Back-Alleys of Gwangjang Market

Seoul breathes at a frightening pace. It’s not difficult to lose yourself or your breath, here. Towering slabs of mortar and glass, dominate a jagged skyline, often competing — for a spot of grey. Following a Darwinian model of survival, primitive structures are quick to be razed, to be equally quickly replaced, by monsters of…

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A Hike to Baegakmaru (Bugaksan Trail)

It’s interesting to see how cultures, across the world, mimic one another, in a bid to keep what-should-be-kept-out — outside. Fortress walls have proven to be a common feature of almost every citadel, fort, or palace complex we’ve visited. From the sandstone citadel walls of Rajasthan to the ginormous, ‘Great Wall of China‘; protecting territory,…

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Under the Pink Sky

When did our love affair with cherry blossoms begin? I think, it would have to be sometime after visiting Japan — post koyo (autumn leaves). Ever since, we’ve desperately wanted to revisit Japan during sakura (cherry blossoms). Things never really worked out. Oddly enough, we kept dreaming and hoping — without truly believing. And here’s…

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Buds of Hope

The past few months haven’t been easy. Much of the chaos could be accounted to the new changes in our lives. Given a choice, I will try to avoid change and probably run miles away. And this I find it hard to understand. I’m someone who gets bored easily and needs to do something new…

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A Trip Down Memory Lane

I never really liked summer. After our year-end school examinations, temperatures would steadily rise to 35°C. When luck was not on our sides — temperatures were more brutal. Summer breaks were meant for: metamorphosing into sloths, reading every mystery book available, drinking aerated drinks, and indulging in mangoes. Once every two years, my parents would…

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Tales from the Jungle

I’ve been way behind my posting schedule. It’s quite unlike me to delay an invite to a challenge. I’d like to start this post with an apology to Christina, from JUSTBLUEDUTCH, for participating in the Seven Day Nature Challenge — a month late. Christina lives in Kuwait with her Dutch husband and toddler daughter. She…

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The Flipside of Travel

Growing up, we never really did get to travel much. Long before I met Basil, I’d already begun dreaming of visiting obscure places and meeting people from different cultures. My room door was plastered with captivating visuals — snipped from magazines or calendars. These visuals got me through many rough spots in my life and…

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