Travel is the best teacher there is. This saying is used in many different contexts. When we travel, we step back in history, discover a new culture, try different foods, but most of all, encounter all kinds of people. Through my travels, I have realized that there is goodness in everyone, no matter how different […]

Coming from a family of at-home gardeners, we have always planted a summer garden. Typically, we grow herbs and vegetables such as basil, sage, tomatoes, and of course, cucumbers.  Every summer, we plant cucumbers so we can make our family’s favorite – refrigerator pickles. Never heard of refrigerator pickles before? Essentially, they are homemade bread […]

In America, what’s a common way for a person to greet someone? A usual “Hi! Nice to meet you!” followed by a handshake is what many would think of when asked that question. What started as a Greek symbol of peace has became an everyday action now, but how do you feel about the new […]

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, I want to especially recognize women in travel. Travel is a powerful tool that helps women become independent, gain self-confidence, empower, be economically and socially impactful. Over the years, I have met countless women who worked in the tourism ministry, as travel agents, tour guides, and more. Here are […]

If you love grilled meats, fresh breads, fragrant rice dishes and curries rich with spices – you will love Kashmiri food. Kashmir is the northernmost state in India, bordering with Pakistan to its west and China to the east. The food is influenced by Persia, Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. However, it is unique […]

If you are traveling to Asia, you are probably very excited at the prospect of seeing, even riding elephants. But do you know that around 75% of the world’s captive elephants have been illegally captured, with over 3,000 used for entertainment in Asia alone? PETA, whose driving force is that animals are not ours to […]

As the sun was setting over the Andaman Sea, an old ferry packed with people made the ten minute journey across from Port Blair to Ross Island. Given that no one lived on Ross Island, I was confused why so many people were going there, that too as it was getting dark. As I approached […]

Growing up in northern India, I had some familiarity with Andaman and Nicobar Islands only through my history and geography books. These group of islands are a part of India and located 1200 kilometers south east of the country, almost halfway between Indian and Thailand. Actually, the only other thing we were taught in school about the […]