Posted on by adusija

Kenya

Kenya was probably the most anticipated part of our trip because we’d planned our visit to coincide with the Great Migration when tens of thousands of wildebeest accompanied by zebras and gazelles migrate from the Serengeti to Masai Mara. After a brutal red eye that was delayed by 3 hours finally departing at nearly 4am, we were greeted by the team at Axis Africa Safaris and we made our way to Amboseli National Park. Nearly 5 hours later, we arrived at Amboseli Kibo lodge, an impressive lodge with a grand bar, fire pits, a large restaurant and best of all, a large two-bedroom suite. Each of us enjoyed spreading out in the lavish space after sharing small rooms through most of Asia. The kids even had their own private outdoor shower! We enjoyed a buffet lunch including some Indian favorites that were much appreciated by all of us. We embarked on an evening game drive where we witnessed huge herds of elephants including several with babies. The most stunning part was when the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro came into view soaring high above the clouds, and herds of elephants walked towards us as the sun set into the horizon. This sight was stunning and truly magical leaving me with goosebumps, truly grateful to be in there in that moment! That evening, we retired to the hotel and were pleased to find that the bar had some good South African wine. Dinner was absolutely fantastic and then I enjoyed the Masai dancing around the campfire as Gaurav put the kids to bed.

The next morning, we set out for Lake Naivasha where we embarked on a boat safari. We saw a herd of hippos and learned about their territorial dominant nature including that the dominant male could kill his own son so as to retain dominance. A few flamingo sightings later, we were on a guided walking safari where we had a chance to witness magnificent giraffes and zebras, within 2-3 feet from us which offered great selfie opportunities. That evening, we arrived late at Kongoni lodge just in time to enjoy a 4-course meal overlooking the lake.

The next day, we headed towards Lake Nakuru, most famous for its rhinos and flamingos. The part lived up to its name as we saw, in fairly close proximity, two black rhinos walking / running in unison as we followed them for quite a distance. What surprised me was their ability to scare off 3 large Cape buffalos, asserting their dominance! Towards the evening, we arrived at the lake where we saw hundreds of beautiful flamingos, pelicans, tens of Cape buffalos and other birds. As the rain started to pour down, we retreated to Ziwa Bush Lodge where we enjoyed another four-course meal (yes, the kids are getting too pampered! 😀)

Day 4 held high expectations for us as we made our way to Masai Mara National Park where we would celebrate Ariana’s 8th Birthday. We were greeted with a cake at breakfast and a short visit to the adjacent orphanage where 72 orphan children sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to Ariana. They were curious about us and asked a few questions, proudly toured us around their facilities and a teen girl named Jini gifted Ariana a large cucumber from the greenhouse where she’d planted it. Our guide arrived an hour late which left Gaurav fuming because it meant a later arrival to the much anticipated Masai Mara. The guide tried his best to make up for his shortfall and we arrived in time to make an evening game drive. Not long after, we were rewarded with sightings of two lionesses playfully pouncing on each other. That evening, we enjoyed a simple buffet dinner at Elangata Olerai Tented Camp. Our accommodation was rustic to say the least but the fantastic service compensated for it! That evening, at my request, the camp had organized a cake and African dance celebration for Ariana. Very soon, we all participated in the dancing, singing and celebrations!

We made an early start with a sunrise game drive this morning as we made our way to the Mara river crossing. On the way, we were greeted with Cape buffalos, hyenas, a jackal around a herd of impalas, stalks and a large herd of hundreds of wildebeest running across our path as they migrated north. This sight is awe inspiring and we wished we could have stayed longer (but our guide was eager to make it to the river close to the Tanzania border). We were lucky to witness 9 lions today including a ‘honeymoon couple’ as our guide called it, as well as a leopard hiding in a ditch. Once we arrived at the river, we saw a crocodile tearing up a wildebeest as well as tens of hippos. Overall though, we found the Mara river experience somewhat underwhelming given the hype. We made it back to our camp a few hours later in time for a shower and dinner followed by a nightcap at the campfire.

Today was our last day in Masai Mara and we spent the day largely relaxed since we’d seen everything we’d set out to see. We spent the majority of our time in the meadows surrounded by thousands of wildebeest and observed these animals admiring their solidarity but also their anxious nature. We were rewarded with another leopard sighting, a large lion sleeping right by the path, and a large herd of elephants protecting several baby elephants in between them including a 1 week old baby! Watching these smart, magnificent creatures cross right by us to join another herd of elephants was incredible. On our way back to camp, we stopped to watch a herd of baboons who seemed as curious about us as we were about them. The kids played together at camp while Gaurav and I enjoyed a few glasses of wine by the fire.

We had an early start this morning to arrive at the much anticipated Saaten Primary school where Ayaan had inspired a volunteer activity for the 157 children. He had raised and saved up $400 (matched by us) to donate educational and sports supplies to these children. I had been corresponding with the school for months and had chosen the safari operator based on their ability to help us organize this volunteer event for the Masai people at a small school located just beyond the park borders.

The children could not have been more excited to see us, and greeted us warmly in unison. The boys played soccer at Ayaan’s request with the brand new soccer ball we’d gifted them and the girls played jump rope and danced to African songs with Ariana. We then went around distributing educational supplies to each of the children surrounded by their songs and claps of gratitude. This experience was such a gratifying culmination of Ayaan’s vision to educate the children of Africa, albeit one small step at a time. I’m so proud of his generosity and hope that he continues on this path because, as the motto of Saatan Primary goes, Knowledge is Power!

