Category: Travel
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Fifty Things I Learned As a First-time Visitor to Japan
If you are planning to visit Japan soon, you probably have a number of questions about the country. Simply put, Japan has a lot going on. Recently, I had a chance to visit Japan and spend a few days in Tokyo and Kyoto. You can check out my impressions of Tokyo, in this post titled Take…
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Should Khajuraho Downplay the Erotic Aspects of its Monuments?
My first reaction when I visited the erotic sculptures of Khajuraho was: “What the heck were they thinking?” Before I get into that, let me take a step back. If you live outside India and have heard about Khajuraho, you would be in the minority. If you live in India and have heard about it,…
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What3words – An App for Unmapped Areas of the Earth
If your work or leisure activities take you into unmapped areas of the earth, you should know about What3words. What3words uses geocodes to narrow down a location to within a 3X3 metre square space irrespective of whether it is in a city, a forest, or a lake. The app will work in offline mode even…
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Two Location Apps That You Should Know
With all the bad news in the media, you may be looking forward to getting away from it all. If your activities take you outdoors and into unmapped areas of the earth, there are two location apps that you should know about: “what3words” and “Plus Codes.” The two apps use geocodes to provide pinpoint accuracy…
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10 Post-Lockdown Choices That are Yours to Make
The last time I engaged in a potentially life-altering activity was in Cabo St. Lucas, Mexico. I had joined a few colleagues to ride a series of ziplines. Everything seemed fine until I had to sign a waiver form. One line stood out. It read: The “Activity” can be HAZARDOUS AND INVOLVES THE RISK OF…
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Floyd Cardoz – It’s Like I Knew the Man
“Renowned chef Floyd Cardoz dies after coronavirus diagnosis,” read the headline. It came as a shock. It’s like I knew the man. The 59-year-old Mumbai-born chef was diagnosed with Coronavirus on March 18th after admitting himself to a New Jersey Hospital. His tweets, embedded in some of the news reports, give the impression that he…
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New Orleans: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry!
The small group of thirty-something-looking women standing behind us was loud and chatty, but friendly. One of them wore a sash that read “Birthday Girl.” It was around 11:00 AM. My wife and I were in a lineup, waiting for the Hop-on-Hop-Off bus on Canal Street in New Orleans. The girls were clearly in high…
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50 Things I Learned About Japan
If you are planning to visit Japan soon, you probably have a number of questions about the country. Simply put, Japan has a lot going on. Recently, I had a chance to visit Japan and spend a few days in Tokyo and Kyoto. You can check out my impressions of Tokyo, in this post titled…
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Take Me to Tokyo!
As we settled into our seats in the Friendly Airport Limousine, I realized that I had stressed for no reason. Before boarding my flight to Tokyo, I had made a mental list of the things that I would have to do upon clearing customs at the airport — withdraw yen from an ATM, buy an…
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Los Angeles – An Unusual SoCal Experience
I had expected it to be big. It was. The villa had seven bedrooms and seven baths spread over 11,000 square feet. I have been to a few big homes in my time; but, this one took the cake. I reminded myself; I am in Bel-Air, Los Angeles. Exclusivity and excess go hand in hand…