2019 turned out to
be one of the most bountiful travel years of my life, allowing me to be itinerant for
two months. It was also the year that brought me the opportunity to explore
three new countries – a rare phenomenon given that I’ve been able to travel
abroad only once in a few years. There were some short trips within India too;
I’ve really begun to appreciate what just a couple of days can do to boost my
happiness and energy. Lastly, this year, more than any other year, I’ve walked
my way around cities like there’s no tomorrow, and climbed my way up countless
steps: reiterating to myself that exploring on foot is what I enjoy the most.
The more I travel,
the more all places feel like home, and the more affected I get by the negative
happenings worldwide. I find myself increasingly struggling with travel-induced
gloom, but it’s a harsh reality that cannot be avoided. I hope that the overwhelmingly
positive memories and experiences I’ve had will give me the courage to step up
and act, whenever and wherever it is needed. Here’s hoping for 2020 to be all
about positivity, inclusiveness, and cheer, focusing on what unites us instead
of what differentiates us.
Jaipur
I almost turned down an invitation to a wedding at Samode
Palace near Jaipur, because I had another trip being planned for the same date.
Some quick juggling and an awkward itinerary made it work, but it entailed
stressful trips from and to Bangalore airport within a span of hours (those who
know Bangalore will sympathise). Two days spent in the company of much love and
laughter, though, allowed me to tide through the crazy travel. Of course, Jaipur’s
ethereal architecture surrounded by rugged landscapes proved to be the perfect
backdrop for it all. The happiness deposited me in Germany with a smile on my
face, ready to begin my next trip.
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| Samode Palace |
Germany
Thirty five years after my father’s trip to Hamburg,
I expectantly planned my trip, wondering whether the city still remained the
same. Being peak winter—and post festivities—in Germany, there were hardly any
tourists, and I had most monuments and museums to myself or in thin company. Reduced
daylight hours meant that I didn’t add too much more to my itinerary, savouring
just Hamburg, Berlin, and a whirlwind stop at Dresden in two weeks: each city
so different and so vibrant, that they easily filled all the time I had. Germans’
sorcery with potatoes, beer, bread and baked desserts had me craving for more.
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| A view of Hamburg's harbour-side. |
Shanghai
Unplanned to the hilt and utterly enjoyable is how I
can encapsulate my trip to Shanghai. Casual bantering with a friend who had
moved there just a couple of months ago led me to book tickets on a whim.
Though I had two weeks to spare, I decided to visit only Shanghai: a fantastic decision
in hindsight. The megapolis surprised me with its unique blend of the Orient
and the Occident, and I could have easily spent a couple of more weeks there. My
takeaways from Shanghai included diverse topics like communism, local culture,
city planning and architecture.
But, for the first time in life, English, which allows
me to sail through worldwide, proved utterly useless. I jumped at the
opportunity to pick up Mandarin phrases, communicating with the incredibly
patient locals using a mix of my inadequate language, sign language, and hilarious
Google translations. And, barring a couple of meals, I stuck to my—what I was
told was pig-headed—resolve to find and enjoy vegetarian Chinese food.
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| Jade Buddha Temple |
Texas, USA
If Shanghai was unforeseen, the trip to Texas was
even more so, and so last minute that it felt like a local trip. Though the travel
was for some family work, I was able to make the most of my five days there,
thanks to my cousins’ enthusiasm - they managed to show me slices of local
life, took me for countless Tex-Mex meals, braved hikes in a state park in the
oppressive summer heat, walked enveloped by the sticky, salty air at a heritage
seaside town, and ferried me long-distance to NASA. Texas also showed me a side
of the USA I hadn’t seen in my 2014 trip: a region in a time-warp compared to
the other areas I had been to. Until I have the opportunity to explore Texas more
deeply, I will remember its 1980s vibe, mom-and-pop stores, expansive farmlands,
pick-up trucks, fast driving, Tex-Mex food, and hearty pies.
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| Hiking at Bazos Bend State Park. |
Pondicherry
Tired from back-to-back travel, I almost didn’t want
to travel again when friends planned a getaway to Pondicherry, intending to
celebrate two of their birthdays there. Lured by the promise of a relaxed long
weekend, and not wanting to miss their birthdays, hubby and I drove down to
Auroville, where they had rented a small villa. It proved to be the perfect “do-nothing”
holiday, involving talking, laughing, reading, eating and sleeping. Just one
evening, we dragged ourselves to Pondicherry’s promenade for an evening stroll,
sunset views, and gelato. I would easily do this again.
Italy
A birthday celebration intended to be in Kashmir
moved to Italy, leaving me tinged with sadness. Though Italy was always
extremely high on our wish-list, circumstances meant that it was a fairly
last-minute change of plans, with just enough time for the visa. As if rising
to the challenge, Italy gave me a birthday to remember! Being an architect and
a lover of its cuisine, Italy was saddled with high expectations, which it met
with aplomb, every bit as wonderful as I had imagined the country to be.
A little over two weeks took me to Rome, Naples,
Florence and Pienza (Tuscany). Italy frequently overwhelmed me with its art and
architecture, and I realised that I will need multiple trips to enjoy
everything that I want. The food, fiercely regional, still has me salivating at
the memory, and was a strong highlight of the trip. A big credit towards making
the trip enjoyable goes to all the locals we interacted with – giving
suggestions and tips, smiling, always up for a chat, cracking jokes, and going
out of their way to make things for us.
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| A classic Tuscan landscape, with rolling hills and Cypress trees. |
Mumbai
It was yet another visit home in December, to catch
up with family and friends - visits that I also use to explore some of the
(what feels like) million things in the city. This time, I took hubby to Bandra
in the Christmas-New Year season, when its bye-lanes are alive with twinkling
lights and an old-world charm. We also walked along Bandra’s seaside
promenades, gawked at the homes of Bollywood stars, snacked on street food all
over the city, hunted down some winter delicacies, and bargained hard at Mumbai’s
street fashion Mecca. Ferrying us all around were the ever-reliable local
trains, the winter making the usually stifling-hot bogies and edgy commuters more
pleasant and even-tempered, resulting in less punching and shoving to get in
and out.
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| Christmas lights at Ranwar Village. |
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