The combination of Bangladesh and Beautiful- it’s tough to believe, right? Bangladesh and traffic jam or Bangladesh and load shedding or Bangladesh and crowd sound like more appropriate combinations. Bangladesh used to be a lush green land crisscrossed with wide rivers; but over the years, to accommodate more and more people and in our mindless desire to increase the size of the concrete jungle, the natural greenery has been destroyed, the deep, wide rivers have now become narrow and shallow. There is hardly any park or water body in Dhaka city; there is hardly any free highway in Bangladesh for long drives- small stalls are scattered beside the highways. There is crowd and filth everywhere! But still, Bangladesh is beautiful- if you have the eyes for it. There are places in Bangladesh where nature awes you. ... read more

It was a short but a much needed break from the monotonous routine of office and home. My husband Siam and I wanted to get out of the regular surrounding of friends and family and spend some lazy time together. I wanted to attend to no phone calls and no socializing for 5 days and wanted to spend the entire time with my husband alone- lazing, eating and shopping with a bit of sightseeing to refresh our minds. Malaysia was an ideal choice this time as the short travel time was an added benefit. We arrived in Kuala Lampur on 27th April morning. Though was already in an euphoric mode since 26th April evening after office hours, I was very tired by the time we got into the bus that would take us to Cameron Highlands. ... read more

DAY 2: I woke up early and opened the balcony door. The snowcapped mountain was reflecting golden rays of sun; the weather was soothing with a slightly chilly breeze; the surrounding of the hotel was a nice blend of brick houses and rolling greenery; lone cars went pass the road at regular intervals but otherwise there was not much activity seen on road. Population density of that area was a minimum- which I appreciated most. After shower and dress up, we went down for the complementary buffet breakfast. Food was simple but fresh and nicely presented. There was orange juice, milk, tea, coffee, boiled eggs, a choice of cereal, and sausages. And of course – fresh bread, butter, jams and cheese as usual. We took leaflets and brochures from the hotel counter and decided our next ... read more

Since I read Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, I had been fascinated by Rome. It felt like mystery and secrets were hidden in every nook and corner of this ancient city. I was particularly drawn to the Vatican. Siam (my lovely hubby) knew this and was sweet enough to select Rome as the first stop over point for our honeymoon. We reached Rome in the morning flight. After sorting out the necessities of lodging and mobile sim card purchasing, we were all set to start exploring the city. I was so excited that I forgot to change the stilettos I was wearing – the agony will be a part of the story in next few lines. Right at the first bend of the road, was Italy’s first Gelato shop. The variety of ... read more