2019-06-11 17:18
I had mentioned this before when I first visited Varanasi. Varanasi can only be described in one word – magical.
I stayed near Meer Ghat in a dingy guesthouse, paying about 150 rupees… Read More
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I Am Not Home - A Traveller's Blog, Photographing Blog
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A traveller's blog, photographing the world as he sees it
2019-06-08 13:04
The mist had still not cleared fully within the walls of the San Marino Citta, but I decided to brave it. After all, I had to see the main attraction of this tiny little European country.
I… Read More
2019-05-03 05:05
After landing in Baku’s Heydar Aliyev International Airport (Thank you Azerbaijan for introducing the Evisa!), I headed to my hotel.
Usually, I am all about budget travelling and acco… Read More
2019-04-09 18:53
Planning your next day trip as a Corporate team? Ditch the same old places and enjoy something new and meaningful that will not only strengthen the team spirit but also allow you to have lot… Read More
2019-03-29 06:08
I had written about my experience plunge-pooling away in a cozy suite in the Novotel property in Karon, Phuket. But there was one more Novotel property which I got to check out immediately a… Read More
2019-03-04 05:21
What do you do when you are solo, working in a cozy little town thousands of miles away from home but in a naturally rich landscape? This was a question which would haunt me for months when… Read More
2018-12-31 20:02
So, I started doing this annual roundup as way back as 2013. But it was only from 2016 that I found the best way to do a roundup: Instagram. And now, 2018 brings me yet another reason to do… Read More
2018-11-22 18:41
Bangalore to Chennai is a bustling route and one that I have had the pleasure of taking regularly – a regular trip would not take more than 7 hours for normal people. (Hint: I take lon… Read More
2018-11-22 06:41
In August, I took yet another 3-week Thailand trip, this time through Phuket and Bangkok. Yeah, I know. I just cant seem to stop visiting Thailand!
But during the trip, Novotel threw me an… Read More
2018-08-29 05:15
This is part of a series called ‘A sonnet to the world’, which I have been working on. You can read about the project here. The idea is to write a 14-line Shakespearean Sonnet fo… Read More
2018-08-15 04:12
Ever so quietly – like it does everything else – even Azerbaijan started offering Electronic visas for Indian passport holders.
This was going to be a roller coaster adventure, w… Read More
2018-08-11 05:13
Before I took a flight from Singapore to Penang, I knew only 2 things about Penang: the food and the art. I know. I am such a cliched traveller sometimes.
The first draw of Penang is always… Read More
2018-07-30 01:10
Anyone who knows me also knows that I have an insatiable urge to chase festivals. I love large gatherings, especially if they are cultural festivals – and I never let an opportunity go… Read More
2018-07-25 09:00
To me, Vientiane is one of the most interesting capital cities of South East Asia. On one hand, I could feel a deep sense of history, as this was once the administrative capital of the Kingd… Read More
2018-07-24 02:16
It was the lure of Kibithoo that made me visit Tezu.
Many who do pan-India motorcycle rides in the North-East region of India, end up coming to Tezu. Because it is considered to be the East… Read More
2018-06-30 22:53
“The most interesting stories are found between the pages of one’s passport”
Well, I am being repetitive, because I said that already. In this previous post about the 5 mo… Read More
2018-06-25 17:26
This is part of a series called ‘A sonnet to the world’, which I have been working on. You can read about the project here. The idea is to write a 14-line Shakespearean Sonnet fo… Read More
2018-06-18 20:47
There is a common saying among the youth in Brazil, especially when it comes to matters of football. “The pope may be Argentinian. But god is definitely Brazilian”
Of course, th… Read More
2018-06-15 07:33
I had grown up in Oman. But had left the country back in 1996. And after 20 years, I often felt the urge to visit it again.
The entrance to the Mutrah souq in Oman.
I came everywhere around… Read More
2018-06-09 00:09
Helsinki invited me with quite a bit of a dilemma. And two-thirds of it, was my own creation.
I only had 3 days here, and I had not planned to see anything. My plan was to land in Helsinki… Read More
2018-06-05 10:23
I got hooked on to the idea of visiting Tunisia because of a Hungarian girl I met during my time in Budapest.
I would go on to love Tunis too. But first, I had a visa situation to sort out… Read More
2018-06-02 15:53
After I was done with the experience of the amazing Eid-morning drive from Manama, my days in Bahrain just got a loooooottt more better!
