Lucknow for 26 years of my life, I moved to an entirely different place. This tiny island country in the Middle East was unheard of. I had no idea what lay ahead of me. But you see, that is the beauty of your 20’s – you don’t think, plan or feel scared about any adventure you undertake. You just go with the flow and it all works out.

I truly love this country - no two thoughts about that!

Fast forward two years, we witnessed the Arab Spring in 2011. It started in Egypt and took over the entire Middle East. The Shia majority in Bahrain wanted to overthrow the Sunni regime. They wanted equal rights like the minority community, for which they fought hard. There were rallies, protests, tyre burning in various places, the works.

Meanwhile, the other half of the population – the expat community – was unsure of their role under the circumstances. We feared massive demonstrations, food shortages, roadblocks, and worst.

It was 5 a.m. one morning and I heard sounds that replicated gunshots. I woke up the Boy and rushed to the window to check. We could not see any smoke or commotion but could still hear the thuds. After scanning the whole area, we saw a man in our parking lot. He had a dusting cloth in his hand and was cleaning a rather dirty car by repeatedly hitting it with the cloth...

We(I) were that paranoid!

That evening there was a meeting in one of our friend’s home. He said that he had decided to send his family to India. We booked our tickets to Dubai as well and thought of going to a cousin’s place for a few days. We had to take a very different route to the airport since the main one was closed. What's more, the airport was crowded with familiar faces; everyone we knew was going away for a few days. Somehow, it didn’t feel scary anymore.

Anyway, thankfully things got back to normal (for us) a few days later. Lives were lost in the process; some were taken into custody. Maybe the government did help the dissatisfied community, or maybe it didn’t. You can never know that, can you? A few days of lockdown affected the economy badly. We were just happy that our jobs were safe.

Bahrain waterfront

The coronavirus epidemic feels like a prolonged Arab Spring. This time, the entire world is facing the same problems and so, you cannot run anywhere. We can only hope that it shall pass and pray to a God who may or may not listen to our demands. Will he listen to our repeated protests against the virus? - only time will tell. Some people will lose lives, other will face economic repercussions that may feel like imprisonment of a different kind.

Obviously, we’ve had many happy memories here, but this just felt like something we could connect to in these times. If you or your friends ever plan to come here, send me a message. I am also on Tripadvisor and Quora bringing people closer to Bahrain! If your trip is during a weekend, we can even show you around. Yes, we are that vela, and yes, we always love to go out even if it is to the same places, which is usually the case in my tiny island country!

P.S. B could also have been B for Bangladesh. You can read about it in my 2014 A to Z challenge.

Health Trip Review - 13 days at Jindal Naturecare Institute

Jindal Naturecare Institute is a wellness spot in Bangalore, India where people go to treat minor ailments with the help of naturopathy. It is spread over 100 acres of land and is like a smallish township where you have everything that you will need including a small shop and salon(!!) while you stay there taking care of your health. We chose to go for 13 days to detox and learn new ways to live a healthier lifestyle. It was a one-of-a-kind experience that will stay with me forever. Considering the fact that 90% of the people we met there were there for the nth time, who knows, we might go again!

The campus has three types of accommodation – Economy, Executive and Deluxe. The facilities – doctors, therapy centre, eating place, kriya area, etc – are separate for Economy and Executive & Deluxe for the ease of operations. Whichever accommodation you choose, be assured that you will never feel lonely as everyone there has a smile on their face and is willing to make a friend. Also, you CAN use your gadgets in the room and your mobile phone in certain public areas. You are here to detox so they tell you not to, but it is not a jail!

Our cottage on the ground floor - this was a mid range accomodation -
extremely spacious, clean and centrally located!

Yoga and laughter area

Your day starts at 5.30 in the morning with yogic kriyas followed by meditation, laughter and yoga. At first, I found laughter session extremely weird, but that changed when one morning I was feeling extremely low which changed after a few stupid forced laughs. Post that, it became one of my favourite sessions to attend.