Following a morning well spent, we made our way to Nairobi and we were thrilled to be greeted with the luxury of the JW Marriott Nairobi following 6 nights in the bush. Gaurav and I enjoyed a warm bath while the kids played with the balloons gifted for Ariana’s birthday. We then headed to the lounge where Priscilla, the lounge manager impressed us with her warm hospitality which culminated with the 3 of us doing an African dance interspersed by squeals of laughter. We enjoyed dinner at an Indian restaurant before retreating for evening. Kenya, while more commercial than our experience in Tanzania, was epic particularly during the Great Migration.

Posted on by adusija · 1 Comment

Bangkok

Our short visit to Bangkok was motivated by the direct flight to Africa to begin the next half of our adventure in the continent of Africa. Following another efficient airport process, we soon found ourselves at the Marriott Marquis Queens Park where Ayaan reveled in the hotel’s grandeur and VIP service, that had him wishing we could stay longer. We were escorted to the lounge where Ariana made a Korean friend while Gaurav and I imbibed glasses of sparkling wine and hors d’oeuvres. We surprised Ariana by having the hotel organize a chocolate cake, balloons, small presents and painted “Happy Birthday” greetings on the mirror. She was thrilled! The room overlooked a magnificent pool, a park with dancing water fountains and the Bangkok skyline further in the distance. Ayaan named it the best hotel of the trip so far.

We headed out to Asiatique that evening where we enjoyed the large Ferris wheel, and the haunted mansion ride (the kids decided to go together and at one point, I heard screams of “mommy” from Ayaan because he was so scared!). The kids also enjoyed a VR roller coaster simulation following which we grabbed a tuk tuk to Yaowarat Road, Bangkok’s Chinatown. Our first stop was a restaurant that had made optimal use of its limited space with a ladder to access the upper tier tables. We of course opted for that and ordered a new year’s dim sum platter which was absolutely sumptuous! In particular the char siu pork bao was the best I’ve ever had. Next, we tried street food including chicken sate, coconut pancakes and ducked into another restraint for xio long bao and noodle soap. At this point, we were in food coma and retreated back to the hotel.

The next morning, after a somewhat lazy start, Ariana realized we had forgotten their malaria pills at the hotel in Laos. Panic ensued since we were headed to Kenya that evening. The amazing hotel concierge helped us locate a travel clinic that had the pills we needed and we spent the better part of the morning in Bangkok traffic to get them. We had barely enough time to to make it to our cooking class where we made a 4-course meal – Tom kha soup, green chicken curry, shrimp pad Thai and of course the infamous mango sticky rice. After filling our bellies, we headed back to the hotel where we played golf and football simulation games and ended our time in Bangkok with luxurious foot massages, the best in the world!

Posted on by adusija · 1 Comment

Laos

Laos has been on our bucket list for a while, and we almost made a trip during our 2018 sabbatical. Ariana astutely observed that Laos is the first country on our summer adventure whose flag is not just red and white (like Canada, Japan, Indonesia and Singapore). We didn’t know what to expect from Laos, though were excited by the fact it is landlocked by 5 nations with strong cultures – Vietnam, Thailand, China, Myanmar and Cambodia. In fact, a lot of its economic future depends on its geography through tourism and transportation. We were also a bit nervous since we started our malaria pills since it’s still present in the rural areas during the monsoons.

We arrived in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, and checked into the Lao Poet hotel with its rooftop pool. Laos doesn’t have Uber or Grab, so we used the local equivalent called Loca or just grabbed a tuk-tuk that we all enjoyed. With just half a day in Vientiane, we ventured out driving by Patuxay, an India gate or Arc de Triomphe like structure (Laos was ruled by the French). Our first stop was the national monument of Pha That Luang, a massive Stupa with a large reclining Buddha next door. We loved that there was absolutely no one here since we were visiting during the off season. Ayaan was very excited when we were picked up in a BYD, Teslas biggest competitor, to take us 30 mins away to the Buddha Park. We were welcomed here with a downpour and bug bites, but still really enjoyed walking through the park with over 60 statues. The most memorable was a stupa that we could climb on top of and get a stunning view of the entire park. After a dip in the rooftop pool, we visited the night market where Anjali and Ariana bought a purse, and Ayaan bought a USB mobile fan! We ended the night with dinner at a local Laotian restaurant playing local live rock music. Laotian food is a mix of Thai and Cambodian food with shrimp paste in everything – good, but definitely not as good as Thai food.

Our 2nd destination in Laos was the nature town of Vang Vieng, surrounded by breathtaking scenery. We took the modern Lao-China train, a short 50 min ride, to this small town that reminded us of the Cat Ba island on Ha Long Bay. We absolutely loved our time at Vang Vieng and the Riverside Boutique hotel. We spent our couple of days here relaxing by the pool overlooking the towering mountains, getting a Laotian massage or going on a few adventures. We rented a 4WD run down buggy to drive around west Vang Vieng through rice fields, bridges across the Nam Song river, green mountains and very bumpy roads. We stopped to walk into a cave with stalactites and stalagmites, and to dip in the cool Blue Lagoon 3 on another hot day. We also took a tour in Vang Vieng through 10 zip lines, tubing the now brown Nam Song river, and jumping off a 5m board into Blue Lagoon 1. Ayaan and Ariana thoroughly enjoyed the adrenaline rush during these activities. We highly recommend Vang Vieng for everyone, including families.

