-
My Summer 2022 Reading List
Summer 2022 has arrived. Since I can remember, I have spent every summer with my nose in the pages of a book, reading until the wee hours of the morning. As I have grown older, moving to multiple countries, I try and keep up with the habit. Although I’ve grown to love non-fiction, I do like sprucing up my selection with a few fiction pieces. This summer I have decided not to buy anymore books since I am a self-professed book hoarder – just ask my parents whose house is teeming with my collection! I have instead decided to peruse my childhood library. Here is my Summer 2022 reading list:…
-
A Review of Fort Jadhavgadh: Royal Maratha Treatment
Fort Jadhavgadh is located a mere 40 minutes – or fourteen kilometers – from the heart of Pune, Maharashtra. From my parents’ house in Pune, the ride takes barely thirty minutes. Instead of going the smooth road to Lonavala or Mahabaleshwar, my best friend Avni and I decided to take the more bumpy, rugged trail (literally!) to this 300 year-old Maratha fort. Fort Jadhavgadh touts itself as a luxurious experience that promises to take you back in time to Maratha royalty. The property prides itself as the first and only heritage fort hotel in Maharashtra and is most popular with visitors from nearby cities. As we drove through the nondescript…
-
My Favourite Podcasts during this Pandemic
Ever so occasionally I get bored of my music playlist or even Spotify (although I’ve come across a great find for music – Radio garden where you can stream any radio station across the world!), so I love tuning into podcasts especially during this long and difficult pandemic. What is great about podcasts is that you can practically listen to them anywhere – I usually put one on during a run or while I am cooking. And ever since I acquired a new pair of absolutely yummy white and rose gold Bose 700 noise cancelling headphones, I can’t wait to pop ’em on and get on the podcast train (NB:…
-
The Best Hummus in Amsterdam
What’s better on a rainy day than a warm bowl of tangy hummus accompanied with some real crisp pieces of pita and a secret sauce so delicious it’ll leave you wanting more? I am guessing nothing much. Luckily for me, on my last trip to the Netherlands, I found the best hummus in Amsterdam. On a cold rainy day in Amsterdam, after a morning at the Albert Cuyp Market, shopping and munching on some delicious fries with cheese sauce, the stomach was ready for more. Hungry and desperate, the two of us dragged our feet through Amsterdam’s glitzy De Pijp district, known for its top-notch restaurants and brewries. And Sir…
-
Top Coffee Spots in Delhi-NCR
Call me out on this cliché but there is nothing better than sinking into a nice book with some great coffee. After eight years in Delhi, I have found some great places to shun company, sip some great coffee and be an unapologetic introvert/bookworm. And I don’t mean at Starbucks! Here are some of my top coffee spots in Delhi-NCR: 1. Sibang Bakery – Gurgaon Located in one of Gurgaon’s many non-descript malls (South Point on Golf Course Road), I first discovered this café nearly three years ago. Since this part of Gurgaon is a hub for many Asian companies, it is easy to find authentic cafés that cater to the…
-
Zostel Gokarna – A Review
Cliffs, beach views and tranquility – Zostel Gokarna has it all. Although not bang on the beaches like most other shacks in Gokarna, this Zostel – perched on a cliff overlooking the Kudle Beach – has something unique to offer budget/backpacking travellers. Gokarna is a great place to spend a weekend and is quite close to Goa (for those who think Goa is too mainstream). The three of us reached here by train from Udupi, only a few hours away. Other travellers here were mostly stopping over for a day or two on their way to Goa. Like most other Zostels, this one too has both mixed and female dorms…
-
Wandering through the Neemrana Fort Palace
Rajasthan has got to be one of my favourite destinations. Part of it stems from spending two years of my adolescence in Jaisalmer. The other part stems from the fact that it is so gosh darn gorgeous – I can’t even! Back in college I had always wanted to go to Neemrana after listening to countless accounts of how fun the zip-lining was. But slowly, that enthusiasm faded – Neemrana started to seem like a cliché picnic spot for every bored Dilliwalla. My first ‘visit’ to the Neemrana Fort Palace in 2015 was with my family and it ended in an abrupt decision to go back home. The entry fee…