After the morning session, you get to enjoy your first drink at 7.45 a.m. It can be anything from Jaggery water with ginger, to bhindi water! Plus, you get a handful of sprouts as well.

From 8 a.m. you start to attend what your doctor has recommended for you. On the very first day we met four doctors – Naturopath, Yoga instructor, Acupuncturist and Physiotherapist. The gave us a list of things that would suit our ailment. You are suppose to meet your Naturopath every day to discuss your current state and plan for the next day.

The lake side path

We normally started with cold mud pack on the abdomen in our room which is very good for digestion. Post that I tried to see my doctor and finish that off! You are scheduled two therapies per day in the therapy centre which can be an awesome massage, cleansing colon hydrotherapy, water therapy or wax/mustard/castor oil packs to sooth aches and pains. One therapy is scheduled in the first half, and the other in the next.

The other juices (green smoothie, wholesome juice, aloe vera, coconut, soya milk, etc) are given to you at 8.45 am, 2 p.m., 3.45 p.m. and 8.15 pm. Lunch and Dinner is at 10.45 a.m. and 5.45 p.m. respectively. With so many meals and activities you hardly ever feel hungry. As for what they put on your plate, well that depends on what your doctor has recommended for you. It could be a full meal consisting of soup, chapati/khichadi, vegetables, fruit and buttermilk. Or, it can be a raw diet - soup, steamed vegetables and fruit. Third, just soup or juice, also known as liquid diet fasting. Whatever it is, you will not be forced into it by your doctor unless you are reluctant to try new things. Or maybe not even then.

We filled the gaps in between with optional things -  acupuncture, physiotherapy, walks in the path and reflexology. There were multiple yoga sessions for various diseases, and we attended a few. We even took a nap every day after our lunch – otherwise the day became very tiring. Considering how big the facility is, I was taking 13 - 14000 steps without even going to the walking path!

Every evening there was some 'entertainment' session organised in the common hall which ranged from a cooking session, diet tips, antakshari night, housie, carom tournament and a movie night. I can't comment on them because I didn't attend any because I was busy talking to people!! Evenings were meant to socialise and meet several people from various walks of life. We met and spoke to many, many people. There was comfort in knowing that everyone was going through something or the other and they were there to fight it. Also, conversations helped us discuss common problems and take advice, most of which has been very fruitful.

Water shed in the walking path

The central meeting spot!

There must be more than 200 guests in the campus (mostly from Mumbai and Gujarat) and more than 200 staff members to take care of them. Even though you are not suppose to tip them, every attendant was smiling and helpful. I can say each one of them was like a nurse who was there to take care of you whenever you needed.

There is so much more I can say about the place. Initially, like all others, I felt slight nausea and found the whole thing very challenging - both emotionally and physically. But as days progressed, I began to love the experience. I realised how much I, and almost everyone I know, needs to be there atleast once to understand so many things about their body.

Peacocks along the walking path!

It is definitely a beautiful place with healing powers if you embrace the experience completely. I plan to follow what I have learnt to the T and go back when I feel I am failing in my attempts, for this is exactly what this place does – brings you closer to your health goals and remind you how you need to take care of the one gift that God gave you – your body.

Caribbean Tales - 3 days in Antigua and Barbuda

We thought all Caribbean destinations looked the same - blue skies, white sand beaches, clear waters. Well, we couldn't have been more wrong. Apart from similar ports, each destination in our itinerary was different!

After a mellow St. Kitts, we landed in Antigua with Liat airlines. We were just grateful that our luggage had safely arrived, misinformation regarding time did not matter after the horrifying tales I had read online.

We chose to stay in Siboney Beach Club Hotel in Dickenson Bay since it suited our budget and looked like a perfect hotel to stay in. Apart from getting a crappy room, everything went perfect! Ha! We are positive people you see.

The beach was literally 10 steps from our room and it was indeed a white sand beach. Coconut Grove restaurant and Anna's on the Beach made the bay really pretty with their decor. The food at both places was yum, especially the seared Mahi Mahi in Coconut Grove.