My friend – the same guy who almost drove me t… Read More
2018-05-29 11:09
This is part of a series called ‘A sonnet to the world’, which I have been working on. You can read about the project here. The idea is to write a 14-line Shakespearean Sonnet fo… Read More
2018-05-27 20:59
After spending some time in the heart of Dili – mostly visiting the Pope, and walking around the beach – I decided to go a little west of it.
Towards the province of Liquica.
I… Read More
2018-05-23 22:51
Over the years, it has almost become a yearly tradition for me to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan in a Muslim country. I am not a Muslim – hell, I am not even religious –&nbs&hell…Read More
2018-05-23 10:51
“The most interesting stories are found between the pages of your passport”
I can’t remember who said that, or where I read it. But I do remember when it got etched into m… Read More
2018-05-14 12:23
This is part of a series called ‘A sonnet to the world’, which I have been working on. You can read about the project here. The idea is to write a 14-line Shakespearean Sonnet fo… Read More
2018-05-14 08:29
If Bangkok has Khaosan road, and Kathmandu has Thamel, Paharganj is probably the most suitable equivalent for New Delhi.
It was not my first time in Paharganj, Over the last 2 visits here… Read More
2018-05-09 19:27
Amsterdam in August is one the best places to be for experiencing the subdued Dutch Summers. It’s mildly hot, the sun paints brilliant canvases on the blue skies and exuberant reflecti… Read More
2018-05-01 19:35
Ho Chi Minh city is a beautiful city, as long as you live in the present.
If you turn back time and visit the sights of the Vietnam war, there are plenty of sad and sorry places in this city… Read More
2018-04-30 10:58
It is no wonder that Bali is often called the ‘island of gods’. Every corner of it abounds with temples, beautiful beaches, ancient customs and some lip-smacking food. At the cen… Read More
2018-04-24 19:22
After taking a couple of days to see the sights around the city center of Dili, the capital of Timor Leste, I knew I had to make my way deeper into the country to understand it better.
Sure… Read More
2018-04-02 10:14
If you tend to fall in the category of ‘gastronomically adventurous’, the Northeast region of India may just become your new home.
The seven sister states – as they were ca… Read More
2018-03-21 20:09
As everything that is good and amazing begins in Kerala, this adventure started with a glass of toddy too.
Starting a day with Toddy. It never gets better than this.
It was August of 2016… Read More
2018-02-09 05:35
‘Vinegar Joe’ may have made enemies as far and wide as China and United Kingdom. But he had also left something behind for me to explore in Upper Assam. And the Indian government… Read More
2018-01-26 07:17
In Ron Fricke’s ‘Baraka’ – which incidentally was also one of the movies that set off the wanderlust in me– there is a mysterious and esoteric sequence from Bal… Read More
2018-01-13 05:51
This is part of a series called ‘A sonnet to the world’, which I have been working on. You can read about the project here. The idea is to write a 14-line Shakespearean Sonnet fo… Read More
2018-01-11 13:31
Woovly calls me the guy who chases festivals around the world. So, as you can relate, it was a life-long dream for me to visit the Hornbill festival in Nagaland.
And it almost turned into a… Read More
2018-01-06 13:27
4 years ago, I had taken a bus ticket from the Aung Mingalar bus station in Yangon, heading towards Bagan. And I just realised – in 2018 – that I never wrote about Bagan! Well, s… Read More
2018-01-03 08:06
It is tough for me to write blogposts titled ‘the complete guide to XYZ cities’, because of the way I travel.
I often don’t have an itinerary, and when I reach a place I j… Read More
2017-12-27 14:29
Call me a late bloomer. But it was only in 2016 that I realised that Instagram could be a powerful platform for absent-minded travellers like me to keep track of their travels.
No, it wasn… Read More
2017-12-19 08:02
Before the nation of Italy was unified in the 19th century, some of the city-states that make up the current fabric of Italy, used to have the official title of ‘Most serene republic&r&hell…Read More
2017-12-15 16:33
All roads lead to Rome, they said. Well, some roads lead away from Rome too. Like the one I was going to take.
From Termini to Rimini.
Goodbye Rome. Hello Rimini.
I had been staying in Rome… Read More
2017-11-22 12:05
The masong had her eyes closed.
I’ve seen her with her eyes closed for the last 10 minutes, which cut a very different foreground to the fire that raged behind her in the background. A… Read More
2017-11-19 08:16
Philippines may be home to 7107 islands. But one island beats them all in size. Luzon is the largest and the most populous island of the Pinas – as Philippines is often called. And unl… Read More
2017-11-15 08:05
Katai Kamminga sat opposite to me while sipping her bluish iced tea, which tasted delicious. When I asked her what the tea was made from, she mischievously retorted with a wink.