Our final destination in Laos was the word famous UNESCO heritage city of Luang Prabang. After another 50 min Lao-China train ride, we checked into the On the Mekong resort that was, you guessed it, right on the Mekong river with the best sunset views in Luang Prabang. We had a Laotian lunch on the river in town where a Canadian expat, who started the first private fire company in this communist country, shared his tips and tricks about Luang Prabang and Laos. Next door, we visited the famous Buddhist temple Wat Xieng Thong and set out on the highlight of the day – spending a couple of hours playing with kids 6-10 years old at a local school Big Brother Mouse 2. The goal was to interact with them in English so they could improve their skills. Ayaan played soccer with the boys, while Ariana played some board games with the other children. The school children were very curious and asked us a lot of questions! That night we ate at the many stalls of the night market (Ayaan enjoyed the chicken skewer and Ariana at a Vietnamese spring roll) and had a night cap nearby at the Avani hotel (I enjoyed my peppercorn flavored old fashioned).

We woke up early next morning to the sounds of prayers in our room from the temple next door, where we observed the Alms giving ceremony of a full moon with the entire village congregated at the temple to offer food to the monks, some as young as 10 years. We were lucky to be in Luang Prabang on this auspicious day, and the kids were very curious about the lives on monks. After breakfast at the hotel that included yummy mangoes, we walked up 300 steps to the stupa at the top of Phousi mountain with 360 degree views of Luang Prabang including where the Mekong river meets the Nam Song river. The walk down the mountain was full of surprised with spotted Buddha statues along the way and a cave with Buddha’s footprints. We also visited the National museum where the kids enjoyed seeing how the king lived in the Royal palace. One of the most enjoyable things about Luang Prabang is walking down the streets with its colonial architecture, restaurants, and Buddhist temples.

On our last full day in Laos, we took an all day tour that started with a relaxing 2 hour cruise along the Mekong river, with stops at a village that makes Whisky and the famous Pau Ou caves with 4000 Buddha statues. The lunch was delicious with grilled skewers and Thai curry, but the real delight was when an elephant strolled to the restaurant and the kids got to feed it dozens of bananas! Ariana said she was so happy seeing the elephant and this made her more excited for the upcoming safari where she expected to see 50 animals (shhh :). After a long 1.5 drive from the lunch, we arrived at the gorgeous Kuang Si waterfall. It reminded us of our time at Plitvice national park in Croatia, with its many smaller waterfalls and blue pools of water. We all took a dip in one of the natural pools, and were constantly pricked by little fish that gave us a pedicure. Our tour guide Thin was fantastic, which made this all day tour even better!

Laos is definitely a country to add to your bucket list with its hospitality, spirituality, culture, nature, architecture and affordability. Khop Chai Laos, you exceeded our expectations. Ariana is lucky to have Laos as her 40th country visited!

Posted on by adusija

Singapore

While we’d been to Singapore multiple times when my sister and her family lived there, it was great to return to reunite with old friends and family. We were impressed with the efficient automated immigration experience which had us from touch down to Dhiren’s house in just over an hour! The kids were excited to play with Stuvan and Maeve who they remembered from their trips to the Bay Area over the years including just the summer before. They instantly connected and built forts, played music and other games. We relaxed over beers, soju and multiple bottles of wine and interesting discussions with Dhiren, Bhamini and Adi while simultaneously watching the Wimbledon final. Not surprisingly, it was soon midnight and an evening well spent with friends and family! Dhiren’s, Gaurav and Ayaan woke up at 3am to watch the Euro final between Spain and England which Spain won, breaking Dhiren’s heart.

The next day, we enjoyed a lazy late start to the Gardens by the Bay where we marveled at the 7 levels of the Cloud forest. Stuvan and Ari enjoyed in many deep discussions, with Stuvan sharing his scientific knowledge and insights well absorbed by Ariana’s intense listening interspersed by some challenging questions. It was intriguing to watch them interact, so different but yet so deep into conversation. We enjoyed chatting with Adi and viewing the exhibits, particularly the interactive ones.

We then proceeded to see Adi’s well appointed post-college apartment where the 3 kids enjoyed playing video games. That evening, the kids enjoyed a slumber party while the 4 is us devoured an 8-course Sichuan meal at Birds of a Feather. Following dinner, we made our way atop the Marina Bay Sands to the Sky Bar for cocktails. We then transitioned over to C’est La Vie where I created a game asking everyone to embody the accent of the country from which their cocktail originated. This resulted in an entertaining mishmash of Colombian (Anjali) British (Bhamini, switching between proper and cockney on demand) and midwest American (Dhiren) while Gaurav didnt participate, much to my disappointment. Several rounds of shots later, we hit the dance floor and the night ended with us jamming to and singing Above and Beyond in the taxi ride home. Overall, such a fun time! Thank you to the Sarin family for hosting us so warmly in your home.

Posted on by adusija

Indonesia part 2 – Gili T & Lombok

After a week in Bali with my parents, we were off to explore parts of Indonesia we hadn’t visited. We took a 1.5 hour Grab to Padang bai port to catch a fast boat to Gili Trawangan (Gili T), largest of 3 Gili islands just off the coast of Lombok. Our boat was late, so we grabbed some local lunch and got a foot massage while we waited. Ayaan has gotten so used to the SE asian culture of foot massages! The fast boat took a couple of hours and Ariana enjoyed dancing on the top floor of the fast boat with mommy.