It was a Sunday evening and I had read that if you are staying in town you must visit Shirley Heights for this night. The place was worth all the adulation it receives - great food, amazing DJ and Steel band, absolutely perfect casual setting, romantic under a moon-lit sky... my first amazing holiday moment had arrived.

The views of English Harbour from Shirley Heights. 

The moon-lit sky at Shirley Heights.

Now let me tell you about Antigua's biggest problem - this island is designed in such a way that there are absolutely no pavements for pedestrians. If you have to go from one place to the other, you have to call for a taxi. And these taxis ain't cheap! Our trip to Shirley heights and back cost us a bomb, but we were determined to go. We crossed a huge stretch of island before reaching our destination. Wood and Cinder block homes lined a few roads and as we passed St. Johns, the capital, we could see the Caribbean life up close. We would come here the next day - today it was about Shirley heights!

Our driver was an interesting man - with four marriages and eleven children, he had his hands full! He waited for us while we hung out, danced and ate to take us back at 10 p.m., when the venue closes.

The next day we took a dip in the very tempting ocean. A pre-wedding video shoot was going on that made the destination look more picturesque. Although I must tell you, Dickenson Bay only had cruise ship passengers who were mostly in their sixties or above. This place didn't look like it was for the younger generation. I wondered where the Shirley Heights crowd went!

After posing in the great outdoors myself, we ate at Anna's on the Beach. This restaurant had a
dreamy setting and a small, but delicious menu. Post a hearty meal, we left to see the port area in St. Johns.

Now this is one area that we liked more in St. Kitts. Basseterre was lively, while St. Johns was tiny and underwhelming. Maybe because Antigua had other things to do, cruise passengers did not stay in this area for long. The by-lanes in St. Kitts had much more to offer than Antigua.

We came back quite early in the evening and thought of going to a restaurant mid-way. But like I told you, getting from point A to point B was a big concern and so we decided to eat at Dickenson Bay.

Even there, walking 200 meters from our hotel was not easy. At night the area was poorly lit and had uneven ground. We wanted a change in dinner menu and so ended up at Putters Bar and Grill. Thank God for a time-share accommodation in the area - otherwise I can't imagine how deserted the entire place would have been at night!

Our third day was spent exploring the entire island. Antigua has a mixed economy - from filthy rich to extremely poor - you can see it all on the way. Most hotels are all-inclusive giving no chance for the restaurant business to boom. The dark history of sugar plantations and slavery is evident in various parts of the island. Tourism is island's prime source of income and a large amount of money flows in from American and European clientèle.

The famous Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium that we saw from a distance

We went to the second most famous beach - Jolly Beach and Harbour. Even with hundreds of visitors, this beach was picture perfect. We had an Indian meal at Castaways and enjoyed our time here. We like places with a bit of a crowd and a good scenery, this was ideal. I could clearly see shady activities going on in the area when a man came and congratulated my husband on having a very beautiful wife! Yes, he wanted to sell us something that we won't smoke - at least not in the Caribbean!

Nelson's Dockyard was again a postcard-worthy place. In another era, the yard served as a naval base to protect British West Indies from French incursions. Now it looked like a picturesque place to sit back and drink nice cocktails! We barely spent any time here and thought of going back to our favourite Dickenson Bay. Devils bridge and Betty's hope were on other side of the island, and we had run out of cash for taxi fare!

Antigua's roads are fairly easy to drive but we prefer to play it safe. We do have a hefty amount to pay for commute, but that's our contribution to their economy!

We walked back and forth on our beach, took in as many romantic moments as we could, loved the sound of the sea and totally relished each moment. We were perfecting the art of a perfect holiday - Eat, Drink, Beach and Chill. The three days were filled with moderate activity and were good fun. A beach destination is meant to relax anyway, and relax we did. And if I had to do it again, I will stay at the same place and do the same things. Only this time, I wouldn't take the hotel's lowest category room!

It was our 9th wedding anniversary on the day we travelled from Antigua to Jamaica, an island I was most looking forward to visit...

