Tanzania – This Labyrinth I Roam

Packing Essentials – Things You Should Never Leave Home Without

Published on August 17, 2015 by cupitonians3 Comments

I am a great advocate of packing light and making do with bare necessities because let’s face it, if you wanted to travel to another country to experience all the things you love at home (re: McDonalds), then you might as well stay home. To be fair, I make it a point to try the local KFC meal just because. This is what it looks like in Bangkok.

Jokes aside (but seriously, the word ‘Spicy’ in a meal is a warning, not a description!), there are somethings that you should carry with you no matter how large or small your luggage space is. It has helped turn travels into journeys into unforgettable adventures and the best part of it all is that they are ABSOLUTELY FREE!

In no particular order, I give you my packing essential list.

Packing Essential #1 – An Open Mind

Right alongside your handy travel adapter (even though being phoneless can have great perks!), bring an open mind. There will be times when you are called on to drink cocktails from shady bars in buckets, there will be times you will have to drive on the other side of the road, times when out of sheer hunger you will say yes to the man selling roasted scorpions. These make great icebreakers when you’re on your next adventure but mostly you will remember having the time of your life!

Packing Essential #2 – Patience

If you don’t have an annoying sibling, find an annoying friend or go stand in the queue at Nilgiris (a supermarket that just can’t bill your products without also making you wait for 500 hours) in India. It will help you develop this great thing called Patience which is also free but you won’t believe the things it will help teach you. That delayed sky-train ride, those long hours being lost in translation, those cancelled flights, those times a terminal becomes your second home – these are things that help you live a realistic day-to-day life in a foreign country. It could lead you to holidays you never planned for – like an island trip to Zanzibar or breath-taking views because walking through dangerous hills was your only chance out. When you aren’t trying to follow in Bill Murray’s footsteps, life happens to you.

Packing Essential #3 – Greetings 101

I have always been the kind who doesn’t read much about the place or its culture till I am actually smack in the middle of living it. It is not always a good idea. There’s always a chance that somebody speaks English and will help you out, but it could just as easily go the other way. If you are like me, just observe the words that are being said in greetings. Saying hello is a big deal in all cultures and even if you speak no more than the word for ‘whats up?’, you will find your journey that much more easy because of it. It gives off the impression that you are trying (which, of course you are) and it helps you make friends with the locals which can lead to even more moments you won’t soon forget. Find a way to bond and if you can get them to smile (or laugh) back at you, you are set!

Packing Essential #4 – Manners

While not all rituals seem logical to you, when in a foreign country, it is good to practice your manners. They do things different two streets down from where my parents stay and yet, when I’m in their neighbourhood, I respect their way. As a guest, it is your duty to be mindful of what goes and what doesn’t. Keep your eyes open and read body language where you can. Take your shoes off where you need to, cover up where it is expected, and stand up for the anthem even if it is in the cinema. At the end of the day, good manners will take you where your money won’t go.

Packing Essential #5 – Curiosity

This great characteristic to develop is deadly to cats, or so I hear, but great for us humans. Wanting to know what that particular shrine is, or what is down that colourful street is a great way to discover things that aren’t on a Lonely Planet Guide or on Trip Advisor. Yes, you can see and do and all touristy things that your heart desire, but there is something appealing about finding a canal and pointing and ordering the greatest dish you have ever tasted. Forget the taxi and get on that rickety boat. You never know what treasure you will find on the other side!

Five Years Time

Published on May 25, 2015August 11, 2015 by cupitonians14 Comments

I’ve had a serious sit down to take stock of the past 5 years. In the same breath, so much has changed and yet so much is the same.

2010 – 2011

I was in Tanzania mid-2010. I had quit my 7 days a week, 16 hours a day job that I thought was helping me “save the world” and “make a difference”. Oh to be young and naïve. My mental and physical health had deteriorated and in desperation for a change or on a whim (I can’t remember which it was) I decided not to wait for the ‘someday’ and just book my tickets to Tanzania. I decided I’d go there for a few weeks and if nothing worked out, I could just as easily come back. I stayed there nearly a year. I went in blind and made up the next steps as I got there. It is an adventure close to my heart. Being as list-crazy as I am, I managed to list all the things I managed to do while there so I don’t have to rehash an old subject. Read more here.

