For the restless spirit!

  As an individual, I am one of those that like to stay in control - or atleast I was ....  I seemed to always know what I wanted and how I would like it served! I have always been open to random suggestions, but not a fan of following through - why did I need to? I was adventurous myself and often travelled the road less taken!!! Even then, the keys were held tightly in my fist :) The last couple of years taught me to loosen my grip - nudged me to believe it was alright to go with the flow sometimes. I started, suspiciously at the start, but gradually with more and more confidence and my horizons gained in perspective and splendor.  I always had a list of places to visit - and was meticulously going through it as the opportunity presented itself. I rarely looked for suggestions - didn't ever feel the need to. Until, my favorite co-traveller, my daughter started sharing some of her list.  And I was suddenly looking at new destinations!!!! I opened up, chose a country...

For me, travel has never ever been just about pretty or fancy destinations - yes I am a huge fan of natural beauty and have often lost myself in Mother Nature's arms. In contrast, I am also a big fan of places with what I call, character - ancient destinations that have a long and vivid history behind them and even today hold on to remnants of that heritage.  Traveling for me, is about discovering ..... not just the swanky and new but also the quaint and old.  For me , some destinations answer questions and some raise new ones.  My next trip, although impromptu, seemed to give me a sign .... Out the blue came an invitation to attend a cultural festival on the banks of the River Ganga, to discover the Varanasi where a 15th century mystic poet and saint was born and lived; from those very banks, he preached back then, that Truth is with the person who is on the path of Righteousness and who passively detaches from the affairs of the world. Learnings that the world could do ...

Strife is all too common these days. Probably due to these trying times, almost every relationship I see around seems to be feeling the stretch - and people want to run away from where they feel stuck to a place that will let them "just be".... I firmly believe we all need our own "safe space" - it could well be an actual place you feel you belong or a relationship that allows you to be you. It's therapeutic! When it comes to 2 people trying to mend ...anything.... I believe space / environment plays a role too. It is very difficult to heal in the same space you have been hurt - it's not impossible, but it is challenging. Hence the need to move away - physically. And that's where travel comes in ..... it can breathe  new life into a connect you thought was dead, it can rejuvenate hurt hearts and it can help to mend broken wings.  I was blessed to be able to find such safe spaces for myself and my daughter and it worked it's magic for sure. With each ...

  After I dropped my daughter off at her college in Sept 2015, I remember deciding - for the very first time - to go into a London pub on my own. I remember feeling terribly awkward and yet forced myself, thinking that I needed to get used to doing stuff alone. I distinctly remember finding a corner seat, ordering a beer and smoking whilst trying not to make eye contact with anyone; gradually the nerves eased and I looked around and saw I was not the only one sitting on their own. In about 20 odd minutes, I had even started making conversation with some of them! It wasn't so bad at all. I recall the smile on my face as I walked back to my hotel that night. Another first, and it made me more courageous ....  I was ready to go solo! Extract from Meira's Memoirs - Mar 2016 It was six months since my nest turned empty and I was just about wrapping my head around this new phase of life. I had completed the inevitable internal conversations on being lonely vs being alone and I was b...

  2021 - post the havoc caused by Covid -19 in the previous year, the aftermath continues and with it, comes more changes....  In the 15 odd years that I have lived in this adopted land, I have been fortunate to build a tribe - a group of girlfriends - that have been the wind beneath my wings, especially since 2014. I call us "the too much women" and we are a lot :) but between us, we have each others' backs, all the time.  One of us is leaving the country as a Covid casualty and the heart feels heavy ....  the tribe dynamics will change a bit, but I firmly believe that true friends never really leave your side and hence I know we will work our way around the geographies and find our space together again, going forward too.  It is far too precious to give up.   Our travels together have sealed this connect! Thankfully, I am blessed to remain connected to many of my tribe, living in different continents - we cant meet as often as I'd like to, but when w...

  2015 : the year my daughter was to complete high school and go into college.  A big milestone for both of us - the reason why I had to normalize her landscape as much as possible, despite many setbacks in 2014. Many considerations and factors were brought to the table and we spoke endlessly about what worked best, finally we agreed that sending her away from Dubai was probably the best for her and I was face to face with the daunting concept of soon being an empty nester. Definitely not an easy choice, given what I was personally going through.  However, going through this process, I learnt a major parenting skill - putting the interests of your little one ahead of yours. Now most parents will say that this is what they always do, but too many times, I have noticed that it is a camouflage for what we believe their "best interests" are ..... not necessarily what the child concurs with or even wants.  And once again, travel helped me make a decision - where will I le...

  2014 - it was quite a year for me, a watershed of sorts.  A lot changed. I lost both my parents and my marriage of 20 years. I had to steady my ship fast to enable my teenaged daughter to keep strong and focussed on her track.  I turned to travel - no longer as a passion but as a coping mechanism, to allow me to keep sane.  I turned to my homeland - my India., to its calming hills to seek answers.... Extract from Meira's memoirs - July 2014 " I just wanted to escape. Escape from my reality that was overwhelming. But like all who have had the rug pulled out from under their feet, I was unsure. With so many balls up in the air, should I travel? Could I afford it? I wanted answers and for clarity, I knew I had to travel to a neutral space, one that allowed me to introspect.   I traveled with my daughter to this very old school and quiet little property called "Wildflower Hall" tucked above the hill station of Shimla in Northern India. This stately home of an erst...