Previous Post: St. Kitts & Nevis

Oh! Darling.. #SayYesToTheWorld

Me: Mum, he doesn't buy me any presents.
Mum: He is showing you the world, what else can you ask for?
Me: Hmm! Indian mother-in-law.

Did she read Alice in Wonderland though?

To be frank, I did not love the world. I was afraid of unknown places, people from different races, losing my belongings, getting robbed, feeling extremely anxious before taking flights,  - yes, paranoid to be exact. I lived in one city for 26 years of my life, travelled only to the hill station next door and went to nani's house once every couple of years. Living out of a suitcase? - never did, never thought I ever would.

And then I married him. When I said 'I do', I didn't realise I was saying yes to a life full of adventures. He did not promise me the world, yet he took me everywhere. Without even realising I fell in love again, only this time it was with the world and the man who was my partner in all my journeys.

Our first trip outside Asia was into Switzerland. Apart from breath-taking Alps, I witnessed a life changing phenomenon. A couple in their seventies lived in the room next to ours. One look at them and I thought how cool is their retired life. They have come here to sit back, relax and soak in the nature.

The next day we met them on a hiking trail in their crisp white pants walking briskly past us. The lady climbed the hills like a swift animal and had the brightest radiance on her skin. Sit back and relax? - the Gen X oldies were fitter than their younger counterparts!

After I came back, I made sure I exercised every single day. I had found my deepest travel inspiration – I wanted to be strong and fit even when I was seventy so that I could be like them. 

Every year when we took that annual holiday, I saw more of them. I saw them walk past me because they were sturdier. In Greece, I saw a bunch of women in their seventies riding the toy train and laughing uncontrollably – I sent the 2050 plan to my gal pals. I saw them relishing the beauty of nature much more than me because they were wiser. Frankly, each one of them influenced me. I came back after every holiday stronger in my resolute to stay fit and travel the world as I grew older.

But that is not all that the last 25 countries have taught me.

I was on a train once, crossing a city in central Europe. We were late to board and there were hardly any seats available. I walked from cabin to cabin only to find one vacant seat next to a girl who was probably twenty years old. I asked her if I could sit - she refused rather rudely.

I felt racially discriminated. If that was not enough, she gave the seat to another white girl just fifteen minutes later in the ride! On deeper thought I remembered how we differentiate between fair and dark-skinned people in our own country. We have always been critical of racism towards us even though we are inherently racist ourselves.

Honestly, I was one of them. I liked anyone with a fair skin (except that girl on the train!) and was vary of those who were not of my favourite colour. I was shallow and I knew it. I blamed it on my upbringing, but I realised that after a certain age, it was up to me to change my views. I felt ashamed that even though I was well-read, wise for my age, and more sensitive than most of the people around me, I treated people differently – at least in my head.

All that changed after my trip to the Caribbean islands. On my visit to Jamaica I felt that African-American community was the sweetest in the world. I have never felt so welcomed in any country like how I did in the land of Bob Marley. They were kind, sweet and so helpful. I loved their enthusiasm in life and how they talked. I tried to imitate them, walk like them, basically be cool like them! If you want to learn how to live your life – those are the people you should look up to.

Honest confession – I even had a tiny crush on a guide for like an hour! I was surprised at myself for feeling that way. I was even relieved that now I was where I wanted to be. I wish that girl on the train travelled the world so she could see the beauty in its people. I love the world for making me the person I have become. I owe it big time!

I also owe my confidence to this sweet world. One day I was Googl'ing my way into the world when I got a ping. It was from a person I barely spoke to but was connected on social media. To my surprise she asked me details about a destination I had been to a few months back.

I asked her about her preferences and helped her make a detailed itinerary for the same country. She was the first of many more who got in touch with me later...

You see, I am a housewife. People of the world look down upon the likes of me. Having no kids doesn't make the picture look any prettier. Travelling changed that for me. Since the husband's only contribution to our travels is his awesome wit and a half-loaded credit card, I know my places to the T. I choose our destinations, book our tickets, reserve hotels, make itineraries, pack our bags, be a pain in the back-side when we are on a vacation, etc.

