Explorer of Experiences

"Solo travel is overrated" I once said, even tweeted No, I was never a fan Until one day, I landed in Italy Alone, no friend, no man So what if travel plans with friends get derailed Do you mope over why they failed? Or consider the travel opportunity too good to pass by... You pick up your bags, and solitary, you fly What was the charm in spending the holidays at home alone? None, so I landed in Rome alone Around Italy, I lost and found my way Relying on myself, exploring night and day Traveling alone turned out to be sacred The self-absorbed conveniences I found new, alluring No, there was none of that cinematic soul-searching Just one lifetime experience worth cherishing Here's from me to you...beat the blues the isolation may bring Embrace the 'you', take her under your wing This travel was no romantic quest for self-discovery It was just me enjoying my own company! -------- I am thrilled to share this...

My mind was set on a week-long solo trip to Leh-Ladakh. And then before I know it, I’m watching the Mumbai runway hide behind white clouds from ‘Asia’s Boutique Airline’ (Bangkok Airways, if you must know) flying its way to Thailand. Don't ask me how that happened! But I am not complaining; Leh-Ladakh can wait until next year.  Recounting my entire trip would make a one very long blog post, hence there are three parts to my 'Seclusion and Shopping in Thailand' series. This is the first.  BUSTLING BANGKOK  Retail therapy in Bangkok can be quite a straining affair... The last time I visited Bangkok was when I went there for an internship stint with some mates from my university in Melbourne. I had pretty much discovered most of this bustling city during that two week work-cum-fun trip. We folded our hands before more than one Reclining Buddha and had one too many Tom Yums!  At the company I interned at. We all posed for a pic on our las...

The Groom's not-so-nervous-feet So I was in Bangalore and no prizes for guessing why! I was attending (yet another) wedding of course. But it is not everyday that you get to witness your Nepalese friend a.k.a Groom in a South Indian style dhoti, worn with what seemed like yards of pristine white cloth. With the '2 States' style wedding over in a day, I still had a free day to spend in Bangalore. It's a city I have been to around four to five times now, so I was keen on exploring a new facet of it. This 'Garden City' was facing its worst summer yet and boy was the mercury soaring. Glaring sun mixed with dust from construction sites mixed with pollution from the never-moving traffic made the most headache-inducing pot pourri. I still decided to brave the heat and venture out to make the most of my time. After a quick check on what Lonely Planet recommends to see , I grabbed a friend and headed out with a list of 4-5 places chalked out to visit. This w...