From Bihar to Big Apple

I may not claim to be a globetrotting, soul searching Elizabeth Gilbert or a Manhattan traipsing Carrie Bradshaw but I do share a few things with these ladies; the quest for love, the wanderlust, the love of shoes, giddiness over good wine, good food and all the good stuff. Most importantly I would like to stake claim over the insatiable joie de vivre and love for New York (my current abode) in particular with Carrie. However, in many ways I differ from them; I have a single name (no, it’s not like Madonna or Prince); I own a cow as a dowry gift from my granddad; I am as comfortable sipping cappuccino at a piazza in Rome, nibbling on a sacher torte in Vienna, doing high tea at the iconic Plaza in New York as I am slurping “masala chai (Indian tea with milk, sugar and spices)” in non decrepit tea stalls of India. Also, while I may strut off a Prada or a Choo, I still go back to a town where “jeans” is spelt as “genes” in most shops. Contrast my Big Apple lifestyle to my upbringing in a sleepy small village in Bihar (a state in India) which still has no electricity or roads in many parts and I am almost forced to write about the dichotomy, the extremes, the transition, the trials and tribulations of exploring a world which is so different from one I come from and yet feels so familiar and relatable. I constantly feel the urge to make a note of how I evolve and grow as an individual along with these experiences while travelling or living in these fabulous cities across the world while holding dear my small town charm inside.

While racing from Bihar to Big Apple, I have taken pit-stops; living and studying in different cities in India and Europe, each challenging me and moulding me, in a certain way. The journey has been defined by survival, adoption, adrenaline and a constant excitement for what the next bend holds (ending my limited repertoire of F1 racing analogies). I have found love, support, guidance, kickbacks along the way but most importantly I have found things that I am passionate about. My greatest passions in life right now are my niece (sorry beau!), travelling and shopping in precisely that order; however, the time I currently spend on them is quite au contraire. This has more to do with geographical barriers, limited vacation days at work and ease of online retail therapy as my niece lives in India, my vacation balance is always negative and flash sales go live by the second.

Love is blind 

As far as my niece is concerned, I will save that for a different medium because no blog can do her justice and you will find references to her in my scribbling anyways.

Travelogues and journeys of a lifetime

Speaking of the travelling bug; like many things in my life, I am a late bloomer in discovering the joys of travelling. Coming from a middle class Bihari family whose idea of summer vacay was spending time at my uncle/aunt's place or visiting a temple; travelling far and wide across the world was only a secretly cherished dream. A dream perhaps fuelled by me going through the international section of the only English newspaper I could get in my hometown with a fine comb; never bothering that it was a day old. It all started when I went on my exchange program to Belgium during my MBA days in IIM Calcutta, India and now I have travelled across 25 countries, 3 continents and, by all means intend to travel the world. I practically have nothing to show for my bank account (my shopping bags are definitely to be blamed too) but I’ve only grown richer in my experiences and hungrier for more. 

I like to explore a place through its unique experiences which can also include the usual checklist items aka touristy stuff, cultural experiences, culinary delights and of course it’s night life. I am always game for a new experience; new high of travel and my wanderlust is insatiable. I have travelled as a poor student and have also been on completely decadent trips; and I have loved and appreciated the diverse experiences. I always try to optimize my travel curve and go for a heady mix of local experiences, luxury, adventure and meeting new people on any trip. Leading a consultant's life across the globe has only added fuel to fire and having friends who love to travel with me has given me the confidence to embark on this life-long love affair. Moving to New York has also provided me with the geographical advantage to travel to North America, Canada, Caribbean Islands and South America which I fully intend to exploit.

One of the aspects that I am very fascinated about is how travel impacts us as a person, as a couple, as friends, as family, even as strangers travelling together. How suddenly a place becomes more than a destination - it becomes the means to discover yourself, your purpose in your life or to find the love, reconnect with your family, rekindle that love affair, find those friendships or even helps you decide to say goodbye to ones who won't last and most of my travel pieces in this blog will be about the personal or emotional interactions born out of travelling. I most truly agree with Mark Twain’s saying – “I have found out that there ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.”

Confessions of a discerning shopaholic

Speaking of journeys, I am also a self-confessed “discerning shopaholic” and have made many a personal pilgrimages to the retail heavens both on foot and virtually. With all the emotional stimulations, the brand trolling, the sizing misadventures, the hilarious incidents and the nail biting decision making associated with each shopping experience; its worth sharing the undulations of a shopping curve, especially in this Mecca of materialism. Being a shopaholic is not questionable as I do believe that all girls are born with this affliction. However, I would like to qualify myself as “discerning” only because of the fact that I do tend to research and window shop to snag the object of my temporary obsession at a Pareto optimal point, despite my alarming subjugation to impulse shopping. This can induce a giggle, a chuckle, a fist pump or in some cases even a semi orgasm. Again, I am assuming that it's understood that shopping is orgasmic for females, perhaps more veritable than the ones induced by male kind.

Oh and before I forget to mention, this affliction is definitely exaggerated by the retail therapy of the virtual kind and even though I enjoy the brick and mortar model as much, these days stores can get overcrowded, overstocked and overwhelming and one would rather prefer hours of browsing through websites at one's own pace, listening to music, sipping wine, doing housework, walking on the streets, eating in a restaurant, pretending to work in office...you get the drift!

So it begins

Without further ado, I am embarking on this journey of penning down memoirs, emotions, life events, and even banal occurrences while travelling across the world and living in one of the most fabulous cities in the world – New York.  One of my travel writing professors told me that no writing can be great if it’s not personal and if it does not move you; so, bear with me as I may share some personal thoughts, experiences, incidents or ideologies that you may not even agree or identify with. Here’s to the journeys from bucolic to bourgeois, from a small town ingénue to a New Yorker, from Bihar to Big Apple.

Look forward to your feedback, comments and ideas about making this blog better....