That gives me an edge over other women who book through travel agents or leave everything to the man of the house. I don't know why I started it, but I post detailed albums on social networking sites. I do it as a hobby, but you won't believe the kind of confidence people around me have shown in my abilities as a pseudo travel agent.

A few chats with my free-loader clients a.k.a friends/cousins

After posting a few albums, I started getting messages from people I barely spoke to for help regarding their travel plans. I helped a cousin plan his entire Europe trip, I assisted a new mom in deciding a relaxed vacation with her three children, I managed to find a fun birthday celebrations venue for a group of friends... the list is endless. 

Imagine my happiness when someone told me that before planning a vacation they look at my albums for help. There are times when I have to turn down requests because I have not been to a particular location! I tell them I haven't been everywhere, but it is on my list!

Do I love the world now? YESSSSS!!! It has given me everything I never thought I wanted yet it was everything I ever needed. Life is all about happiness, oozing with confidence, being loving towards one another, staying healthy - travel has given me all that and so much more.

Travel has given me dreams. I stay healthy for those dreams. I save every penny I can to fulfill those dreams. I tell everyone around me - divide your earnings in three parts - one, for necessities; two, save as much as you can for old age; then use the rest to travel beyond your city. There is no better gift you can give yourself.

Needless to say, I can't believe I agree with my mom. He did give me the best gift. And the adventure continues..

Of Flying, Finding Beautiful people and Saying Yes to the World

Most people I know love to travel but hate long flights. Then there are those who refuse to travel just because the plane journey is tiring. It is arduous no doubt – sitting in one place for hours, waking up fellow passengers when you need to get past them to use the loo, difficulty in falling asleep, border controls, the works. I cribbed about all this too until one day when I realised that a difficult journey can turn into one of the most beautiful experiences of one’s life – let me tell you a little bit about it.

This is a story of one New Year’s Eve – a joyful gift from my travelling experiences.

I had travelled to Mumbai for my cousin’s wedding. Even though my schedule had been tight, I made sure I was there for her big day. I was selfish as well – I wanted to meet my entire family and also explore how the city had changed over the last few years since my last visit in 2009.

I had to go without the husband for this one because he had no leaves from his office. The wedding ceremony was to be held on 30^th December leaving no choice but for me to come back to my guy on 31^st to celebrate New Year’s eve. I had a gala time during the wedding festivities and all my cousins in Mumbai coaxed me to stay for the party on 31^st, but I politely declined.

You see, kissing the husband at midnight is a tradition for us and I didn’t want to miss it for the world!

My flight was to leave at 18:30 hours; considering the time difference and short flight, I would have landed in Bahrain at 20:30, giving me enough time to get ready and hit a club. I had thought of the dress that I was going to wear, our friends were first going to come home so I had even discussed our food menu that we were going to order, we had tickets for the venue …the night was well-planned.

In Mumbai, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport was a breeze. I bought a neck pillow to get some sleep because I hadn’t got any in the last few days. At the boarding gate I saw a family that I had earlier seen on my way to Mumbai as well – same dates, I thought to myself.

There was a talk going on between a group of friends that I overheard. They were planning their New Year’s eve in Dubai if the plane diverted. I laughed to myself - with Dubai traffic, there was no way they would be able to reach any party venue after landing even if the plane diverted. And WHY would it divert?

And then I understood why. There were a number of people at the gate who were in distress. The morning flight from Mumbai to Bahrain had been canceled due to unexpected fog and a lot of the stranded passengers were being accommodated in this much bigger plane. Some had missed connections, few had left home some 20 hours before for the morning flight but were stuck here, a couple were fighting to get each other a seat, kids were uncomfortable, the stories of miseries were endless.  

Looking at how chatty the whole area was, it seemed to me that there were no strangers around here – isn’t it is amazing how people come together in times like these?

We finally boarded thirty minutes later. I opened my phone and saw an episode of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’. After my meal, I slept like a log.

