Two Little Wanderers

Costa Brava had been on my travel list for a while. And as soon as we started driving though the Catalonian countryside dotted with ancient castles, and hit the gorgeous coastline in Blanes, I realized why! The area is just stunning, the water crystal clear, the food fantastic, and a way of life I’m definitely envious of! We started off with a hike atop the castle at Blanes which rewarded us with some wonderful views of the coastline below. We then went to the botanical gardens that did not disappoint, with gorgeous coastal trails and plants from the world over. Ariana braved a parrot on her arm for an adorable photo! We then drove over to Lloret de mar where we dined at Sybius Cala Cantelles, enjoying a delicious meal of shellfish paella (dare I say the best I’ve ever had) by the seaside while the kids played on the playground overlooking the ocean. Next, we stopped at Tossa de Mar, and took the rather touristy train up to the castle taking in some breathtaking views. We ended the day in the charming town of Begur where we were staying, and enjoyed a meal of pizza and curry at Pizetta. The kids were thrilled to see an impromptu concert in the square with a large band!

The next morning, we set off for Cadaques. We had a lunch reservation at Compartir, the original restaurant created by the trio of chefs that are now the creators of Disfrutar! The meal was by far the best “casual” meal of the trip, the most memorable part being the oysters that Gaurav (thankfully!) urged me to try. We walked to the house of Salvador Dali, and then spent some time at the beach, before driving back. We also drove through the Cap du Creus national reserve to the lighthouse with stunning views that reminded us of Point Reyes. On our way back, we spotted a go-cart race track and we all (particularly Ayaan) had a blast racing! Ayaan got to go twice and did particularly well, so thankful for the impromptu surprises we’d encountered to far. That evening after dinner, there was a local fair created in the square where the kids enjoyed carousels and bouncy houses – the surprises didn’t stop!

The next morning, Ayaan and I had a two hour kayaking trip booked through stunning caves. It ended up being a private tour with a wonderful guide, Nael who really bonded with Ayaan in their collective love for soccer and skiing. Toward the end of the tour, we snorkeled together and saw some colorful fish! Ariana and Gaurav hung out by the beach, and we joined them after our tour. That evening, after taking in breathtaking views from the castle atop Begur and some delicious ice cream, we dined in the square in Begur. We were pleasantly surprised to see a woman’s guided dance break out in the square half way through our meal, which we all joined briefly after a few glasses of cava. Gaurav met one of his work colleagues who is a local for dinner.

On our last day on the coast, with some coaxing from Ayaan, we decided to rent a boat, and as we’ve become accustomed to realize, it was the best day ever! Ariana and I lazed on the deck while Gaurav and Ayaan navigated, and we stopped in beautiful coves and beaches along the way. A bottle of champagne later, Ariana, Ayaan and I were dancing to Abba while the boat meandered along the calm waters. We all had a blast, and eventually returned the boat that afternoon to make our drive down to Girona. We had a beautiful apartment right in the middle of old town, allowing us to wander through the charming cobblestoned streets. We enjoyed some unique flavors of ice cream at Rocambolesc, and spent the rest of the evening people watching in the Placa d’Independencia while the kids played hide and go seek.

On our last day in Girona, we strolled to the magnificent cathedral, the Arab baths, the walls of the old town, the Basilica de Sant Feliu and marveled at the charming beauty of Girona. We then decided to take our apartment host’s recommendation for lunch at a Basque Country restaurant, and enjoyed some delicious pinxtos, steak and garlic prawns, followed by 7 (pinxto) desserts! After lunch, we took turns getting Aromatherapy massages, while the other parent relaxed in the apartment with the kids. In the evening, we revelled at getting lost around the old town walls and cobblestoned streets (Ayaan in his soccer Manchester United soccer jersey bouncing around his new soccer ball). After dinner comprising pepperoni pizza and brut rose, Ayaan and Ariana helped me dry our clean laundry, and we then settled in for an early night, to prepare for our flight the next morning to Mallorca. Looking forward to seeing Nani, Dhara Masi and Kunal Uncle!

