Month: July 2015

Alila diwa goa

Alila Diwa: A Little Bit of Goa and A Whole Lot of Luxury.

In Majorda Goa, a unique boutique hotel with Goan-Portuguese-Balinese architecture on the edge of the rice paddies. Welcome to Alila Diwa Majorda Goa! When I dream of Goa, I don’t hear the roar of the ocean or feel the sand on my feet. I hear the pitter-patter of rain on old Portuguese roofs and the chatter of women in their rice paddies. I feel potent home-brewed Urakh smoothly slipping down my throat, a burst of flavors from fiery curries on my tongue and my mind slipping into a susegado mode. Earlier this year, when I landed in India after a six-month sojourn across Central and North America, I knew I needed Goa as much as I needed a cocoon of luxury to call my own. Alila Diwa was the kind of place on my mind, and this is why I loved staying there: Floating on the edge You know that feeling of lounging on a relaxing beach chair, floating in a pool that has no edge, shades on your eyes to keep the sun out, the wind ruffling your hair, a cocktail …

Retracing the Journey of Europe’s Forgotten Refugees.

Having grown up in a protective Indian family and beenΒ on the road for almost four years, I like to think I know a thing or threeΒ about freedom. BreakingΒ away from the shackles of a cubicle-bound life was easy. Breaking away from the expectationsΒ of society continues to be a constant battle – and one that I’m not the first or last one to face. Today, I’m hopping over to Western Europe to hike through the secret trails of theΒ Huguenots and Waldensians – religious refugees who were once banished from their homeΒ for rebelling against the popular religion; they walkedΒ through the mountains, valleys and vineyards of France, Switzerland and Germany in search of freedom. I hope to follow in their footsteps, find solace in their monasteries and truth in their wines, and bring you stories from a regionΒ that hasn’t been discovered by most. Why is this trip special? This trip is a milestoneΒ in my journey as a travel blogger. ItΒ will be my first campaign with iAmbassador, perhaps the most successful travel bloggers collectiveΒ of our times and one that I’ve …

Kazbegi, Kazbegi photos, Stepantsminda

If You’re Looking for the “Shire”, Come to Georgia!

Somewhere deep in the Caucasus mountains, I sip a glass of fine Georgian wine, watching the clouds playfully swirl around the snow-clad Mount Kazbeg and my gregarious Georgian hosts lovingly tending to their vegetable garden below. I’ve spent my days indulging in the country’s sumptuous gastronomy, drinking mineral water right off the spring, lounging in my remoteΒ mountain home as though nothing else in the world matters.Β The mist descends on our postcard village of Stepantsminda, a woman in a traditional black dressΒ carries fresh lavash bread from the neighbourhood bakery, the valley echoes with the laughter of men, children and horses. Β This isn’t the Hobbiton trail in New Zealand, but the closest you can get to life in the Shire (Lord of the Rings style) – where people live beautifully, eat well and be merry. Two weeks ago, I landedΒ in Tbilisi, Georgia’s photogenic capital city,Β with a friend, a one month visa and no fixed plans. The rugged mountains, chilled out locals, Soviet-era homes, underground wine taverns, artsy cafes and quirky cultural vibe instantlyΒ castΒ a spell on me. I …