2012 – 2013

When I came back from East African adventure, I was so jaded I stayed at home and decided to enjoy just being. When you’re on the go for so long, you crave moments of being rooted. One day turned into two years. I stayed at home, I took care of grammie (which was gratifying and yet very mentally and physically exhausting). For work, I consulted with a few NGOs and conducted workshops, I also took a step towards moving to my dream career of writing. I blogged more, I sought out freelance projects and got lucky to be hired by the Day Zero Project (I still contend it is the best job I have ever had). I went through emotional rollercoasters of a very extreme kind – I lost a mentor (you can read the requiem here) and just the baggage of being someone’s caretaker, of staying at home and never going out pushed me to a whopping 105kgs of weight. When I hit rockbottom and there was nowhere else to go, I decided to get my fitness back on track and also decided to pay for an international trip for my brother.

I know, I know. It isn’t as glamourous as it seems. We went to Malaysia and Singapore and had the time of my life (I had to tag along you see. Make sure my money was being put to good use. Shortly after we came back, I got to see the Taj Mahal which is every bit as beautiful as they say it is. I felt like I found a fresh lease on life – I suppose you are always optimistic when you are travelling. I got back home to find myself in the same rut. Something had to be done. I decided to do a drastic – I’m leaving – step like I did with Tanzania. Only this time, we found out the li’l sister was engaged so I made a deal with the parents that I will stay till she got married and then leave the nest (about time too!)

The Baby Pea got married in 2013 and I used that as an excuse to get some more travelling in. After visiting large parts of England, Wales and Scotland (including hunting for Nessie and visiting the mother of all henges!), I saw my dad walk her down the aisle and it was as if the whole world came a full circle. Later that evening, I realized I was falling in love with a guy I had met at her birthday party – that silly guy that turned my life around. Thus started the long distance phase – the phase that was never meant to be.

2014 – 2015

I started the year with a visit from said silly man. All those people who looked at me like I had cancer when I said we decided to give long distance a try – I wanted to show them that for some reason I couldn’t put my finger on, it was working and I was happy. I stayed on at the parents but got a job as a full time writer. We decided as a couple to try India for a while and so Adam moved all the way from England to a third world nation that somehow suits him more than it suits me. He must’ve been an Indian in a previous life. We moved in together which also meant I moved out of home. Despite all the stress of “OMG what will people say” and the many fights that come from it, it has gone very well. While there is still some pressure to get married because I’m “old” and living in – which is a big sin – I have had an amazing 6 months so far. My family has gotten to know him and he’s gotten to know them. We’ve had a couple of family trips and I finally got to spend so much time with my little niece who is (no bias) a complete sweetheart.

Some of the things we’ve done in this phase makes it feel like we’ve lived lifetimes. We met and saw Alt J and Daniel Waples (who was a revelation) in concert (Rudimental played, but meh!), we’ve been to Thailand, to Pondicherry, to Mysore, we watched RCB play live – which was always a big dream for Adam, we saw the little niece grow from a little baby to a restless ‘I need to see and touch and taste everything’ crawling creature. I’ve also been offered a job in Thailand that may see me there by the end of this year. Or maybe not.

Life is every changing but not one minute of it has been boring. I can only wish that the next five years be as full and adventurous as the last five have been. I’m looking forward to every second of it.

Shameless Self Promotion

Published on March 26, 2014August 11, 2015 by cupitonians44 Comments

I haven’t written “properly” on here in a while on account of life being what it is – but I have been getting an unbelievable amount of views and comments that has nudged me to make this post. Allow me this one indulgence?

In case you’ve missed it, my top 5 posts (ever) are –

You are a Bangalorean If – A comment on the little things that a Bangalorean would indulge in.

Ode to my 29 Teeth – A horror story about how in the great battle of life, 32 teeth soldiers went marching in and only 29 made it back alive.

I am a Weirdo – A post that, if you’re being honest, needs no elaborate introduction.

This is for you, Rami – A eulogy for a mentor, a friend and confidante.

What it means to be East African – A list of things that struck me when I was volunteering in Tanzania.

Not to say I have given up on writing. I haven’t. I have been popping out Guest Posts like a machine, a machine I tell you. This is just to nudge you in the right direction and tell you that I have created a new page called Digital Footprints that lists all the places I do manage to write in.

Just know that I’m not ignoring you. I will try to write at least one post a day. Promise.

Hope you are well.

Just the weigh you are

Published on November 22, 2013August 11, 2015 by cupitonians31 Comments

Apparently a woman is only truly comfortable with her body in her 30s. So this must mean I’m in the love-hate stage of my relationship with the way I look, the way my body is in the early part of my late 20s (See how I’m trying to convince myself that I’m not that old?). This is fairly accurate. I suppose you don’t really care as much about what you eat when you’re a teenager because you’re active and you’ll burn all of it off anyway.That was partly my story as well.

