As we wander, we wonder
Throughout the Covid lockdown, my travel repertoire backdates to a time when I was not consciously recording our experiences, so apologies in advance for the unflattering photos. But I had a nice memory of a birthday dinner here back in 2015 and thought might be worth a share. We had just recently started getting into […]
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When we reflect back on our life, it’s fair to say the most fulfiling times are those where we are fully engaged in the enterprise of living. Even when life caused us pain, the pain stems from a longing for more from existence. The most ideal combination is when we are able to balance between […]
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There is always the hit and the miss with Airbnb. It’s been the only way to travel since 2013 but I’m starting to withdraw a little from this travel option these days. That is if travel is ever possible again in the Covid era. Anyway, we reckon this Airbnb we stayed at in Pula was […]
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During these Covid lockdown days, I’ve been stuck indoors going through my old hotel reviews and came across my memories of Istanbul which is without a doubt, one of my favourite cities in the world. It is utterly unique, a cross between East and West, enchanting architectural relics of the significant empires of the past, […]
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Another brief rumination. The year started out with some melancholia as multiple well-known public figures left the world in such a tragic, shocking haste. Of course, none was known personally to me but I felt as broken as the bereaved. All of the departed left behind grief-stricken spouses and children and by all accounts were […]
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Even now, I still consider Rovinj one of the prettiest towns I’ve seen. There’s something natural, sultry and raw about her beauty. If she was a woman, she would be a middle-aged goddess, wearing her history proudly on her face without any camouflage. The attractiveness of this little town is also all-encompassing: every alleyway you […]
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My husband stayed at the Le Meridien in Jaipur back in February this year and here’s his feedback to the Le Meridien team. ‘The Le Meridian Resort and Spa at Jaipur is a wonderful property. Away from Jaipur city but great for some peace and tranquillity. I stayed with my mother and our check-in was […]
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The evergreen philosophy regarding generosity advises us that we should give without expecting anything in return and yet you still get a bit shocked, angry and disappointed when those you feel you have given your time, care and effort to refuse to do anything for you that would in any way cause them some effort, […]
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We were charmed by Ljubljana partly because we didn’t expect it, and we didn’t expect it because we had never heard of it. Small-town sophistication imbued with Aesop Fable tranquil. Terrace cafes brimming with patrons by the river, cyclists running their daily life, quaint back streets, weekend farmer’s markets and beautiful facades. We wished we […]
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Arguably the most popular YTL Resort, Pangkor Laut Resort is also the closest to Kuala Lumpur city, taking us approximately 2h and 45 minutes to get to the Marina, and a further 10 minutes boat ride to get to the island. We have tried and reviewed (link here) the three other YTL resorts in Malaysia […]
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And so another collection of 12 months have come and gone and we are here, almost two months into a fresh new decade that once seemed resolutely unattainable, lodged within a science fiction future. For the longest time now, I approach new years with some contradiction of both apathy and trepidation. That pressure to have […]
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I didn’t realise there were grapevines in India until recently. The only other one we visited was somewhere between Lausanne and Geneva… it was half bald and my shoes were killing me was my main memory of that event. I was impressed with this landscape in Nashik, a small town about 4 1/2 hours drive […]
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I was curious about this so-called Monte Carlo of Croatia. When I stumbled on the page of Amadria Park Milenij of Opatija (link here), the aesthetics pulled me in, especially its waterfront location and the stunning outdoor dining hall. It seemed like a beautiful place to conclude a week of Airbnbs in Rovinj and Pula, […]
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In life, there are those whose words and actions are in better harmony than others. The ones who when they give you their word, you never fret about whether they will deliver. And then there are those who, when they give you their word, you feel no sense of assurance. There is a high probability […]
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We popped by this cafe on a warm November afternoon. It’s a milder version of the New York Cafe, more authentic, less terrorised by stampedes of tourism. We could actually have real conversations amongst locals here, and there wasn’t a need to book way in advance. It comprises of the usual Austro-Hungary dining room aesthetics […]
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Taj Palace Hotel’s Sea Lounge is famous for its afternoon tea delights and a memorable view of the Gateway of India perched upon the Arabian Sea. The Taj Palace Hotel itself is an Indian institution – a Tata creation, the haunt of dignitaries, celebrities and royalty, and a tourist must-see or dine. It is more […]
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A short reflection on the grim and macabre aspects of all that we avoid in life. Failures I think the only way we genuinely experience humility is through abject failures. I feel that life has a way of making you bow down to all that you were previously arrogant about, whether you manifested this arrogance […]
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Many told me about the wonders of the Adriatic – and what better way to enjoy this natural wonder than by spending half a day sailing on it. My search quickly took me to Istraordinary’s website (here) and IG page (here). I liked their Legend sailboat and the offer they provided – 4 hours sailing […]
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The Indian aesthetic tradition is refined and grand. For me, shopping in Bombay is a richer experience than most places in the world. When perusing through their best offerings, you are exposed to a sense of culture, history and individuality, not mass-produced generic thoughtlessness. One of the best places to taste an authentic feel of […]
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Lately, I’m trying to reflect on why I’ve started to have a relocation itch. It’s strange to think that I’ve been living in one place since February 2018 now. For many years I waxed lyrical that this is what I really wanted. To be back home, in an aesthetically beloved apartment, in my favourite part […]
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Ahh.. it’s time for another post on facades, this time featuring Zagreb. I wasn’t sure what to expect architecturally in the capital of Croatia. We could feel immediately upon entering into the streets that there was a warmth in the energy of the people, different to our Budapest experience. Yet the buildings and structures still […]
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Pictures of sea caves and cliff jumping in coasts merely a speedboat ride away from Pula harbour were, strangely, too tempting for me – a certified height and claustrophobia phobic. I thought that even if I couldn’t participate in these fun nature activities, I would still want to be in close proximity to such beautiful […]
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To be vulnerable, to offer yourself up for public judgment, and to be rejected by others for the very same reasons you reject yourself is a terribly uncomfortable place to be. A slap in the face? A push against the wall? A mirror facing moment where you have to admit to yourself that some shortcomings […]
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Serenity and tranquil. That’s what lakes are all about and Lake Bled epitomised that like no other. If you happen to be in Ljubljana, then we strongly recommend a one hour bus ride to Lake Bled for a nature’s walk and their ever famous cream cake desert at the minimum. For those who want to […]
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Beach resort I’ve wanted to go to Koh Samui since 2014 when I first lived in Bangkok. It probably doesn’t have the most stunning beach in the world (in my view, that’s still the prize of Maldives) but it was said to be more exclusive than say Phuket or Koh Lipe or Krabi. Somehow we […]
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This is just a quick post to strongly recommend taking a break from online activity when taking a vacation. Recently I went through email exchanges of 10 years ago, where I was describing to my family about a Tuscan holiday I had taken with a good friend, some weeks after the holiday. I realised that […]
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Cafe cafe Viennese cafe culture is so renowned that it was the only thing I wanted to experience when we had a few hours to roam around what was once the capital of the Austro-Hungary empire. After searching through various blogs, I decided to try Cafe Schwarzenberg purely for its visual patina. It was established […]
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Looking for The Higher Self 