We got off to a somewhat rocky start in Barcelona. When we landed, we discovered that they’d left Gaurav’s bag (with all his belongings) and one of our car seats back in Nassau. We spent a while in lines trying to locate the bags (unsuccessfully) before taking a cab to our downtown hotel. When we arrived, we were informed that the maximum occupancy was 3, and we’d need an additional room for Ariana. This is uncommon in the US and had us perturbed but we eventually conceded, and proceeded to wait another hour for our room. Jet lagged, we tried to snag some zzz’s, awakening in the afternoon fairly famished. We strolled over to a restaurant Gaurav and I had visited 10 years ago, Tapas 24 for a perfect meal of sangria, bikini sandwich with truffle and cheese, and the pain de tomat, the best we’d ever had! Not long after we’d devoured this meal, I discovered that my phone had been damaged with water in the Bahamas and wasn’t going to make it. What a day!

The next morning started off better. Gaurav and I had managed to hustle our way into Disfrutar, ranked #5 in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, created by a trio of chefs that had been trained by none other than El Bulli! The meal, which consisted of 28 courses of molecular gastronomy aimed to surprise and delight, definitely exceeded expectations. At the beginning of the meal (similar to restaurant Gaggan that we’d visited in Bangkok), customers are given a card with a variety of emotions that the meal might invoke, the restaurant keeping the actual menu a secret. Each course seemed to top the next but some of the standouts were the caviar xiao long bao, the “pasta” (made without any), the ribeye, and the foie gras topped with corn. Each desert was fantastic as well, the peppers being the most deceptive in their appearance as they actually had a rich chocolate flavor.

Much of the rest of our time in Barcelona was spent shopping for Gaurav’s clothes to replace his lost bags, getting me a new iPhone and getting over jet lag. The only saving grace was that we’d been to this Catalonian city before, so the FOMO factor was low. We did manage to stroll through the gothic quarter and the cathedral, and Casa Batlo, one of Gaudi’s masterpieces. I was pleased to see that Ayaan still really enjoyed the large bubbles prevalent in most squares in European cities, and he begged to return the next day to play with the “bubble man”!

As soon as we left Barcelona in our rental car, things got a lot better. Less than an hours drive later, we arrived at Mastinell Hotel & Cava, which was a true delight. We lazed by the pool overlooking the vineyards with glasses of cava, followed by a sumptuous meal at their restaurant. That afternoon, we had a cava tour and tasting with a guide, Nico who really did a fantastic job at keeping the kids entertained and engaged. We were joined by a wonderful South African couple whom we quickly befriended while discussing our travel adventures. That evening, Gaurav and I went on a hike up to the mountains behind the hotel, and we all enjoyed another wonderful dinner at their restaurant. Mastinell and the wonderful staff certainly set the right mood for our trip ahead, and we all left thankful for the opportunity to have stayed there, wishing we could’ve lingered on longer.

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us”. This anonymous quote has been my life’s guiding principle since my father taught me the joy and thrill of travel. And it is this belief that led me to where I am today – ready to embark on another sabbatical covering 5 countries, this time with the hope of inculcating this same joy and love of travel in my children, aged 7 and 5. Our first stop – Nassau, Bahamas. Since my hotel school marketing class back in 2003 when we did a case study on the Atlantis Paradise Island, I’d dreamed of going there. We finally made it happen this summer, and it did not disappoint. From over two dozen water slides to a rapid river to a underwater tunnel from the lobby leading to a large aquarium replete with an impressive diversity in marine life to beaches boasting crystal clear Caribbean agua, it was just what we all needed! Ariana had been excited about the water slides ever since we started thinking about this trip a couple of months ago, and her squeals of delight as she raced down them into pools water were instantly gratifying! At night, the property turns into a pseudo Las Vegas with Michelin-started restaurants, casinos, live entertainment on the harbor and dancing. The kids watched amazed at their first slot machines and couldn’t understand why they were restricted to adults only. We enjoyed a Father’s Day dinner at Fish by Jose Andre and it was superb. We tried the conch salad, which was similar to a ceviche. Ariana and I then shared the steak roasted over an open fire which the kids got to watch in awe and amazement.