Our two nights at Gili T were probably the most fun of our summer adventure so far. Gili T is a small island with only bikes and horse carts on a 7km road around the island. A 2km strip has everything you can imagine – cooking classes, mini golf, hotels, restaurants with live music, multiple Irish bars, wine stores and many beach bars. Between the three islands it’s a complete independent ecosystem that is so easy to navigate. We loved our stay at the Pearl of Trawangan, at the south side of the strip with a lovely pool, and highly recommend it for its great service, facilities and location. After a swim in the sea and a dip in the pool, we spent the evening exploring the night market where they grill everything under the sun – from crabs to octopus. We ate grilled fish at the beach at Scallywags and it was delicious and just what the doctor ordered after an overdose of traditional Indonesian food. After dinner, Anjali and I put the kids to sleep, and ended the night enjoying some of favorite rock songs played live a couple of blocks away at a beach bar. Ayaan woke me up at 3am to watch the Spain – France Euro Cup semi final at an Irish bar. We were lucky to watch the only three goals for the 30 mins we were there!

On our second day in Gili, we rented bikes for all four of us and rode all around the island which was incredibly fun for the kids. We navigated through streets filled with people and horse carts, and spent an hour swimming with a turtle off Turtle beach! (It literally took us 2 minutes to find a turtle). Our afternoon comprised of a cook class where we cooked Four of a Kind – peanut sauce with Pan fried tempeh, mie goreng, a curry, and a pandan dessert. Ariana and Ayaan not only cooked well, but ate even better. The rest of the day we biked around the island, and ate dinner at the Malibu sunset bar. The kids got a pony ride on the beach, while we sipped Prosecco. For our last night on Gili T, we took the kids for ice cream and to listen to some live music.

On our last morning on the island, we biked to our private snorkeling tour. The Gili islands are famous for diving and snorkeling, and our experience did not disappoint. Over two hours, we swam at eye level with turtles, saw blue coral and an underwater statue at Gili Meno, and floated among thousands of fish. We cannot wait to come back to Gili, and explore Meno and Air next time as well. Wish we had a few more days…

Our final destination in Indonesia was Lombok, a sleepy and green island that reminded us of Kauai. Unlike Bali, it’s much quieter with no traffic and majority of the population is Muslim instead of Hindu. We took a private 15 min boat to Bangsal pier and were picked up right at the beach outside our hotel in Gili T. We stayed at the Sheraton Senggigi on the west side of the island, with an incredible sandy beach, and the resort had a slide in the pool. Ariana’s favorite part was feeding and walking the cats on the beach every evening. Walking a few steps along Senggigi beach, there were a few beach shacks that reminded us of Goa, though much more sleepier.

We spent a day on a tour to the famous Tiu Kelep waterfall on the north side of the island, with views of Mount Rinjani. It was a long 2 hour drive from our hotel (the island is huge), and unfortunately both Ayaan and Ariana threw up multiple times as we arrived. We suspect it was the noodle soup at breakfast. Both of them were troopers though as we first visited a traditional mosque and a local Sasak village. That was followed by a moderate hike to the Tiu Kelep waterfall, including a few river crossings. The waterfall was stunning once we got there, and we were able to go right under it with its strong force and chilly water. Definitely worth the trip.

The rest of our time was fairly low key as we all needed a down day after four weeks of travel, and the kids needed a couple of days to get over the stomach bug. We hung out around the beach and pool, played tennis, got massages, and ordered in room service. Ayaan and Anjali went on a jet ski ride that they thoroughly enjoyed. With almost 2 weeks in Indonesia, we were all ready for Singapore and to meet friends and family.

Posted on by adusija

Indonesia part 1 – Bali

After visiting Ayaan’s 40th country (Japan), we arrived in Bali via Kuala Lumpur. My parents arrived from Mumbai two hours after us, and we planned to spend a week together in Nusa Dua and Ubud. Ayaan and Ariana were very excited to get another week of family time, this one with dada and dadi.

Our first destination was to relax and get some pool and beach time at the Ritz Carlton Nusa Dua for four nights. The first couple of days were a bit overcast though the weather did get lovely after that, and we made the most of it by taking advantage of the resorts programming. Ariana enjoyed the kids club where she made cupcakes, made new friends, and went down the water slide. I enjoyed a massage at the spa and got some much needed gym-time. All of us engaged in making Dudur Gulung, a local dessert just like a pancake made with pandas leaves and filled with palm sugar and coconut, and in a cooking class making fish satay and sambal. Anjali and dadi took a Balinese dance lesson, while Ayaan took buggy rides around the resort.

Every evening we stepped out of the resort to explore different neighborhoods (Sanur and Nusa Dua), get foot massages, and eat some local food with live music. Ayaan got pampered with his first foot massages that he thoroughly enjoyed, and Ariana got braids and did her nails. On our last night in Nusa Dua, Anjali and I left the kids with the grandparents and ventured out for a fun night out at Rock bar and the After Rock nightclub (our first in a few years).

Our next and final destination in Bali was a stay at a private villa with a pool in Sayan, on the outskirts of Ubud. It was a very different experience than staying in a large resort, and we all enjoyed the serene view and peace at the villa, a few km away from the craziness of Ubud. We did have our first misadventure at the villa though, when some money was stolen from our bags in the room.

