anaticulae

Remember those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books where you determined what happened? The books where you, the hero or heroine, come to a stop in the plot and need to decide whether you flip to page 34 to open the secret door, or to page 58 to continue down the spiral staircase? Those books were the best! You are confronted with options from which you need to choose, which in turn lead to consequences… and then start again with another set of options. But what does this have to do with NYC? Well, it’s the city where you can find everything and anything your heart desires, at any time, and likely in at least 1-2 variations. The multitude of choices is astounding! After all, where else is there a city that has huge 360° billboards shouting ... read more

I have long wondered what goes through the minds of babies. They go to sleep in one place and wake up to find themselves in a new place. What do they think about this? Do they mind? Is it all interesting and fun, or is it sensory overload? With Asha (aka the “Gnome in Rome”), I feel this must be even more extreme as there is nothing familiar or similar about each of the places we visit. We cover her up with a blanket when she sleeps and when she wakes up, it comes up. I have come to view this as the curtain at a theatre. The blanket/curtain rises and falls at the beginning and end of each act. I wonder what she thinks about each time the curtain rises… Act 1 – the curtain ... read more

We have now officially left Australia and for a change, we decided to blog in more or less real time. But once we get a chance, we’ll update you on our last few weeks in OZ, including a great week in Cairns with our friends, Shaneel and Heing. While we were sad to leave Brisbane, we were excited for new adventures in SE Asia. Vietnam and Cambodia here we come! First stop - Ho Chi Minh City (more commonly known as Saigon, even by the locals). Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh, we were greeted by an army of blue-masked airport staff. They take the recent Swine Flu outbreak very seriously and require all visitors to complete a form stating that they have not had any symptoms within the last 15 days. This was a bit ... read more

I fully agree with the old adage, “you are only as old as you feel” - on some days, you feel like you can easily conquer Everest, and on others, it is an effort to even get out of bed! Sidd’s maternal grandmother is a testament to this saying and the belief that one should always stay young at heart. At the spry age of 84, Baa travelled from India to Australia to spend some time with her grandkids in both Sydney and Brisbane - and by herself! Despite some terrible weather, we had a great time showing her, Kavita and Yagnesh around Brisbane and were treated to some wonderful home-cooked Indian food (including tons of rotis to freeze). We also had a blast lawn bowling, a great activity for everyone, although I think Baa enjoyed ... read more

With plans of snorkeling through sparkling coral seas, lounging on white silica beaches and generally just enjoying a sunny tropical paradise, both Sidd and I were really looking forward to our week-long getaway in the Whitsundays over the Easter break. The Whitsundays is located midway on the Queensland Coast, approximately 1.5 hours north by plane from Brisbane. It is the largest group of islands offshore from Australia, comprised of 74 tropical islands nestled in crystal-clear azure waters and bordered by the Great Barrier Reef. The majority of the Whitsunday islands are national parks and only 8 are inhabited. As they are all within a short distance of each other, the only way to truly experience the Whitsundays is to join a sailing trip. Unfortunately, the Whitsundays is not some secret Queensland gem that few people know ... read more