You know you have had a good year when you have so many things to talk about, brag about, think about and be humbled about.
[WARNING: this is a long one, and it's mostly for myself ;) ]
2016 was the year of revelation, growth, broadened perspective, gratitude and self-love.
2015 ended at a hi/low, (best left to individual speculation) as it marked the (legal) end of my 5 year old marriage and 8 year relationship.
I knew I had to make 2016 better, having found the newly acquired independence and single-hood. (I still wish it would work more like an undo button rather than starting afresh on a new-found marital status.) Nevertheless, I was a new me, and I LOVED it.
Family Time
I'm glad 2016 began with being surrounded by family and and making peace with the fact that there are way more people who love me than the opposite. My eldest cousin got married and we had an absolute blast at the reception. I am so glad I made it.
Shared a drink with my granddad on new year's for the 1st time ever. (Happy to have been finally accepted as an adult *wink*)
Trying new things in Feb, like camping in tents with my colleagues. I can't say I loved it. It was an experience and I shall leave it at that.
And it's always so much fun when I get to do DIY projects with the sister, because no one else get's my ideas otherwise without me having to explicitly explain them. She as good as lives in my head.
And then began the travel......
Bratislava! You beauty.
5 weeks and I was in love, with the city, with the place, with Europe in totality. There are many things I am grateful for, and having the opportunity to travel for work is definitely the top of the charts. (2015 gave me Costa Rica and Philippines) 2016 leveled up, like a boss! I could go on an on about how much I loved it there, specially because of the friends I made and the experiences I had.
Travel for me is never about sight-seeing and I dont understand why a large proportion of people dont get it. I feel way more satisfied when I make connection, be it food or people or places. How a place actually looks hardly matters.
Bratislava gave me my FIRST ever snowfall experience and I can never forget that. There is so much more to that I am so humbled by, I could write an entire new blog on Bratislava. (But I'll stop)
Vienna! The Majestic masterpiece
I'm so glad I took this day trip. I would've never had, if it were not for Helena. Easter market, Summer Palace and the Zoo. OMG The Zoo. I saw penguins and polar bears for the 1st time and I was as thrilled as a the 3 year old standing next to me looking at them do their thing. (not at all ashamed)
Summer Palace
Budapest! Fuzzy City
The much awaited weekend trip to the city of ruin bars and streets filled with the warmth of the people in it. It was amazing, how as soon as I entered the city, I felt welcome and comfortable and relaxed. Our AirBnB house was perfect,
Ruin bar: We're ready for you!
next stop.... Seattle!
Oh Seattle! You're like that toy I really want but I don't want to have you for a lifetime. This trip was different though. It was not 'for' work, but for 'the work' that I had put in. It was gesture of recognizing hard work and I was truly humbled by it.
Orange is the new Black
I could go on an on and on about .... San Francisco!
The best gift I have ever given myself , is the weekend trip to San Fran. (inset swear words) It was brilliant. I wanted to stay back so bad! I would go back there at the drop of a hat. (no questions asked)
Union Square
It was time to come back home.... and go to.. Wayanad, Kerela.
I owed a holiday to my BFF (and could have probably been BF if not for her gender). So much beauty in India and I am so glad I can do justice by exploring my own country too.This place marked another 1st in my life, when I trekked 6000+ ft to the heart lake. But more than that, I found new layers to relationships that i swept under the carpet.
On-journey of emotional enlightenment : I wrote about it, because I had to.
Heart Lake at 6000+ feet
Sammy's Visit!
Having friends visit is always great, but it is even greater when it is you brain twin. Having friends like her reminds me to be myself, shed the layers of diplomacy, laugh more and just "live" a whole lot more.
go to hell fairness creams!
Lavasa! India's take on Europe. (and we nailed it)
Office trips are never boring, specially not when you play childhood games like 'dog and the bone' and 'help help' while running in the rain.
"other" Visits!
and we will leave it at that. *wink*
then came the birthday month.........
GOA! hell yeah!
Never thought I will ever celebrate my birthday in Goa, but it happened. Family, food, beaches, shopping! Perfect! Perfect! Perfect!
sea-foodgams
I could write a whole blog only one food I had there. OMG! Brilliant! If I ever go back there, would be to eat some more. The birthday month was only getting better and better.
There's no much more to Japan than Sushi. Yet, here I am.
Delhi! Family, festivals, more food, shopping and "the other"
Meeting cousins in Delhi is like therapy. It's just great that you can have logical conversations without having to explain yourself. And just the feeling of sitting around people who are genuinely happy for you and your achievements is so humbling in it self.
Star of the holiday!
Let's end this year with a Bang!
Mumbai! I will always love you!
So glad I made it. Friends, buddies, my go-to peeps. Life gives you a lot. It's up to you to cherish and recognize the value of what you have. Mumbai gave me a lot of things. My friends are the most precious of all of them.
Mumbai weddings! enough said
Jamshedpur, Ranchi, Kolkata!
What a trip that was, from train journeys, to overnight hotel stays, party nights, emergency exits and what not. The most ad-hoc planned journey ever. Thanks to dear sister. lol!
Did someone say free breakfast!
I thank god for every person who has come into my life and stuck to me like glue. There are a handful of people who I am absolutely grateful for. They are the like pillar to my ever growing creeper (plant) abilities. Always there to break my fall when I need them.