The drive to Ubud from Nusa Dua was two hours, and we stopped at the Monkey forest on the way to the villa. Ariana was fascinated watching the monkeys interact with each other and the visitors. After a delicious rijsttafel meal at Gedang Sisi Warung, we watched a traditional Legong dance show at the lit up Ubud Palace.

Anjali had planned a surprise ATV tour for Ayaan the next day, and the three of us set out early. Dada, dadi and Ariana had their own adventure visiting Tanah lot temple and eating some dosa. The ATV tour was definitely the highlight of our Bali adventure. We spent two hours driving our ATVs through rivers, caves, villages, hills and mud tracks. Ayaan had the time of his life driving the ATV with Anjali’s help. Our reward was lunch and drinks at a pool club overlooking the rice terraces, where we spent a few hours relaxing. After reuniting that evening, we all had an amazing dinner at a gazebo on the water watching the sunset at Bebek Tebasari. Anjali and I took another opportunity to get some cocktails at the Pinstripe bar at the Viceroy which was recommended and lived up to its reputation (they even had an amuse bouche and dessert drinks to supplement our cocktails).

On our last full day in Bali we rented a car to take us to the north side of Bali. Our first stop was breakfast at Sayan Point with a wonderful view of rice terraces, the river and forests. Next we stopped at the famous Tegalalang rice terraces where the kids enjoyed “hiking” up and down the fields. We briefly visited the holy springs temple before driving up to the peak of Mount Batur, with its cooler temperatures and sprawling views of Lake Batur and surrounding forests. At this point, we became accustomed to eating Nasi and Mie Goreng for most of our meals. Ayaan has been very amused that chicken is called Ayam in the local language. On our way back to the villa after a long day, we made a final stop at a coffee plantation where we learnt about how coffee is made, including Luak coffee, and got to taste 13 different teas and coffees.

For our last meal in Bali with the grandparents, we had planned to go to the popular Cafe Lotus. However, the infamous Bali traffic had us stuck for 45 minutes and we decided to eat at a random restaurant named Brie, which turned out to be our best meal in Bali! After a fun family week in Bali, we bid farewell to the grandparents and continued onwards on our adventure in Indonesia.

Posted on by adusija

Japan

This trip to Japan, my 5th visit to this beloved country, was inspired by our desire to see the country through our kid’s eyes. Besides, we all shared a common love for sushi and hand-made ramen, so how could we go wrong! We started with a visit to Harajuku where Ariana and I enjoyed window-shopping, admiring the cute fashion items and other tchotchkes each luring her into a begging plea to purchase. We also visited the Meiji Jingu shrine, and strolled the swanky tree-lined Omotedando. That night, Gaurav had booked a one-Michelin starred dinner at Hirooishizaka where we enjoyed a private dinner prepared and served by the chef and his wife respectively. We were impressed with the multitude of nigiri courses and enjoyed tasting four different types of sake including the chefs library selection. The next day began with a much-anticipated sushi-making class at Asakusa which we all thoroughly enjoyed. After devouring our handmade sushi 🍱, we walked to the nearby shrine where we followed the traditional practices and sought blessings.

Quite possibly the highlight of my day was 3 hours of Karaoke at ‘Big Echo’ in a highly advanced private Karaoke room in Ginza where Ayaan quickly learned to navigate the Japanese-marked buttons to queue in songs and most other requirements. Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and a couple of classics were belted out by most of us, the adults enjoying carafes of sake and shochu. Our last entertainment stop was anime and games at Akhihabara where both kids ranked the train simulation as their favorite. For dinner, we slurped bowls of ramen paid for by a machine upfront, washed down with Asahi which was extremely satisfying. Returning to the hotel after nearly 12 hours on our feet resulted in as all retiring early for the night.

Dinner at Hirooishizaka

Today started off with a visit to the TeamLab digital art museum, a true spectacle for all senses. Each of us enjoyed the borderless wandering through the stimulating works of art, alluring us from one room to the next while indulging almost all our senses. The highlight was when we designed and colored our own fish which subsequently (and almost instantaneously) entered the walls ‘swimming’ with the rest of the artwork. Ours boasted taglines such as ‘exploring new waters’ and ‘swimming around the world’ aptly representing our journey.

Lunch was memorable as we tried the kaitensushi (conveyor belt) at sushiro and the kids throughly enjoyed the experience. Next, we ventured across to Odaiba where Ariana and I enjoyed several pictures and interactive displays at the Trick art museum while the boys indulged in more arcade games. That evening, Gaurav and I went off to one of our best memories from our last visit – Golden Gai. We experienced a diverse mix of bars from a bar-tender that was also an inspiring actor and avid baseball fan to one celebrating her birthday with her close friends and family (we got to be a part of her party belting out Kanpai at every opportunity). The last bar had a bunch of tourists packed in so Gaurav and I were nearly on the stairs (part of the infamous Golden Gai experience as I remembered it) but enjoyed the jovial atmosphere before tucking back into one of the alleys and making our way back to the hotel.

Trick Art Museum in Odaiba
Golden Gai

This morning, we treated ourselves to a sumptuous meal of grilled Kobe beef and shabu shabu at one of the established I’d added to the list from back home. The meat was succulent and divine! The kids always enjoy cooking their own meat tableside so they were pleased with the experience as well, and commented on how kid-friendly Japan was when they got complimentary gifts and ice cream.

