It’s midnight. All the lights are out. The ones in the office building bang opposite our apartment, in Seoul, are still burning bright. Burning the midnight oil takes a whole new meaning in Asia. My dad would always wonder: what is it that you can achieve in the wee hours of the morning that you…
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Blind trust. It never came easily to me. I’ve always relied on questions to have a better understanding of any situation. I think: it’s an innate need to be in control of uncertainty and also have a better grip on my anxiety. I was scared of dentists and the dark I was scared of pretty…
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Over the past couple of years, our blog has meant many things. There were times when the blog meant everything to me. I’d spend hours writing posts, getting likes, chasing followers, participating in challenges, and leaving random comments on the blogosphere. The highs and lows weren’t always easy to deal with. I was destined for…
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I’ve always been a dreamer — living in a world of my own creation. As a child, it didn’t matter what I’d be when I grew up. I discovered multiple worlds through books, imagination, and playacting. In my teens, the stars called out to me and I spent the next couple of years trying to…
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Steering your way through Tokyo’s Monday morning rush hour can feel like a Herculean task. I was a bit rusty and had forgotten how to make a 100 metre dash for the train. Jimbocho Station was swarming with office-goers who knew precisely how to walk without stepping on someone’s toes. It was strange to witness order…
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Mori Art Museum is located in Tokyo’s upscale Roppongi Hills. It’s not too difficult to find, given the number of signboards and maps that are placed at regular intervals. A winding staircase (with a glass facade) in Mori Tower, one of the tallest buildings in Tokyo, leads to the main ticketing area. I bought a combined ticket for…
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Monjayaki in Asakusa By late evening, once the shutters of tourist shops are down, Asakusa resembles a ghost town with deserted alleyways — occasionally lit by an array of yellow lanterns. It’s hard to distinguish one alley from another in the dull street light. It’s harder to stay focussed on the route when there’s so…
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Escape from Seoul In January, Seoul was hit by a cold wave and I desperately needed a break. Tokyo’s weather report recorded temperatures above 0 °C and that was good enough for me to accompany Basil on his business trip. The weather played spoilsport on the day of our departure and our flight was delayed by…
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“It is impossible to escape the impression that people commonly use false standards of measurement — that they seek power, success and wealth for themselves and admire them in others, and that they underestimate what is of true value in life.” ― Sigmund Freud I was raised (not born) in a city and until my twenties,…
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“Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality.” ― Lewis Carroll As a kid, my imagination was my best friend. It helped me escape into a world that I created. I could be anything that I wanted. I could be a doctor on Monday, a teacher on Tuesday, a chef on Wednesday, an architect…
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