When I got home from school, I would take off on the bike. I hated being indoors. On days when I was happy, I would go annoy Broseph Tinkerbell (my li’l brother) till he’d agree to sit on the back of the bike, the part where we were meant to put our bags), and we’d set off. I’d just cruise around for a while because he’d much rather be at home with his nose in some interesting philosophical book, maybe underlining a quote from Nietzsche he really loved (He was only 8!). When he least expected it I’d go down a steep winding path yelling “PREPARE FOR THE BUMPY RIDE!”. He hated it!

When I was older, I’d sneak off from Math class to play basketball. We were nerds even in this rebellious behaviour. We’d finish all the “problems” at the end of the chapter the teacher was going on about, then finish all the sums for the next 3 chapters as well and et voila! Freedom to shoot some hoops in a country where sports wasn’t supposed to be a thing ladies indulged in.

In University, I found out I had a lung problem. My lung was working at only 50% the capacity – so the doctor said I was not allowed to do anything strenuous, including sports or camping or go out in the sun or knock heads with the world because I was, and I’m not even joking, “allergic to nature”.

Something about that verdict really got me depressed and I stopped doing anything active. I devoured books, I wrote stories, I stayed away from doing the things that made me alive. Instead I would eat. I love food. It brings you comfort and we all know where this story goes. It wasn’t until I was in Tanzania when I was chasing around children that I realised that I had completely let it go.

When I made my way back home, I decided to do something about it. It’s been a year. I’ve lost 40 pounds and I feel so much more vibrant. But I’m at the point of my weight loss where you plateau no matter how much you exercise and watch what you eat. I think it needs a kick but I’m not sure where to begin. So when I weigh myself every week, it’s hard not to despair.

I love watching people’s jaw drop when they see me, exclaiming about how good I look. The joy is wearing off slowly though because when you workout to feel fit, the “oh you look gorgeous” bit gets a bit annoying. It’s a concept that is hard to explain – that you can look good and not feel healthy. Know what I mean?

What do you do when your health regime isn’t going as well as you’d like?

Masterchef Australia Here I Come

Published on November 13, 2013August 11, 2015 by cupitonians19 Comments

Those of you who know me outside of this labyrinth know that for a long time I steered clear of anything that seemed too domestic. Being from the third world where women have a stereotype we have to live up to, my daily routine included slapping said demands with a trout. Which meant I steered clear of the kitchen. When I was in Africa though, I had to learn to cook. If I had a choice, I’d live off cereals but I was living sometimes in the middle of a National Park, sometimes on the foothills of Kili, sometimes in little huts in the arid villages near Dodoma . It meant I had to be fit and fed. The luxury of a take away meal – non-existent!

If there’s one thing I’m known to be, it’s methodical. While the task of preparing a meal seemed daunting, I was determined to take baby steps till I made something that would make me feel like Nigella Lawson, more specifically, Nigella Lawson in this GIF.

And would you know it, I did manage my first pinterest worthy dish. Stay with me for the big reveal at the end of this post. But for now, this is how it happened.

Step One – Empty the pantry on to the kitchen platform

Step Two – Arrange the items according to their type, size and colour. Be a complete OCD freak about it

Step Three – Stare at the utensils and then the vegetables and then the utensils and then the vegetables and then the utensils and then the vegetables. They are bound to become what they needed to be. If there’s anything Disney movies has taught me, it is to believe

Step Four – Start to panic. It’s close to midnight and you haven’t got anything done yet. Resort to munching on raw veggies and wondering why the god damn food won’t cook itself like mum promised they would.

Step Five – Lose your shit

Step Six – Go through the five stages of grief.

Step Seven – A light bulb goes off in your head. Last minute panic is the best source of inspiration. I promise.

Step Seven Point Five – Find bread. But it in the toaster and stare at it without break so that you don’t burn the toast. When it’s a nice golden brown, take it out, slather it with a generous knob of butter.

Step Seven Point Six – Time to unleash the top secret ingredient – it’s what takes a normal dish extraordinary.

: I swear this is how my face looked that evening

Step Eight – Devour said masterpiece! NOM NOM NOM!

I couldn’t believe my luck. I think staring at the ingredients I had helped my creative mind put together some of the most simple ingredients to make one of the best dishes I have ever tasted. Of course, I could be biased but all it takes is 3 ingredients and you can purr with satisfaction once you’re done savouring it.

TADAAA! Disaster cook to Masterchef in less than 3 minutes! You can thank me later!

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And here is the Buzzfeed link for the article!

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2010 – 2011

2012 – 2013

2014 – 2015

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