On Friday, once Gaurav had wrapped up work, we took a boat trip out to Rose Island. It was beautiful – our day started out snorkeling (we saw some stunning, unique fish) although Ayaan and Ariana are still getting used to the snorkel masks and preferred to use their googles instead. Next we relaxed on the beach with Bahamian cocktails and saw the pigs swimming in the waters, something unique to the Bahamas. Ariana loved this experience and the pigs seemed to display a liking for her as well. Lunch consisted of delicious bar be cued chicken, salads and hot dogs. Ayaan and I then went kayaking while Ariana continued to play with the pigs, peacocks and some human friends too 😊. We returned to the hotel for a last few splashes in the water slides.

The kids really enjoyed the cultural shows at the hotel, especially the fire ones and the dances in which Ariana participated. Overall, the Atlantis was a perfect place to kick off the trip, and gave us all a dose of relaxation mixed in with some excitement and activities!

After 2+ years of the pandemic and the entire family being fully vaccinated, we decided to take a bucket list trip to Peru! We landed into Cusco on April 2nd, and after checking into the beautiful Palacio del Inka (a Luxury Collection property with a rich heritage), we strolled down the cobble stoned streets to the main square. We enjoyed a sumptuous dinner at Ceviche Seafood Kitchen which was recommended by one of my friends, and called it a night. The next morning, Ayaan arose to a broken tooth and was pleased to see that the tooth fairy visits in Peru as well. After a hearty breakfast, our first stop was the Cusco Cathedral, followed by a taxi ride to the ruins of Sacsayhuaman. We rented a guide and were so pleased to see Ayaan really enjoying the history, culture and beauty of these amazing ruins. Our guide customized the tour for the kids, pointing out hidden stone formations of lamas, and the kids got to meet real lamas too. We then strolled back to Cusco, stopping at the San Cristobal church where we enjoyed amazing views of Cusco from the top of the tower. We enjoyed a Nikkei lunch of Tiradito and then retreated to our hotel for a tour of the rich heritage of our hotel and an Inkan performance. Gaurav and I then joined a Pisco Sour class while the kids played nearby in the bar. The next morning at breakfast, the kids got to pet a baby alpaca. We then went to the choco museum for a chocolate making class which we all thoroughly enjoyed and Ayaan bravely volunteered himself for a sacrificial ritual. Replete with bags of wonderful treats which we dropped off at our hotel, our next stop was Qurikancha or the Sun Temple. That afternoon, Ayaan and I had booked a cooking class at the hotel, where we prepared ceviche followed by lomo saltado. The art of cooking the meat over a large flaming wok was thrilling and gave us both a sense of pride. We then enjoyed the meal which I accompanied by a glass of Bordeaux.

The next morning, we ventured to the market enjoying some fresh mango milkshake. Our driver Richard then picked us up to stop at the Cochahuasi Animal Sanctuary where we interacted with several rescued animals including lamas, condors and alpacas. Next, we went to the awe-inspiring Pisac ruins where a guide explained the 4 different townships. The drive was beautiful and the kids were in great spirits. Our next stop was the Maras salt mines followed by the agricultural terraces of Moray where the kids did really well climbing the steep terraces. Richard finally dropped us off at Tambo del Inka in the beautiful Sacred Valley where we enjoyed a special dinner by the fireplace. The next morning, we boarded the 360 Inka Rail train to Machu Picchu with incredible views of the valley, waterfalls, mountains and river. Ariana in particular really enjoyed going into the standing open cabin to take in the sweeping views. We then met our guide and travel companions and boarded a bus to Machu Picchu. Words cant describe the beauty of this seventh wonder (Gaurav’s final one and my 6th) and it was really gratifying to see how much the kids were in awe as well. At dinner that night, Gaurav and I decided to try the guinea pig which was cooked to perfection with a crisp skin, and we washed it down with a bottle of red. The kids enjoyed multiple courses of pasta.