“From… Read More
2017-11-14 12:02
“I am on a trip around the world studying different types of coffee”,
The backpacker I met in my bijou hostel in Saint Pierre explained, as he measured out the grams of coffee be… Read More
2017-11-12 12:26
This is part of a series called ‘A sonnet to the world’, which I have been working on. You can read about the project here. The idea is to write a 14-line Shakespearean Sonnet fo… Read More
2017-11-09 01:55
It was a bittersweet culmination of a dream I had harboured for many years. To see the Loy Krathong festival. Or, as hippie instagrammers often called it, the lantern festival.
Bittersweet… Read More
2017-11-08 14:49
It was not just the weird-looking contraption that caught my fleeting attention. It was also what was written on it.
“Ja Houve de Balao, Aviao, Barco, Carro, Moto e Bicicleta …… Read More
2017-11-05 06:45
An ocean of human beings had engulfed the Piazza of St. Peters. They came from all walks of life, with all kinds of problems and troubles. Some brandished their national flags; others, thei… Read More
2017-10-30 04:56
“It’s a magical world, Hobbes, ol’ buddy… Let’s go exploring!” — Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes
As always, Calvin knew best. So did I, apparently… Read More
2017-10-28 04:58
My back was beginning to ache.
I had expected the 70 KM ride from Mahe to Vayalada to be relatively easy, given that I am used to much longer rides. And it was indeed easy, up until Balusse… Read More
2017-10-23 08:56
This is part of a series called ‘A sonnet to the world’, which I have been working on. You can read about the project here. The idea is to write a 14-line Shakespearean Sonnet fo… Read More
2017-10-20 12:41
Note: The Angkor archaeological park is a giant area, and it is impossible at this age for me to remember all the details (yeah, I am blaming the 30’s for everything nowadays). Hence… Read More
2017-10-16 06:00
Note: My visit to Ukraine was in August 2017, just shortly after the Visa on Arrival was introduced for Indians. So, understandably, it was a little chaotic and disorganised. As of writ… Read More
2017-10-15 05:09
Funny story. It was Jeju that took me to Hong Kong, even if it was for half a day.
When I planned for my long-awaited trip to Jeju in South Korea, I had to consider the fact that I could not… Read More
2017-10-03 12:18
This is the second part of a 2-part roadtrip from London through South and Midwestern England. Click here for part 1.
Day 3 – The canals of Birmingham
Before this day, I had assoc… Read More
2017-09-20 08:16
“Oh!! You have to see the Pandas! They are the cutest!!”
Atleast 3 of my friends had said this line to me when I told them that I was visiting Macau. And I have never seen… Read More
2017-09-07 10:02
This is the first part of a 2-part road-trip from London through South and Midwestern England. Stay tuned for part 2, or follow me on Facebook for updates.
The weather signs weren&rsquo&hell…Read More
2017-08-17 09:37
As an Indian boy from a village in Northern Kerala who grew up on fish-curry and paratha (technically, porotta in Kerala), my notion of Italian food was late and simple. ‘Late’ b… Read More
2017-07-05 10:37
Macao was turning into a revelation. And that was even before I saw the ruins!
After a day spent exploring Portuguese architecture, Eiffel tower, and Venetian canals, I was determined to see… Read More
2017-06-12 10:57
After 4 hours of taking off from Changi airport in Singapore, I had landed in Macau International Airport. Not that I remember much of it, because I had slept throughout the flight. Thank go… Read More
2017-06-05 06:08
Its not a unusual sight to see airplanes in an airport because, duh, that’s what airports are for, right? However, true to its unique style, Amsterdam definitely decided to give you so… Read More
2017-06-01 09:24
China is massive in every context.
This probably explains the Chinese term for mainland: Dàlù. It literally means ‘the continent’. Mainland refers to the area which… Read More
2017-05-10 10:35
This is the second part of a 2-part series about a roadtrip through Mauritius island, mostly through the Black River Gorges National Park.
Click here for part 1!
The lake of Ganga… Read More
2017-05-03 09:31
This is the first part of a 2-part series about a roadtrip through Mauritius island. Stay tuned for part 2!
First thought in Mauritius Island: I am faster than my luggage!
My first impressio… Read More
2017-05-02 04:59
This was not my first Songkran.