We then ventured onto a bus to Lake Kawaguchiko where we were excited to finally stay at Hoshinoya Fuji. Hoshinoya had been on our bucket list for over a decade and I was pleased to try their glamping experience. Despite my high expectations for the resort, the attention to detail and thoughtfulness of the guest journey and experience completely blew my mind. Our cabin overlooked the lake (with a direct view of Mount Fuji when visible), replete with a large outdoor deck with a daybed and fire. The resort leaned into the rainy days that frequented the area to make it a positive (rather than a detractor) with rain-driven programming and gear that activated all the senses. There was water-color sketching with rain sounds as the backdrop, bird calls, binoculars, rainy day books, and the list goes on. That afternoon, we enjoyed s’mores and sparkling wine by the campfire before retreating the room to enjoy the views. As soon as I tucked into the Hoshinoya-provided matching family PJ’s, I knew that I was too cozy to leave! That worked out perfectly because Hoshinoya had curated an absolutely incredible ‘glamping curry’ dinner which the staff setup for guests on our outdoor deck. It included an outdoor grill that allowed guests to grill the meat and vegetables tableside accompanied by a choice of freshly-ground spices. We all loved the meal and in particular, Ayaan who requested it again the following night. The next day we relaxed at the resort enjoying the guided stretching course, water-coloring postcards of the resort and Mt Fuji, drinking Ethiopian coffee cooked atop the campfire, hiking through the forest, enjoying the distilled water fragrances, and lounging on the hammocks and floating benches. Gaurav and I found out ourselves repeatedly telling each other how magical the Hoshinoya experience was for our entire family! On our last day, Fuji-San graced as with her views from the room, and from the guided canoe trip that Ayaan and I had reserved through the resort. Hoshinoya, you were absolutely incredible with unparalleled service and attention to detail, and I can’t wait to return to another one of your resorts!

We reluctantly checked out of Hoshinoya for a ryokan experience with an onsen. Both kids embraced the matching yukatas, slippers and outdoor and indoor pools and baths. We also took the gondola up to views of Mount Fuji and enjoyed the swings that felt as if we were swinging toward the majestic mountain. On the last day, we went to a sake brewery, a pagoda and ate some incredible meals including okonomiyaki, tempura and ramen. After returning to Tokyo via the Fuji Excursion train, we dropped our bags off in a locker and enjoyed an afternoon of games, karaoke, and a final sushi meal before heading to Haneda for our flight to Bali. Sayonara Japan, you were memorable as always!

Posted on by adusija

Banff, Jasper & Lake Louise

We were counting down the days to begin our 2024 summer adventure across multiple continents. The destination – the Canadian Rockies – had been on my parents bucket list for over a decade, and my mom couldn’t have been more thrilled that both my sister and I were able to coordinate schedules to be there with our families. After hugs at the airport, Gaurav upgraded our rental car to a jeep which Ayaan and I were excited about for the off-roading opportunities it presented. We zoomed off towards Banff, and before long, we were admiring the magnificence of the alluring mountains dotted with glaciers and the pleasant sounds of the bright-blue river flowing beneath. Despite the destination being a second time visit for Gaurav and I, the grandeur and beauty of Banff was nothing short of incredible, as proven by the gasps of “wow” that could be heard throughout the drive.

Our first stop was Lake Minniwanka where Nani decided to create an impromptu video of how she’d decided this was going to be the vacation of a lifetime! We all chimed in, supporting her goal and excitement with some moves and jumps thrown in for effect. Next, we headed to Johnstone Canyon, where Mother Nature greeted us with a downpour which didn’t deter my determined mother from making it to the lower falls. Ariana too was a trouper and covered most of the way despite having a broken toe.

The next day was Father’s Day which we celebrated with lunch at the majestic Fairmont Banff overlooking the valley and lake below. The day was accentuated by a visit to the upper hot springs in Banff where natural mineral water soothed us, and an impromptu bowling competition where Ayaan beat us for a win.

The following day started with a hike around Emerald Lake, which we remembered vividly as the lake that’s color lives up to its name. We then headed to Takkakaw Falls which was in its full glory. Ayaan enjoyed climbing the rocks all the way to the top with Dhara Masi and Shloka to feel the strength of the mist upon their faces, which they seemed to love experiencing together.

Early the next morning, we ventured out for the epic drive from Banff to Jasper with jaw-dropping views at every turn, including the epic icefields parkway. Bow Lake was stunning but the turquoise blue waters of Peyto Lake had us all gasping with “wows” at every turn. The snow was coming down hard as we trailed the path to Peyto lake which added to the beauty of its glacial waters. Ari and Nani created songs and danced together in the snow, the first time Nani had felt snowfall on her face. At the Icefields parkway, Nani and Shloka took the bus tour atop the glacier while the rest of us walked to its foot. Gaurav and I noticed the material retreat of the glacier since we’d last seen it, and they’ve also fenced off the walk onto the glacier likely to preserve it. It was nevertheless beautiful and the kids enjoyed walking onto the smaller ice fields. Ayaan was disappointed not to be able to watch Ronaldo play for his country in the Euro Cup so walking on ice was a half way decent consolation prize. We ended with a stop at Sunwapta falls before checking into the hotel for a relaxed evening. The audio-tour that we purchased in Get Your Guide for a self-guided experience was well worth it, as we particularly enjoyed the quizzes after each section.