When I woke up, we were only forty-five minutes away from Bahrain. I opened the sky map and smiled to myself. I love reuniting with the husband like this – feels like I am in a movie!

Suddenly I saw the plane take a U-turn. My worst fears had come true. We were being diverted to Abu Dhabi airport for the night since Bahrain airport had decided to shut down at 19.45 till further notice due to extreme fog and very poor visibility.

All the passengers were taken to the waiting lounge. The first thing I did was to call the husband and tell him that the New Year’s Eve was ruined. There was no way I could come. I borrowed a charger from someone and charged my phone for the rest of the ordeal. They gave us food coupons and advised us to rest.

I looked around – most people were with their spouses. There were a group of people sitting and chatting. I went up to them and discussed everything that was happening. In the end all I could say to them was that atleast they had each other to which one replied, ‘You also have us.’ That got me all teary eyed and I called the husband again to mourn!

There was a school teacher with her husband who wanted to send flight status to her children waiting for them in Bahrain. Their phone could not catch the free wi-fi. I noted the number of the children and messaged them from my phone on her behalf. She was so grateful and joyous that she repeatedly called me an angel. I felt like my mother was with me.

Amongst all these people there was one lady walking around frantically. Since she was also alone like me, I thought I’ll check with her if she wanted to take the airport hotel room and sleep in there. She readily agreed. On our way, we, along with five other people first checked into the airport lounge.

The television was on where they were showing New Year eve’s fireworks across the world. We were stuck in three time zones – India, U.A.E and Bahrain and had lost track of time. It was 12 a.m. and a fellow passenger got a message from her husband to atleast take a glass of wine and celebrate.

We all got a glass from the bar and became a close-knit family at that moment. We cheered to 2018 and thought of this unique experience as one that we would remember for life. None of us were finding faults with anyone or anything. This was nature’s doing and nothing could be done about it. At that moment we formed a Whatsapp group so that even if we lose each other at the airport, we can keep track of the latest information and tell each other about it.

There was no room available in the hotel and so we found a few sofas in the lounge. I usually travel with just my sling bag and so I had nothing to cover myself. My fellow single passenger who was always with me that night gave me her sweater from her trolley bag. After that, I slept comfortably for a few hours.

We woke up at 6 a.m. and chatted with so many in the lounge. There was not a soul who was fretting or finding faults. Everyone was very patient and was waiting for 8 a.m. to look for the announcements regarding the flight’s departure to Bahrain.

We took a nice shower, ate our breakfast and chatted some more. At 11 a.m. we boarded our plane. I was so tired from all this that I fell asleep. I woke up after one hour and the plane was still where it was when I had fallen asleep! I could now hear people losing their patience.

It was then I realised how hard it would have been for the airline staff. From answering our queries all night, to being extremely calm when people were losing their patience, they were the stars of the night. All of them had been away from their family as well on this occasion, and unlike the passengers, they were on duty. The air-hostess told me how she was surprised at the positive attitude of the travellers – she was prepared for some serious bashing! I felt proud of us.

We landed in Bahrain at 2 p.m. and said our goodbyes. A 4-hour journey took us 18 hours yet all of us were surprisingly calm. I was finally reunited with my husband for our new-year eve kiss!

Needless to say, I did not see a single picture from the bash he went to without me. And I believed every bit when he said he missed me! My concern was that I didn’t miss anything and relished each moment of this experience. 

I love the world for this. Exploration has made me see how beautiful people are – inside and out. The lady who called me an angel, the girl who told me I had their company for the new year’s eve celebration, the lady who gave me her expensive cashmere for the night, the three people who gave me their phone chargers, the woman who waited for me at the bottom of the plane’s stairs to help me climb because she knew I had a problem, the man who got us all chocolates in the morning, the air-hostess who handled it all with a smile… I will remember them all.

Like they say – journey is more important than the destination and the people you meet along the way make it all worthwhile. Small problems like lack of leg room for a few hours is nothing in front of the beautiful experience you can have in being a world traveller. Say yes to the world and you would also vouch for the same.