[P.S. I also bought an apartment :p ]
You've been good 2016!! really good! It will be hard to match up with you. But I'm going to keep trying. :)
[WARNING: this is a long one, and it's mostly for myself ;) ]
2016 was the year of revelation, growth, broadened perspective, gratitude and self-love.
2015 ended at a hi/low, (best left to individual speculation) as it marked the (legal) end of my 5 year old marriage and 8 year relationship.
I knew I had to make 2016 better, having found the newly acquired independence and single-hood. (I still wish it would work more like an undo button rather than starting afresh on a new-found marital status.) Nevertheless, I was a new me, and I LOVED it.
Family Time
 |
| With the cousins |
Shared a drink with my granddad on new year's for the 1st time ever. (Happy to have been finally accepted as an adult *wink*)
Trying new things in Feb, like camping in tents with my colleagues. I can't say I loved it. It was an experience and I shall leave it at that.
 |
Decoupage with the sis
|
And it's always so much fun when I get to do DIY projects with the sister, because no one else get's my ideas otherwise without me having to explicitly explain them. She as good as lives in my head.
And then began the travel......
Bratislava! You beauty.
5 weeks and I was in love, with the city, with the place, with Europe in totality. There are many things I am grateful for, and having the opportunity to travel for work is definitely the top of the charts. (2015 gave me Costa Rica and Philippines) 2016 leveled up, like a boss! I could go on an on about how much I loved it there, specially because of the friends I made and the experiences I had.
Travel for me is never about sight-seeing and I dont understand why a large proportion of people dont get it. I feel way more satisfied when I make connection, be it food or people or places. How a place actually looks hardly matters.
Bratislava gave me my FIRST ever snowfall experience and I can never forget that. There is so much more to that I am so humbled by, I could write an entire new blog on Bratislava. (But I'll stop)
Vienna! The Majestic masterpiece
I'm so glad I took this day trip. I would've never had, if it were not for Helena. Easter market, Summer Palace and the Zoo. OMG The Zoo. I saw penguins and polar bears for the 1st time and I was as thrilled as a the 3 year old standing next to me looking at them do their thing. (not at all ashamed)
Summer Palace
Budapest! Fuzzy City
The much awaited weekend trip to the city of ruin bars and streets filled with the warmth of the people in it. It was amazing, how as soon as I entered the city, I felt welcome and comfortable and relaxed. Our AirBnB house was perfect,
Ruin bar: We're ready for you!
next stop.... Seattle!
Oh Seattle! You're like that toy I really want but I don't want to have you for a lifetime. This trip was different though. It was not 'for' work, but for 'the work' that I had put in. It was gesture of recognizing hard work and I was truly humbled by it.
Orange is the new Black
I could go on an on and on about .... San Francisco!
The best gift I have ever given myself , is the weekend trip to San Fran. (inset swear words) It was brilliant. I wanted to stay back so bad! I would go back there at the drop of a hat. (no questions asked)
Union Square
It was time to come back home.... and go to.. Wayanad, Kerela.
I owed a holiday to my BFF (and could have probably been BF if not for her gender). So much beauty in India and I am so glad I can do justice by exploring my own country too.This place marked another 1st in my life, when I trekked 6000+ ft to the heart lake. But more than that, I found new layers to relationships that i swept under the carpet.
On-journey of emotional enlightenment : I wrote about it, because I had to.
Heart Lake at 6000+ feet
Sammy's Visit!
Having friends visit is always great, but it is even greater when it is you brain twin. Having friends like her reminds me to be myself, shed the layers of diplomacy, laugh more and just "live" a whole lot more.
go to hell fairness creams!
Lavasa! India's take on Europe. (and we nailed it)
Office trips are never boring, specially not when you play childhood games like 'dog and the bone' and 'help help' while running in the rain.
"other" Visits!
and we will leave it at that. *wink*
then came the birthday month.........
GOA! hell yeah!
Never thought I will ever celebrate my birthday in Goa, but it happened. Family, food, beaches, shopping! Perfect! Perfect! Perfect!
sea-foodgams
Sapporo, Japan! The people, the food, the gadgets and so much more.
I could write a whole blog only one food I had there. OMG! Brilliant! If I ever go back there, would be to eat some more. The birthday month was only getting better and better.
There's no much more to Japan than Sushi. Yet, here I am.
Delhi! Family, festivals, more food, shopping and "the other"
Meeting cousins in Delhi is like therapy. It's just great that you can have logical conversations without having to explain yourself. And just the feeling of sitting around people who are genuinely happy for you and your achievements is so humbling in it self.
Star of the holiday!
Let's end this year with a Bang!
Mumbai! I will always love you!
So glad I made it. Friends, buddies, my go-to peeps. Life gives you a lot. It's up to you to cherish and recognize the value of what you have. Mumbai gave me a lot of things. My friends are the most precious of all of them.
Mumbai weddings! enough said
Jamshedpur, Ranchi, Kolkata!
What a trip that was, from train journeys, to overnight hotel stays, party nights, emergency exits and what not. The most ad-hoc planned journey ever. Thanks to dear sister. lol!
Did someone say free breakfast!
I thank god for every person who has come into my life and stuck to me like glue. There are a handful of people who I am absolutely grateful for. They are the like pillar to my ever growing creeper (plant) abilities. Always there to break my fall when I need them.
[P.S. I also bought an apartment :p ]
You've been good 2016!! really good! It will be hard to match up with you. But I'm going to keep trying. :)
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