This morning, Dhara and I got an early start to a 3-hour hike called the ‘Valley of the 5 Lakes’. The trailhead was a short 12-minute drive from the town of Jasper and the hike rewarded us with stunning views of emerald green and turquoise lakes, picture-perfect reflections of the trees and snow-capped mountains above. There were few other people on the trail which had us both admire the beauty while also refreshing our bear encounter strategies. Overall, a morning well spent while Gaurav and Nani entertained the kids on a variety of other smaller lakes including Pyramid Lake and Medicine Lake. After lunch, we took the famous Jasper tramway atop the peak where we then ascended further on a snow covered path for epic views of the entire Jasper area included the Athabasca river. Ayaan enjoyed hiking toward the mountain summit after the rest of us retreated due to Ariana’s broken toe. Following our multiple hikes, we rewarded ourselves with cocktails at the Fairmont Jasper followed by a game of tag with the kids at the foot of the lake.

Today we were rewarded with many unexpected wildlife encounters. After a short hike with Nani around Maligne Canyon and lunch at the wilderness lodge, we headed into town to watch the soccer Euro Cup game over beers. Later, we all traversed Maligne lake and once the drizzle slowed, we enjoyed some sun by the picnic tables overlooking the lake. We saw a big mama bear with 2 baby cubs in the valley, not far from us where I got a chance to test the hyped-up 3x zoom of my new iPhone 15 pro that I’d purchased primarily for wildlife memories. It did not disappoint! We also saw a large herd of white mountain goat who were quite aggressive with their peers and marked their territory when their perceived grass was being eaten. Last, and quite possibly my favorite, was a large herd of cow elk with the head of the herd successfully communicating to cars on both sides to stop so that the herd could pass. Watching tens of cow elk, large and small, run in unison for a couple of miles until they finally felt safe enough to cross the street was extremely spellbounding – and we were grateful to have watched it.

The next day we started our journey back down the Icefields parkway to lake Louise with a short stop at Athabasca Falls. Lake Louise, and its turquoise blue hue against the backdrop of the glacier, was stunning albeit swarmed with much more tourists than when we had last visited nearly a decade ago. Dhara and Nani declared it their favorite lake and it was hard to disagree. That evening, we enjoyed 3 hours of live music in the gazebo of our hotel, over campfire, s’mores and a bottle of wine. The night ended with an inebriated Dhara and I dancing to a rendition of ‘Country Roads’, much to Shloka’s chagrin which only added to our pleasure.

On our last night which we spent in Calgary, Gaurav had booked ‘The Living Room’ for dinner where we enjoyed multiple courses of fondue satisfying nani’s craving. After dropping the kids with Nani, Gaurav and I headed to a bar for hookah. The next day after a short stint at Prince Park by the river, we headed to the airport and spent a few hours together at the lounge before departing for Tokyo. This was the first chance I got to have a real conversation with Nani and I was grateful for that time together, and pleased that she rated this part of her 2-month journey in three Americas the best!

Bears, mountain goat and cow elk in Jasper
Posted on by adusija

Spring Break in Fiji

Fiji was the first country we visited as a family back in 2016 when Ariana was 4 months old and Ayaan was 22 months old. We had such fond memories from back then, that we decided to spend spring break in the super kid friendly country. We took Fiji Airways that conveniently is a 10 hour red eye and gets you to the hotel in time for breakfast! We all slept well and were ready to start our adventure.

For the first 4 nights, we stayed at the Marriott Momi Bay that is build on a lagoon with over water bungalow (no kids) on the west side of Nadi, about 50 mins from the airport. We got a beachfront room with a private beach mostly to ourselves, with plenty of fish in the water that you could see from the surface. We spent many hours sitting on the patio, beach and in the water in our room. A perfect way to decompress! Most of our days at this resort were spent eating a delicious buffet breakfast, swimming in the lagoon and pool, getting massages, listening to live music and playing games with the kids (coconut throwing, tennis, catch in the pool etc). Ariana loved the kids club where she spent a lot of time and also got her hair braided. Ayaan enjoyed learning how to sail a Hobbicat and riding in the golf carts. On the first night they had a Fijian night with a kawa tasting ceremony, local food, and a dance performance.

On the third day at the hotel, we took an all day tour with The Jewel of Fiji which was one of the highlights of the trip. We got picked up and after a long 2.5 hour drive reached the village of Navua, on the Navua river on the south side of the island near Suva. The tour started with a motor boat ride up the river surrounded by lush green hills. We transferred over to a traditional wooden raft where we learned about the Fijian culture. The third stop on the tour was an amazing waterfall with a natural pool that we could swim in. The guides were so nice to the kids and they even created a human tower in the pool with Ayaan at the top! Finally we ate traditional Fijian food cooked in the ground, watched a Kawa and dance ceremony, and learned how they lived. Ayaan had saved his money to buy toys and supplies for the kids in the village that we shared with them. Overall a wonderful day that we highly recommend.

For the second half of our trip, we transferred over to the Intercontinental hotel. We were originally scheduled to stay in an outer island hotel, but that had to close down for repairs due to the Cyclones in March. The Intercontinental is on Natadola beach, one of the best beaches in Fiji, with a Sandbar that appears in the afternoon for a couple of hours. We loved walking over every afternoon and spending some time of the fresh white sands of the Sandbar. Our room was beachfront and close to the main pool and the bar where they had live music every evening at sunset, and an amazing fire show on one night. The resort was very kid friendly with activities by the pool every day include hermit crab hunting, hermit crab racing and fish feeding.

