I Followed Ganesh Aagamanam in Hyderabad — The Drums, Decorations, Giant Idols, and Streets Coming Alive for Bappa Gave Me a Festival Experience I’ll Never Forget
There is a particular sound that tells you Ganesh Chaturthi has arrived in Hyderabad – Ganesh Aagamanam Hyderabad. You often hear it before you see anything. Dhol drums begin somewhere down a side street. At first, the beat sounds distant. Then it grows louder until the whole road seems to move with it. I heard […]
I Took the Slow Route Through Ulaanbaatar—The Nomadic Culture, Wide Open Landscapes, and Unexpected Modern Side of Mongolia Changed How I Saw the Country
I did not plan to fall in love with Ulaanbaatar. When I arrived in Mongolia, I saw the capital as a stopover. I thought the real journey would begin once I left the city. In my mind, Mongolia meant horses, gers and endless grassland. I imagined empty roads running towards distant mountains. Ulaanbaatar was simply […]
I Spent 4 Days in Palawan This September—The Hidden Lagoons, Quiet Islands, and Slow Mornings Made Me Forget the Rest of the World
I booked my Palawan trip on a whim, mostly because the flights were cheap. September isn’t when most people tell you to visit Palawan. Almost every travel guide I read before leaving warned about the rainy season, cancelled boat trips and grey skies replacing the turquoise-water version of El Nido I’d had saved on my […]
I Spent 4 Days in Cape Verde—The Volcanic Landscapes, Empty Beaches, and Local Life Were Nothing Like I Expected
I had a picture in my head before I ever landed in Cape Verde, and it was wrong on almost every count. My expectation was simple. I imagined an African version of the Canary Islands, complete with rows of sun loungers, all-inclusive resorts and calm blue water. Sal and Boa Vista are certainly known for […]
I Spent 4 Days in Chiang Rai, Thailand—The Quiet Temples, Mountain Roads, and Local Food Gave Me a Side of Thailand I Hadn’t Expected
I went to Chiang Rai mostly because Chiang Mai was full. That’s the honest answer. Three weeks in northern Thailand sounded perfect, but my original plan had been built almost entirely around Chiang Mai. Then a guesthouse booking fell through two days before I arrived, leaving me with four unexpected days and no real idea […]
I Spent 4 Days in Jorhat During Tea Harvest Season—The Slow Mornings, Tea Gardens, and Hidden Assam Changed My Idea of Travel
I did not plan this trip the way I usually plan my travels – Jorhat Tea Gardens. There was no spreadsheet, no colour-coded itinerary, and certainly no list of seventeen places to see before breakfast. Instead, a friend who grew up in Upper Assam casually mentioned that her family’s tea estate near Jorhat becomes especially […]
Best Places for a Peaceful Screen-Free Vacation
Introduction A screen-free vacation is a great way to escape digital distractions and enjoy a peaceful break. Phones, laptops, social media, and constant notifications can make it difficult to relax. A screen-free vacation gives you time to enjoy nature and explore new places. It also helps you focus on the people and experiences around you. […]
I Spent a Weekend at Kaas Plateau in September—The Wildflowers, Mist, and Quiet Trails Made It Feel Like a Different India
I had seen the photographs before of Kaas Plateau, the way most people probably have. A hillside covered in purple flowers. Pink blooms scattered across grassland like someone had spilled paint over the landscape. A plateau in Maharashtra that looked, frankly, as though it belonged somewhere else entirely. For two years, I kept Kaas Plateau […]
I Spent 3 Days in Da Nang This September—The Beaches Were Only the Beginning
I booked my Da Nang trip for one reason: the beach. My Khe kept appearing on every list of Vietnam’s best beaches, and I figured three days in September would give me enough time to enjoy the coast before the wetter months arrived. I was wrong about the weather. I was not wrong about the […]
I Spent 3 Days in Meghalaya This Monsoon—The Living Root Bridges, Rain, and Mist Made Me Want to Stay Longer
I had been warned twice before I booked the tickets to Meghalaya. Once by a colleague who had gone to Shillong in July and returned with a cold that lasted three weeks. The second warning came from a travel forum where someone had written, in capital letters: DO NOT GO TO MEGHALAYA IN THE RAINS. […]