Over 20 countries, and 100s of cities and counting, my travel journey is what keeps me fueled! I love exploring new places, their cuisines, cultures, music, beer, wine and more! I am often asked what’s my favorite place. A very tricky question. Because we relate the best experiences with the best people and time, and not really with the place itself. Nevertheless, my top picks are my top picks! This year, I’ve decided to explore a little more in India, the less walked roads, and the smaller towns, hamlets and villages.

When I was growing up, staying with my parents, I saw how much of research they put in to plan trips and travels. And this is a time when there was no internet. So armed with a thick, old edition of ‘Bhromon Shongi’ (translation from Bengali: Traveling Companion), my parents and I would set course for a new place, every time. So be it forests in Madhya Pradesh, or the beautiful island of Port Blair, or the holy land of Haridwar, nothing ever deterred us! What they say about Bengalis is probably true, that we are born with one foot out of the door, again a literal translation, please pardon me.