Culinary travel blog & a nomad's guide on where to go, what to eat and how to have a fantastic time!
“It’s so cold and windy here..Are you sure Spring has begun?” I think to myself as I walk out from the exit gate in Belfast. After reaching London just a day before and seeing the mercury rise up to 17 degrees temperature in April was a welcome sight. From there to single digit temperature in Belfast; I started doubting my travel plans. But I spent the next 3 days enjoying every second in this beautiful city.
Last month I visited Bali. From the moment I told my friends and colleagues that its going to be a 15 day vacation, I was asked few questions –
“15 days in Bali? What are you going to do?”
“Isn’t that one island? Settle hone ka irada hai kya (Do you wish to move to Bali permanently?)”
Termed as a glamour island of Greece famous for its parties, Mykonos etches Ibiza-like image in our heads. Of course the parties are on throughout night and glamour quotient never runs out. But there is a side of Mykonos that is mostly unchecked, a side that is less favoured by the tourists but adds another gem to its crown.
It’s been a while since I had visited a village, let alone stayed anywhere out of my comfort zone. I have fond memories of visiting my relatives in Konkan during summer vacation – plucking mangoes and other local fruits, playing with my siblings in the farms and devouring the food cooked on chulla (wood/charcoal fire). Those were the days!
While Mumbai monsoons continue to play hide-n-seek with us, least we can do isbe ready with our plans. So that the moment it starts raining, we are out and about!
We Mumbaikars are crazy about monsoons and rightly so. There is one thing that we all do – head to Lonavala! Watch the beautiful waterfalls & just enjoy the rains. A cup of chai in one hand and roasted bhutta in the other sums up my monsoon story.
But how about escaping the traffic madness and stay somewhere away from the hustle-bustle? How about not getting stuck with the same old get drunk-party-chaos kind of thing and doing some real adventure this monsoon?
Culinary tourism is still a novel concept for Indians but the concept has definitely set in. We are not only willing to travel for food in other countries but also eager to explore our own country to find the next best thing in food. Personally for me, be it a rural setting or an urban food-venture; I am always ready to experiment & experience what’s on offer.
Childhood is like an empty canvas, the memories shape you, mould you and give you a direction. Well to begin with, my canvas seemed like an abstract painting! I was interested in each and everything that existed around me – Arts, sports, academics, religion (yes, I used to love reading all religious scriptures). It wasn’t about just going to school, playing with friends or being pampered by my family. Although I like to think that I have had some form of attention disorder but it wasn’t the case. Few things captured my attention for more than few days. But there it was, one thing that I had done over and over again and it still interests me.