I had previously been to the Songkran of Khaosan Road, in Bangkok. 4 years ago, which also had me witness a full-blown protest. And the 3 days spent there wer… Read More
2017-04-27 10:01
This is part of a series called ‘A sonnet to the world’, which I have been working on. You can read about the project here. The idea is to write a 14-line Shakespearean Sonnet fo… Read More
2017-04-20 12:16
This is part of a series called ‘A sonnet to the world’, which I have been working on. The idea is to write a 14-line Shakespearean Sonnet for every country I visit (and hopefull… Read More
2017-04-03 05:10
Just a short ferry ride away from Singapore, lies an oft-visited weekend destination named Bintan. And in a less-explored trikora beach, lies a lesser known hideway called – tantalizin… Read More
2017-03-16 12:21
This is part of a series called ‘A sonnet to the world’, which I have been working on. The idea is to write a 14-line Shakespearean Sonnet for every country I visit (and hopefull… Read More
2017-02-01 06:02
I did it before in 2013, posting my favorite photos of the year.
And again in 2014.
And despite travelling through Europe for almost the whole part of 2015, I only missed it out because I… Read More
2017-01-24 10:19
I don’t want to make this sound like a rant against Airasia. So, I’ll try to make this educational about how a badly set-up customer service process can lead to losing a long-tim… Read More
2016-12-12 07:56
My days of being a full-time wanderer, are behind me for now. Now that I am back in a corporate job, I try to find exciting vacations, while saving up for my next long travel. And one import… Read More
2016-12-01 11:48
Japan’s capital city of Tokyo, is divided into 23 ‘special wards’. Yep, that is the exact name given to the 23 municipalities that made the original Tokyo City. After 1943… Read More
2016-11-21 13:14
I had flown to Sydney, with the standard tourist ideas in mind: visit the opera house, the royal botanic gardens, and take a train to see the 3 sisters of Katoomba. But as luck would have it… Read More
2016-11-15 15:41
It has been an annual tradition for me to take atleast one or 2 trips to Europe every year. And from Singapore, the cheapest way to do that, is through the many middle-eastern airlines that… Read More
2016-11-07 17:32
If you are an Indian – or if you have interacted with an Indian – the chances are likely that you will believe/hear the most commonly stated reason why Indians dont travel much… Read More
2016-10-24 15:54
I was no stranger to Bali. But I knew this trip was going to be different.
Waaaayyyy different!
As I sat on the window seat of the Airasia flight, on a turbulent Friday night, it slowly daw… Read More
2016-07-23 03:09
Should I even write this blog post after this declaration?
After the exciting island-hopping saga across the pacific ocean, reaching Koror at 11PM, I was eager and excited to check out the… Read More
2016-07-09 16:25
Manila
It was an uneventful flight to Manila.
I was no stranger to the Philippines. I lived here for 4 years. And even after I moved my base from the Philippines to the urbanscape… Read More
2015-07-01 01:00
1st July 2015 – Mamallapuram, India
The memories will remain etched for ever
Of a year that went by in poetry and pics.
But its not the places that will spring to mind.
Its only … Read More
2015-06-30 14:56
30th June 2015 – Mamallapuram, India
The quest is close, and one day remains
Don’t judge me when I say I did nothing today.
I’ve had a hell of a year, and survive… Read More
2015-06-30 08:48
29th June 2015 – Mamallapuram, India
The bullet finally saw some action.
And a familiar town woke me up with a surfing beach.
Familiarity and family have a similar rin… Read More
2015-06-30 02:52
28th June 2015 – Chennai, India
I took the fight to the rain gods, and
Came out winning, flashing a proud grin.
They tried to keep me subdued,
But today, I am not letting my… Read More
2015-06-29 13:38
27th June 2015 – Chennai, India
There is one more adventure left for me.
And I should head out soon to get into it.
But the rain feels incessantly malicious today,
I am goin… Read More
2015-06-29 05:06
26th June 2015 – Chennai, India
Sunrises are totally my thing nowadays.
And I go from beach to beach, looking for the best.
Being back again in a beach where I found myself… Read More
2015-06-27 05:42
25th June 2015 – Chennai, India
There was no glare of the soft box or reflectors
Only the distant sight of a port city, and the rising sun.
I have only watched the exaggerati… Read More
2015-06-26 02:34
24th June 2015 – Chennai, India
Familiarity did breed contempt, thats for sure.
Else how did I never check out such beautiful things?
Like a forgotten teardrop on the ch… Read More
2015-06-25 20:42
23rd June 2015 – Chennai, India
Home is near, I can almost smell the fish flavour
And hear the sound of my mother, crying marriage.
Fortunately, there are still a few sights… Read More
2015-06-24 05:48
22nd June 2015 – Unawatuna, Sri Lanka
Midnight hula hoops stretched to early morning hours,
And I passed out, on a familiar beige couch.
Only to wake up and say goodbye… Read More
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