Tea’s Company: Drifting by the coastal city of Negombo
Negombo is, at best, a well-feted weekend getaway from Colombo (less than 40 km), with a pacy tenor of “dash in-drink at the beach-dash out” destination. That too, in good weather. For me, it was neither the weekend, nor good weather. Just a trip to slow down to see a harbour town minus the usual […]
Luck is an Arrow Tip: How do you win a fortune in Shillong?
It was 3 pm by the time we wended down to a small field at Sophlong from the town center. I could have easily missed it from the road, if not for an odd sight of scores of men with phones attached to their ears. These were…
Spoils from an alpine countryside
Home to the jagged Matterhorn peak that graces the packaging of Toblerone, the famous chocolate, Zermatt’s draw lies in offering skiing and climbing enthusiasts a flavor of untamed wilderness and dramatic views of mountains stacked behind each other. The town lies…
Bengaluru to Coonoor: No tourist rush
Those who saw the 2015 Bollywood hit, Kapoor & Sons, and marvelled at the charms of British-style cottages and tea estates that formed the backdrop, should note that Coonoor might be headed for trouble. Or so I argued with a friend who is an old hand at location-scouting. I was nervous that scores of tourists […]
Life in the slow lane
I stifled a yawn in respect for the clutch of Ruddy shelducks, exceedingly alert on their early morning flight over the Rapti River. It was 5.30 am and all attempts at rubbing the sleep away from my eyes resulted in only making them look more glazed. An eerie grey veil of mist hung over the […]
Sex in The City
I follow the voice obediently. Match my steps accurately with each pause and soak in every instruction. The tone suddenly dips from sprightly to sullen, and asks me to walk right behind the altar and into a bare room. The voice urges me to walk to the slim window at the back of the room […]
Locked up in Amsterdam
This is my first time in the city. Why would I want to be locked in a room instead of hitting the museums or grabbing a beer by the famed canals? But the indefatigable Julia, a local guide I’ve bumped into in the hotel lobby, is convinced that not giving it a try might seem […]
Snacks Filipinos won’t do without
Travel without local food can be particularly bland, especially if one is journeying through South-East Asia and doesn’t believe in the ‘nose-to-tail consumption’. It is best to drop all inhibition and be ready to dip into some of the finest Filipino grub.
Art on the move
A canvas of unimaginable colours and designs, it’s the most lucid manifestation of the good cheer of the Filipino lifestyle. When in Philippines, do get a taste of the Jeepney artistry. SUPRIYA SEHGAL hops on a souped up beauty for a spirited jaunt don’t go by the surly expression of the commuters.
Delhi to Viraatkhai: Children’s day out
I have never been one to play perfect aunt to fractious toddlers or hard-to-please teens. So when a weekend plan to travel with friends and their children, aged 3-10, came up, I hesitated. Then, weighing the options of spending a predictable holiday in the city or heading to the hills with old friends, I decided […]
Bengaluru to Kotagiri: Sullivan’s Nilgiris
Standing on the creaking wood-panelled floor of the Pethakal Bungalow in Kotagiri, eyes transfixed on honey-toned photographs, I drifted into John Sullivan’s Nilgiris.
A tropical state of mind
It was November when I landed in Davao, the unofficial headquarters of Southern Philippines. Filipinos start celebrating Christmas at the onset of the ‘ber’ months. The city had been decked since September.