I grew up with a certain excitement for travel. In my first 15 years, thanks to my father’s transferable job, I studied in different schools and cities (Kolkata, Mysore, Madras, Salem, Shillong) in India.

We didn’t take too many family vacations. However, in the few times we did, it was exciting to look forward to getting a window seat on the train or bus, sitting next to the driver on the front seat or even simply looking out to see the world go by.  In fact during those vacations, I saw my parents more relaxed and having fun.

When I travelled, I experienced the culture of the place, its food, interacting with people of different backgrounds, and different economic status. Whenever I was in a country I tried to learn the local language and thus I have a stable of languages (Chinese, Russian, Thai and some Arabic) which truly shaped my understanding of human nature.

Among the most exotic places I have visited for work were North Korea, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and among the most interesting places we as a family lived were Kazakhstan, China, UAE, Thailand and Australia. Whenever I had some hours free, I tried to see something of interest in that place.

Now living in India, I am amazed at the diversity that we have and the marked differences in different regions.  I hope through this blog I can share with you the experiences and observations that I have had when visiting such places.

One important part of our family is our pet dog Anjali (Anju). She is 7 and has brought a lot of insights into life. A separate section covers some of her interactions with us, our community and trials and tribulations with other pets.

Thank you for visiting