The next day, we made our way to Ollantaytambo and hiked through the various terrain. After a quick stop at Chinceros, we boarded our flight to Lima. We managed to snag last minute reservations at Maido, which quickly became one of the best meals of my life! The fatty tuna or toro prepared tableside will be etched into my memory forever! After a short break strolling through the Cathedral of Lima, the main square and grabbing dinner for the kids, Gaurav and I made our way to Central, another unforgettable meal where we also had a chance to meet and interact with the chef, Virgilio Martínez Véliz. Peru, you were a true delight and I’m so glad to have enjoyed this experience with the family!

After settling back in Sausalito and the Bay Area in the beginning of the year after our amazing sabbatical, 2019 turned out to be a year of a lot of rediscovering California and family trips. What surprised me through the year was how much Ayaan and Ariana remembered our sabbatical and wanted to talk about all the places and memories we created. It was also very clear that their time in India was their favorite – immersing in the culture, learning Hindi, eating yummy food, spending time with grandparents and getting spoilt.

Local California travels highlights included driving trips to Tahoe for Memorial Day where we experienced snowfall at the start of summer. A trip down to Santa Barbara and central coast in the summer. And a few weekend trips to Carmel, Napa and Lake Shasta (with our friends Karishma and Anshul). But perhaps the biggest local highlight was staying at Anjali’s new glamping AutoCamp sites at Yosemite and Russian River. We also had a fantastic Thanksgiving in Big Island, which was a first for all of us except Anjali. The kids loved the beach and pool time, the live music and the fire lanterns everywhere. Ayaan learned to swim in the fall and he practiced everyday in the warm pool at the Marriott. But their favorite was running around at lawns of the Four Seasons where they made many friends.

Internationally, we made 3 big trips for the year. The first was an urgent trip to India since Anjali’s dad passed away. The kids were very sad but took it incredibly well. It was a tough trip and few months for us, but we were so glad that we spent a lot of time with FIL during our sabbatical. On a more happy note, in the summer we all did a big trip to Europe with my entire family of 14 representing all decades from 0 to 70 to celebrate my parents’ 50th Anniversary! We all gathered in Copenhagen where we once again (after our visit last year) explored Nyhavn and the sites together. We then caught a 7 day Holland America cruise together to the Norway towns of Bergen, Kristiansand, Oslo, Stavanger and Eidfjord. Ayaan and Ariana loved spending time with the entire family including their cousins and to this day remember it in detail. They got really fond of Morgane, Loui and Neela, in addition to everyone else they had spent more time with during the sabbatical in 2018. We ended the trip in Amsterdam where highlights included day trips to Zaans Schaans and Gouda. Overall a wonderful trip.

Ayaan and Ariana also really enjoyed family visits from Dhara, Anjali’s mom and Sonil. Ayaan says his favorite thing is when family visits his home. Finally, to end the year we made another trip to India – the kids loved spending time with their grandparents, at CCI, and with the Christmas festivities. Anjali and I also got the chance to escape for 5 days to Myanmar which was truly fantastic. Highlights included Bagan, Shwedagon in Yangon, the 1 night Paukan river cruise from Mandalay to Bagan and the incredible food. Thanks to the grandparents for entertaining the kids.

2019 was a challenging year with settling back, getting adjusted back to our life after our sabbatical and the death in the family, but we still managed to make the most of it. As we reflect back on the decade, it was very busy and we are so glad we had the opportunity to take 7 months off and spend time with people we love the most exploring our planet. Ayaan ended the decade with 32 countries and Ariana at 28 countries. To many more as a family in the next decade!