I’ve always loved to travel. Some of my best memories are of me perched on a train seat with my headphones plugged in, a spicy thriller to read and beautiful breathtaking vistas of paddy fields, arcing coconut trees and blue - grey mountains in the distance. I have often put down my book and penned poems by the dozen. Happy poems, unlike my usual dark sagas of death and deception. It’s so unimaginably beautiful to see the silhouette of a bird perched on an electric line etched against the backdrop of an orange sky lit by the setting sun. It may last only a few seconds while the train whizzes by but those few seconds make u realize how much more there is to see!

I really haven’t traveled much. Not as much as I’d like to. During my long sojourn in ‘da Gulf’ I really didn’t go anywhere worthwhile. A bit of Al-Ain, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah (lovely mountains en route), Oman (gorgeous beaches) and that’s just about it! I felt, back then, that if I was in India I would’ve seen a lot more places and been to a lot more cities. But after nearly 8 years here, I fail to understand why my travelogue would be so limited.

Here’s where I’ve been:

•Chennai - been to beaches, churches and nothing much else although I loved the little I experienced! The beaches were crowded with couples who were in a world of their own, oblivious to shocked onlookers like me. No I’m not a voyeur you meanie, its all the eye can see for miles around. But if you can learn to ignore such distractions you find your self melting away and become one with the ocean, feet digging into the soft sand, wind billowing through your hair and eyes fixed to the horizon.

•Hyderabad - ended up soaked to the bone, sloshing around in mid calf length water for over an hour with no auto in sight. Hardly the Hyderabad I expected what with its Charminar, Choodi Bazaar, Film City and so on. Needless to say Hated it! I’ve been there twice but saw nothing! I must admit the people whom I met were very nice and hospitable though.

•Ooty – cold and quite dirty. Crushed ice flowed out of the taps in the morning. I must say my teeth suffered quite a battering. There are some beautiful spots in Ooty but it all felt so exploited and touristy.

•Munnar – the whole place was so beautiful! Everywhere you turn there’s a picnic spot waiting for you. The weather is always pleasant and the famous mountain goats are shy but curious. We went to a church for mass on a hilltop where the wind threatened to blow us away. The whole experience was out of the world

•Allepey(Alapuzha)– this is one trip I totally enjoyed. Imagine relaxing on a boat as it cruises through lazy backwaters with trees bending low over the snaking waterway creating a leafy dome overhead where sunlight pierces through in tiny rays. Also we gorged on freshly caught fish and gulped freshly tapped toddy that hadn’t fermented. Surprisingly there were no annoying mosquitoes.

•Bangalore – I’ve only been to Nandi Hills. If you’re interested in a night out with friends with bottles of beer in hand, this is the place for you. Another thing you can do is rise early and take a bike trip uphill to greet the morning sun. Since I’m not a drinker, biker or early riser, my trips to Nandi were always a tad boring. But we did chance upon a beautiful vineyard with a canopy of green vines with small gem like grapes hanging down.

•Mysore – Mysore has its old world charm, with the palaces and the gardens but as my insightful A.N.B pointed out to me once on a shopping trip to the main city, Mysore is full of dust and dried horse shit. She’s quite a delight isn’t she?

•Mangalore – when we visited Mangalore we traversed through dusty roads lined with trees laden with more dust. I never thought anything beautiful could ever exist in dust city till I saw the beach. I would honestly say it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Fine smooth glass free sand, crabs scuttling away on sight, low rocks with interesting towers and hardly any people. I would go again if I could, just to sit on that beautiful sea shore and watch the calm magnificent ocean

•Cochin – I really mention Cochin. Although it really isn’t the ultimate tourist destination, I loved my trips to Fort Cochin. A walk through the streets would lead you to believe that maybe you weren’t in India. There are cobbled paths and old buildings with British or Portuguese architecture. Small side streets with vendors and antique shops selling new goods fashioned to look antique. The Jewish synagogue is a real treat. I remember walking by the sea side a day after the Tsunami struck. It was total and complete destruction, a week later when I returned, the Chinese fishing nets and sea food stalls were back up. You have to appreciate their resilience!

•Mali – we had a stopover at Mali once en route from AUH to India. I must say it was breathtaking. The sea was crystal blue and the green islands were ringed with golden brown sand which seemed to form a halo around every island. I really wished that we could stay there for at least a day instead of having to rush to our connecting flight in a matter of hours. But that was till I tasted the tap water at the airport. It was saline. So saline you’d think you could taste the aquatic life as well. Anyway the view from the plane window on the way to India was worth the salt shock!

I really can’t think of anywhere else I’ve been. Apparently I’ve been to Mumbai when I was 3, but since there is no proof photographic or otherwise I refuse to believe it.

I’d love to check put place sup north. Mumbai, Delhi, Leh Ladakh, Kashmir, Manali, Darjeeling…I don’t think I’ve covered much of the South yet but I’m slowly progressing upwards. Maybe I’ll go to Goa next. Can u believe I haven’t gone yet? Sigh.

It is frustrating to think that I’ve been here for so long, I totally love traveling even alone but haven’t really been anywhere. Anyways as Robert Frost puts it, I have miles to go before I sleep. And someday I’ll document those miles for generations to come.

Disclaimer: These are solely my opinions and they may be biased based on the weather and the state of my hormones at the time of visit so please don't take offense to them. If you have a different opinion about any of the above I would LOVE to hear from you!