I’m not sure when I fell in love with Vietnamese cuisine. The first time I had Pho, I thought it was truly unspectacular. A few weeks in Indonesia and visiting some local Vietnamese restaurants I had learned to dress it up with fresh herbs, bean sprouts, sauces and lime. I was addicted! While I proudly … Continue reading Vietnam – the land of Pho & coffee
Travel
XU-189 cleared for takeoff – The helicopter experience
“Siem Reap Tower, Good Afternoon XU-189 requesting startup for Angkor Wat flight” “Good Afternoon XU-189 Startup approved” “Siem Reap Tower, XU -189 requesting take off clearance for Angkor Wat flight” “XU-189 cleared for takeoff” I was elated, all strapped up in the Eurocopter AS350 with my better half for a flight over the historic Angkor … Continue reading XU-189 cleared for takeoff – The helicopter experience
Pontianak – Visiting the Equator in Indonesia
When you think Indonesia, you think Bali. A place certainly not on most itineraries is Pontianak. Twelve countries the world over are on the equator and there is only one city, Pontianak – which is located right on the equator. Pontianak is the head quarter of West Kalimantan province and is on the island of … Continue reading Pontianak – Visiting the Equator in Indonesia
36 hours in Jakarta
As the A320 started its descent I start to see the ocean dotted with medium sized cargo ships and oil tankers. We are landing on an island but the ocean around cannot be described in any shade of blue, there are no golden sand beaches or thatched roofs in sight. We are landing in Jakarta, … Continue reading 36 hours in Jakarta
citizenM Schiphol – Room with a view
Thanks to the tulips festival, the hotel costs in Amsterdam were at its peak. With an efficient public transport system and the Tulip gardens closer from the airport, we decided to stay at an airport hotel. A completely unknown brand citizenM looked enticing because the picture of the room on their website showed the room … Continue reading citizenM Schiphol – Room with a view
The Cambodia Chronicles – Part 2
The tour left TW-TH at local market around dinner time. Now they had to figure out what is edible for their palate! TW is a proud carnivore and so she was (over)confident that she would eat anything comfortably, it was just TH who had to find food palatable to him. But, a visit to South … Continue reading The Cambodia Chronicles – Part 2
The Cambodia Chronicles – Part 1
Sitting idle comes naturally to TW (The Wife). TW can while away zillions of hours doing nothing. And living a packed schedule comes equally naturally to her. But there has to be a good enough reason for her to snap out of her inertia. Recently the reason came in the form of an impromptu trip … Continue reading The Cambodia Chronicles – Part 1
The IndiGo Ninjas
Recently I, along with my parents, had the pleasure of travelling by IndiGo from Mumbai (BOM) to Coimbatore (CJB) on its flight 6E 293. The flight was at 12 noon so we decided to take an early morning cab from Pune and reach airport by 9 so as to avoid Mumbai traffic. We left from … Continue reading The IndiGo Ninjas
Food and Frolic– A gateway to Pondy
Many years ago, I went to Pondicherry and the only memory I have is asking the driver to take us to an authentic French restaurant only to land up at a place which had not so authentic North Indian food as the only option. It was late and we were tired so we gulped it … Continue reading Food and Frolic– A gateway to Pondy
Serendipitous Sighting – A visit to Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve
“Aapko Dikha?”, “Nahi, dusri gypse wale bata rahe the unko dikha, aapko dikha kya?”, “nahi hame bhi nahi dikha” This is a recurring discussion, happening whenever another 4x4 passes by in the jungles of Tadoba, as we crisscross the jungle to see the elusive Tiger. This is our second safari of the three we … Continue reading Serendipitous Sighting – A visit to Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve
ScoopTroopers 