The Unruled Notebook

  I know I have told you enough about the tantrums world throws on a vegetarian; but eating a spoonful of wasabi was just the beginning. Japan is a country I admire for things like perseverance, technology and innovation. One thing about Japan that makes me show a ‘monkey–face’ is food. When I say ‘Japanese Food’, what comes to you mind? When I landed in a foreign country, I had a very open mind , free of inhibitions . My friends were alike which made it all the more fun. We were a ‘foodie-gang’ who never hesitated to travel miles and miles to get a nice cup of coffee and banana bread. The German Bakery was one such. It wasn’t limited to coffee though; we wanted to try that one thing which people go gaga over, that one thing which is so popular around the world – Sushi . I was not certain there is a vegetarian version of Sushi until one of my friends mentioned it. She was so excited to tell me about Sushi and its health benefits and how yummy it tasted. She also ...

One should not hold on to stuff that one needs to let go. I know I want to let go of a lot many things and honestly speaking, I am working on changing and that's why I am writing this series. I want to be able to release all my anxiety and just enjoy my existence. I am enjoying the process of figuring all this out. It's just takes time. Eventually I'll get my thoughts, emotions and life aligned. Too much philosophy??? Okay, I will get right to the story now!!! That' s me gulping down a burger at Sydney airport It was a bit of a drizzle when I stepped out to get a taxi. Searching for the taxi stand, I started walking. There were so many cars going out and coming in; all big ones. I couldn't figure out which a taxi was. I thought about how easy it was to spot an auto in India (Black and yellow, not so mellow). A couple of cars just drew close and stopped. Both had taxi caps!! Voila!!  I gave him the address and told him I had only US currency wit...

After months of fervent anticipation, the day finally arrived. I packed my bags and left for the Chennai airport. Several hours later, the plane landed in Hong Kong. The neat looking stewardess from Cathay came in and said, "Welcome to Hong Kong." All my life I've dreamed of going to a different country. But there's been a change in the flight plan and my transit hours got extended by 4 hours which made a total of 22 hours of transit. Amazing! Some brilliant chap told me that the airline will cover the stay and food and conveyance. Well, Cathay had its own rules. They didn’t cover transit which is less than 24 hours; not even a minute. As wonderful as it sounds, this wasn’t supposed to be on the itinerary, yet!   I was on my own in the isolated airport for 22 hours. The child in me was excited though. It was a different place, I thought at first. When I started walking, I found the airport to be humongous to say the least. An ocean of shopping complexes...

Ever Yours, This will be a memoir of my visit to my favorite place in the world. I won’t make it a schmaltzy, nostalgia-struck narrative; I want this to be both a fond memory and a useful guide. Picture taken when I was taking the Cahill walk - Amazing view from up there!!! Sydney is not just a city; it is a lot of things.     I am in love with a city; vivid and happening, full of life, dreams, lush green landscapes, koalas, kangaroos and of course the Opera house!!!  Picture taken at Feather dale National park                                               When I first landed there I was literally broke and I barely knew a soul. But the city taught me to think, learn, explore and live. Sydney is not just a c...