We took another all day tour from the Intercontinental – this time on a large sail boat to the private island of Tivua. The 1.5 hour ride to the island was fun with live music and dancing, and Ayaan and Ariana got a chance be captain of the ship. The island was true paradise with only folks from the boat on the entire island. We snorkeled and saw over 50 varieties of fish and Ariana really got into it. Ayaan loved kayaking and the glass bottom boat ride. We relaxed on the island ate some yummy local food including fish. It was easily the best day ever.

We couldn’t recommend Fiji highly enough for families with kids. It’s so much affordable than Hawaii, a convenient flight, amazing beaches and welcoming people. We’ll definitely be back, Fiji!

Posted on by adusija · 1 Comment

2023 travels

This blog is a bit late, given we’re in the swing of 2024 already. Last year was another year full of adventure with several flights within the US and globally, and a myriad of family trips. Ayaan turned 8 and Ariana 7, both at great ages to travel as well as start experiencing local events such as Warriors and Earthquakes games, an Ed Sheeran concert, and the Mamma Mia broadway show.

Local adventures featured trips to our favorite destinations – Carmel Valley where we stayed at the Bernardus with Adi visiting; Tahoe where Ariana skied for the first time and Ayaan went on the slopes himself; camping at KOA Mendocino by Manchester Beach and Autocamp Yosemite; and a trip to Santa Barbara with Vidur and his family. We also had a couple of beach vacations: to Kauai where we stayed at the stunning 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay that Anjali is overseeing and met Bobby uncle and family, and to Punta Mita, Mexico at the fun W resort.

We had three big trips in 2023: a spring break adventure in France and Germany, a summer cruise and land adventure in epic Alaska, and finally a family trip over the winter break to India and Sri Lanka.

Spring break started with a flight to Munich and a short drive and stay at Abbotte Boutique hotel in the quaint town of Ulm, Germany. We spent the next couple of nights in the Baden-Baden staying at the grand Maison Messmer, strolling around, hitting the spa pools, and eating at places such as Rizzy. From there we drove to Burgundy, France stopping in the famous Alsace region and having an incredible meal at Le Petit Atelier. We love Burgundy and our stay was made special at Ermitage de Corton where had a very special meal and the kids got introduced to escargot (and loved them). We spent couple of days exploring the food and wine in the region from Cote de Beaune to Cote de Nuits. The most memorable wineries were Domaine d’Ardhuy with a private tour of the 400 year old winery, and Chateau de Pommard where the kids had their own tour and tasting including spending time with blind horses taking care of the vines. A surprise adventure for the kids in Burgundy was an afternoon at a tree top zip lining park in the hills. We ended the trip with three days in Paris where we drove in as protests disrupted the city. The kids enjoyed exploring the city with its bakeries, the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, the Sienne cruise and an outing to see the Lion King broadway in French. Anjali surprised me for my birthday with dinner at Le Clarence, ranked in the Worlds 50 Best Restaurants. Overall a fun road trip for spring break.

Summer was epic with a 7-day Royal Caribbean Alaska cruise starting from Vancouver. It was probably the highlight of the year for the kids as they loved the entertainment, karaoke, buffets, activities, live music and the kids club. Ayaan had his walkie talkie and was enjoying his independence exploring the ship, and making friends (Max in particular from LA who he spent a majority of his days with when not with us). In Juneau, we took a taxi to explore the Medenhall glacier. In Sitka, we strolled through the historic park with its totem poles, watched hundreds of salmon swim upstream, and visited the flight center to observe native birds. And in Skagway, we took the bus tour through the incredible landsacape entering Canada. The most amazing part of the trip awaited us as we disembark the cruise ship in Seward. We took the 7 hour Major Marine boat cruise where we saw incredible wildlife including dozens of orcas, a fin whale, puffer birds, seals and sea lions. The next day we drove along glaciers to the Alyeska resort stopping on the way at one which Ayaan did not want to leave. On our way to Denali National Park, we stopped at a reindeer farm. After seeing the reindeer in real life, Ayaan started questioning if they could fly and if Santa was real. Our couple of days in Denali were magical. On one of the days we went river rafting through the stunning landscape. And of course the Tundra tour that took us deep into the 42nd mile of the Denali park along which we saw bears and moose. Alaska isn’t cheap, but is as epic as any other international destination.

Over the winter break, we flew home to Mumbai, India. It was our first post-COVID trip to India as a family – the last time Ayaan was 4. It was great to spend time with the grandparents and Sid, meet friends, spend time at CCI, and eat at our favorite joints such as Trishna and Indian Accent. The highlight in Mumbai was a morning we spent with the kids of the Cuffe Parade slums. Ayaan had saved money all year to donate it to these kids and buy gifts for them, and Nani had arranged this special morning for us. From Mumbai, we took a 5-day family trip to Sri Lanka with dada, dadi, Sonil bua, Ravi uncle and Adi. We spent the first couple of nights relaxing at the Doubletree Weerawila located at the lake on the edge of the Yala national park. The food in Sri Lanka is incredible with egg hoppers, crab and giant prawns. We took a half day safari to the beautiful Yala national park where we saw some wildlife including elephants and crocodiles, but didn’t spot a leapord. We spent an afternoon exploring the Galle fort and town, before settling into the beachside Sheraton Kosgoda resort. Right outside the resort was a turtle sanctuary with one day old babies as well as mature turtles. We also took a river cruise as a family that took us through mangroves, Buddhist temples, wildlife and a cinnamon farm. Highly recommend Sri Lanka!

Looking forward to new travel adventures in 2024 as Ayaan and Ariana approach their 40th country!