What a whirlwind of a year. One full year of living the nomadic life amidst heightened uncertainty, border closures, travel restrictions, fear, cynicism and lot of human suffering. From being declared a security threat when I tried to enter North Macedonia to being denied entry in Tunisia and Romania, it definitely wasn’t an easy year for travel, especially on an Indian passport (remember, Delta?). Nonetheless, it was an immense privilege to be able to travel, and call different places home for a few days, especially with next to zero tourism.

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As always, what continues to push me to travel and explore remote corners is this deep-rooted desire to capture fleeting beauty – nature, cultural moments or just everyday scenes. Here are the favorite moments that left me inspired from my first visits in 21 countries:

1/ Having the immense Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe all to myself

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2/ Photographing a Senegalese model near Dakar

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3/ Watching thousands of scarlet ibises in Trinidad

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4/ Photographing Pepper and its friends in St. Lucia

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5/ Sailing to Tobago Cays in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

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6/ Starting to enjoy birding in Honduras

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7/ Taking a wrong turn to this lake in El Salvador

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8/ Getting an aerial view of the Kai falls in Guyana

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9/ Experiencing the maroon life in the upper reaches of Surinam river

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10/ Climbing the volcanic Fogo peak in Cabo Verde

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11/ Being mesmerized by the Fann mountains in Tajikistan

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12/ Climbing to Armenia’s highest point with a local hiking club

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13/ Photographing the incredibly beautiful Kapaz mountain in Azerbaijan

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14/ Finding peace in Ometepe, Nicaragua

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15/ Swimming my heart out in Cyprus

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16/ Discovering Caribbean’s most beautiful port in Grenada

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17/ Discovering Slovenia’s tiny but beautiful coast in Piran

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18/ Being transported back in time in Romania’s old towns

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19/ Being overwhelmed with kindness in Oman

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20/ Discovering Bulgaria’s most charming city – Velika Tarnovo

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21/ Exploring Ukraine’s glorious history in Kiev

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And how can any year be complete without visiting my favorite country – India. So here is the ‘bonus’ image. Grateful to call this land home.

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What will 2022 bring?