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Defying all stereotypes about Antarctica - Deception Island
Sailing into the heart of an active caldera | Deception Island, Antarctica

Sailing into the heart of an active caldera | Deception Island, Antarctica

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Home to the largest cemetery and the largest colony of chinstrap penguins, Deception island defies all stereotypes about Antarctica. Set in South Shetlands, this horse-shoe shaped island is the only volcano where you can sail right into the heart of its caldera, soak your feet at the geothermal beaches, and visit an old whaling station. First discovered in 1820 by the British, this island has always been of geo-political interest to the international community – from the Chilean, Argentinian and…

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Gesha coffee, believed to have originated in Ethiopia, is perhaps world's most celebrated and expensive coffee bean. Today, Boquete in Panama grows this variety in a few fincas
World’s most expensive coffee – Gesha | Panama’s fantasy bean

World’s most expensive coffee – Gesha | Panama’s fantasy bean

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Specialty coffee is a funny business. Rare, highly sought after and often sold at a premium price tag, Gesha bean is the crown jewel when it comes to the world of coffee. This very bean catapulted Panama into the top coffee destinations in the world. A lazy misspelling – or perhaps an attempt to capture mainstream attention, turned this celebrated variety into “Geisha” – something which I couldn’t help cringe at as I visited multiple fincas in the central Panamian…

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Coming across an off-the-grid community in Belize

Coming across an off-the-grid community in Belize

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I have always enjoyed traveling without much planning and seeing where the proverbial journey takes me. Belize is a very small country, so I wanted to get out of the tourist trail and go somewhere off the grid. While exploring the map of Belize,  this place called Little Belize caught my fancy. Couple of reasons: the name itself, and its setting by a lagoon. An unpaved road from the town of Orange Walk seemed to lead right to little Belize….

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Settlement Day celebrations – heart of the Garifuna culture | Belize

Settlement Day celebrations – heart of the Garifuna culture | Belize

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Few years ago, I got introduced to the tumultuous history and the vibrant culture of the Garifuna people during my visit to Livingston, Guatemala. Ever since then, I wanted to get back and spend more time with the Garifuna people. Every year on November 19th, Belize celebrates the Garifuna settlement day with fierce pride. Dangriga, a small coastal town in Belize, is the heart and soul of the celebrations, bringing together local communities over shared history and traditions as well…

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Monks entering Takao-san to prepare for the new year ceremony
Hatsumōde: an auspicious beginning in Japan

Hatsumōde: an auspicious beginning in Japan

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Japan had always held a special allure for me. The sakura and the spring season, the melancholic autumn, the poignant Haikus – these were some of the clichés I had in my mind while imagining my travels in Japan. Having read a lot of Murakami had played it’s own role. However, what I was most intrigued about was how symbolic the start of a new year is for the Japanese people. The desire to purify and embark on a new…

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