Wo(a)ndering thoughts!!!

In an ideal world: You pick a place for family vacay or decide it together, family gets excited and pinch in ideas with excitement!! My world: I pick a place, make list of things to do, prepare a business case with costing/flight options etc.,  and then, sit down to discuss it with my boys!! PC:Google Images <Excepted reaction after hearing the name of the place: Jumping in excitement or just a facial reaction i.e smile or least show me a smiley emoji . I’m easy to please. > In reality, all I get is A:   “But why??  there are volcanos.. What happens if we get stuck there.. I rather go to holiday program and stay home!!!” Me: Volcanos does not erupt just like that, we will have plenty of time to fly out.. Ok listen!! We could go swimming with dolphins!!! Isn’t exciting!! A: but you don’t know swimming!! Me: Ok!! You know what!!!   I have decided I’m going on a family vacay to the planned place I wrote that business ...

I’m  writing about 10 things that I’m grateful for.. that's everyday until Christmas, four days to go and  Day 6 is Wanderlust . I close my eyes and pick a place, Somewhere sandy, somewhere breezy, With coconut trees and many more tall green trees, I don’t see a soul in there, It’s so quiet and peaceful, I can hear the waves. ‘Mommy!! We’ve reached, Look out the window!!’, I open my eyes and see my dream. Dreams could go beyond reality, but when it  comes true, It’s just beautiful and perfect.. If I get lost, I’ll find my way back, If the food is blunt, I won’t complain, If the food is spicy, I’ll have an ice cream, I would live like local and Bargain like a tourist. I’m so grateful for all the time I spent in those places and the wanderlust inside me. It changes perspective, it helped widen my mind, it shaped me in a good way. The cultures, people, the food, lifestyle, traditions.. I’m so grateful for everything I learnt on m...

Rule of thumb for a blind date is to trust the process and to go on a date with no/zero expectation. You do not know who you are meeting until you see them. You cannot check their FB profile or see their stories in Insta. You go there with open mind. If you are lucky, you get a wonderful experience and stories to tell your grand children. Mine was no different, I must say I was always lucky with my blind dates. I have had so many experience of this. However, it was not like I didn't have a choice. Like most of you I too had a conventional way, but choose another way.  I'm talking about my blind dates with this world. Would you dare to go on a blind date with this world? I would. I certainly would. I love the idea of exploring the world , a new place without a map/GPS in hand. I just love the idea of embracing the local culture without reading a travelogue. I just love to taste local food at a street shop in a small alley 'coz local people eat there. I...

Angkor Wat  was in my wish list for long time, it felt like some kind of calling**. It could be because I love temples not that I’m overly religious but more for my amusement to the structures and the stories and the whole history behind it. When you grow up in a country where history is taken for granted and you move to a country where History is only 150yrs old, you pretty much appreciate anything older than 200yrs .. To build a house, we compromise so much with our “Nice to haves” and “Wish lists”, sometimes just go with the bare necessity and add-on those “Nice-to-haves” later when possible or if you are lucky, you stretch yourself financially to build your dream home without any compromise. We are still talking about few square meters to few hundred acres of land, which costs few hundred thousands to few million dollars. PC:Google Images I’m seeing these larger than life temples with lot of creativity, fine workmanship, huge labour and their life dedicate...

July 17 th 2003 I’m not sure what I’m feeling right now, nervous or anxious or excited or all mixed. I’m sitting in my window seat, watching the flight caterers push away the giant staircase(truck). ‘Mam!! Seat Belts please!’ Suddenly I hear a beautiful voice of the Airhostess telling me to wear my seat belts.. I try to do it myself, I'm panicking & my brain isn’t thinking straight. Women sitting next to me comes to my rescue ‘Let me help you dear!’ . It is embarrassing, I’m 21 and I’m going to US of A all alone to do my masters and I don’t know how to wear seat belts!!! This is not my first flight.. I have been in flight once before to Delhi with my cousin. But this is different.. This is my first international flight, all alone, my way to experience freedom and Life. If my grandma was alive this minute, she wouldn’t have believed I’m going to US of A to study.. But I’m sure she would be proud of me. I may not be a high-ranker but I have lot of dreams.. ...

Little A become a big boy going on trips without mum.. he had his first trip without me last month to Gold Coast with G. They spent mostly in Dream world, I was really worried how he would react after going there. But then he took it really well.. Trick is we never give him surprise. He usually knows what’s coming and we keep talking positive things about the event at least a week prior to that. G took printout of dream world map and start to plan what to see/do with A everyday for a week..  Initially he wasn’t happy about the trip without me.. But slowly day by day he started to feel comfortable about his trip to see all his favourite characters and fun things he would do with G. And 2 days before his trip, he was completely ready and when I asked him whether he would miss me on his trip..His response was “Don’t worry mom. I will do face-time.. “ I was so proud of his matured response and felt so relieved to hear that instead of whining and dramas which would’ve made ...

Its another move, but this time we are so much more excited as we are moving back to our HOME.. Staying in a hotel sounds like fairytale( actually it is , I will miss all this lazy/don't have to clean the apt days) , but sometimes we need our things..I'm in that point where I just need more space to move around. I think its time for us to move back HOME.. Lot of stressful moments awaiting for us, moving is not a joke.. When I think about it now, it gives me biggg sigh.. I cant wait to move back home, settle down and drink my tea sitting on my lounge.. that what I call HEAVEN (well, for now... ) So much more stories to come about our another big move.. wait for it..  

This is another write up on my memory lane-2011 Year of travel to my dream places- London, Touch of Europe & Asia.. I can officially name 2011 as my year of travel.. Last I did travel like this was in 2005 with friends.. I love travelling, preparing for travel, planning for travel.. anything to do with travel.. I guess everyone does- new culture, new place..  I don't like rush and see all the touristy place. Take all the time to spend as much time to explore & understand the place / culture. Most important thing I learnt from all the travel is to  use public transport as much as possible, I believe thats the only way u learn abt the place &  meet ppl.. here goes my 2011 nostalgic travel lane.. Feb: Germany G had official work in Stuttgart & I decided to tag along(as always..) .. That was a nice break for me & ofcourse G had to work hard everyday.. So I was forced to have fun  solo.. From Stuttgart we had to go to B...

I moved out from my home country when I was 20 and started my "Supposed to be an -expat life" . But I always felt home where ever I lived, Traveling for a short time is different from living in that place like local. I don't know whether you can call yourself an expat when you actually live like local - Eating local food, taking local transport system and work/pay tax for the local govt. Whether it is my first expat experience as a student or my second expat life after marriage to a completely different country, never once I felt like an expat. Now this is my 3rd EXPAT encounter you can name it but I would say this is my NEW home until I move out. For some moving can be tiresome and its not our comfort zone. But for some the challenges they face in new environment is exciting(apart from packing the whole house and moving with an infant everywhere like Kangaroo)... I like the new challenges and excitement of meeting new people , new culture , new pl...