Travel Tales

“People don’t take trips, trips take people.” – John Steinbeck

The Art of Showing Up

April 25, 2016ByteSize, Travel Talesauthentic, blogger, chithirafestival, festival, Festivals, functional, instapassport, Madurai, story, tamilnadu, traveladdict, travelblogger, traveller, traveltheworld, wanderlust, WOL, work, workingoutloud

If you can’t showcase your work, you can’t sell it. It’s as simple as that.

The old idea that “if you build a better mousetrap, the world will beat a path to your door”? A myth. Maybe it never existed.

At the Chithirai Festival in Madurai, amidst the chaos and colour, one balloon vendor knew this well. He struck an ingenious deal with the cops—his bike would serve as a barricade against traffic, giving him prime real estate in the middle of the road.

With that sorted, he put on a show—a mega display of bright, cheerful balloons. By the end of the day, he sold them all.

There’s always a way to showcase your work.
It can be subtle, functional, creative, or bold—but it must be authentic.

A little bit of imagination can make all the difference.

This balloon seller taught me that.

The Road to Vegas & The Road Back

April 24, 2016ByteSize, Travel Talesarrival, blogger, Departures, driving, highway, India, instapassport, lasvegas, latergram, Love, passion, quote, renewal, Roadtrip, sfo, Travel, traveladdict, travelblogger, traveller, USA, vegas, wanderlust

It was evening.

The road from San Francisco to Las Vegas stretched endlessly—a ride that felt like it had started in another lifetime. Smooth, uneventful, devoid of the delightful chaos of an Indian highway.

No bulls appearing out of nowhere, no tractors playing chicken—just long, sweeping roads with scenery that tried its best to keep things interesting.

But ahead lay Las Vegas—a city of stories, possibilities, and whispered legends. Excitement pulsed through us, and for a moment, even the car engine seemed to hum in anticipation.

And then, I saw them—the cars leaving Vegas, heading home. Their passengers, wrapped in a quiet emptiness, faces drained of whatever the night had held.

That’s when a line from English, August floated back into my mind:

“The ecstasy of the arrival never compensates for the emptiness of the departure.”

I smiled. Because some truths, like the Vegas skyline, glow even in the dark.

(at Las Vegas, Nevada)

Colours, Coin, and a Question

April 23, 2016ByteSize, Travel Talesalagar, blogger, celebration, chithiraifestival, crowd, culture, Dance, destinations, facesyoudontforget, festival, Festivals, India, instapassport, Love, Madurai, music, paint, passion, pretense, renewal, Tamil, tamilnadu, tradition, traveladdict, travelblogger, traveller, traveltheworld, wanderlust, work

He appeared with a tap on my shoulder, cutting through the jostling crowd at Madurai’s Chithirai Festival. While chaos swirled around us, he stood calm, his face a riot of colour—deep devilish pink, adorned with glinting trinkets.

He smiled and held out a vessel. Ah, money, I thought. It paints the town red. Or, in this case, a shade of pink that refused to be ignored.

Carefully, I wrestled my wallet free, handed him a few notes. His eyes widened.

Was it the amount?
The act of giving itself?
Or my awkward attempt at wallet gymnastics in a jostling sea of people?

Surprise gave way to a grin, and suddenly—out of nowhere—he blessed me with a peacock feather.

I asked for a picture. He stood, smiled, then vanished into the festival, dancing to a new tune, swallowed by the crowd.

But his azure blue eyes lingered long after.

And a question stayed with me—Do we all wear paint to earn a living?

(at Madurai, India)

The Beat of Tradition, The Dance of Renewal

April 22, 2016ByteSize, Travel Talesalagar, azhagar, blogger, Blogging, chithiraifestival, culture, Dance, destinations, farmers, Festivals, folklore, instapassport, Madurai, music, renewal, Rural, tamilnadu, tradition, Travel, traveladdict, travelblogger, traveller, traveltheworld, wanderlust

You can’t miss the beats—they travel miles, weaving through memory and the moment.

Folklore spills onto the streets of Madurai, as rural dancers take center stage—bare-chested, bells jingling, raw energy flowing. Nothing polished, nothing rehearsed. Just movement, music, and meaning.

This is Chithirai Festival.

There’s no perfect synchrony, no scripted spectacle for the screen. Yet, there’s joy. A gay abandon of culture, faith, and spontaneous rhythm. A festival that isn’t just performed—it’s felt.

A new warp and weft to an old tradition.

A treat to the senses. A soothing of the soul. A renewal—of memories, of roots, of fresh dreams taking flight.

Between Shore and Open Water: The Feeling of Readiness

April 20, 2016ByteSize, Travel Talesanxiety, beach, boat, challenge, coach, commonman, conversation, effort, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, Happiness, incredibleindia, Joy, Leadership, Life, makeadifference, mentor, oars, optimism, partner, peace, practice, ready, ride, sea, startup, Tourism, Travel, wisdom

When the waters kiss the boat, not with tenderness but with stern energy, you feel it—the pull of the unknown.

The shore, once a quiet safety net, now feels distant. The boat wobbles, unbothered by its passengers. And deep within, a thousand butterflies take flight.

Yet, there’s something else—a rush, a charge in your veins. It’s the feeling of being young, alive, and on the edge of something new. It’s the moment when life shifts.

Your hands grip the oars, the water pushes back. You take the first stroke—and the lake seems to gird its loins in response.

A thin smile escapes furrowed brows. Because this moment? You’ve worked for it.

You’re ready for the ride.

How Travel Changes You: The Places We Carry Within

April 19, 2016ByteSize, Travel TalesLotus tank, Madurai, quotes, Travel

“Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.”

Anita Desai

Travel isn’t just about seeing new places. It’s about letting those places shape you. The streets you walk, the faces you meet, the air you breathe—it all settles into your being, often without you realizing it.

Some places leave an imprint instantly—a breathtaking view, a conversation with a stranger, a meal that lingers in memory long after the taste has faded. Others work quietly, weaving themselves into your thoughts over time, surfacing in moments of nostalgia.

And then there are places that shift something within—they change how you see the world, how you respond to life, how you define home.

A mountain trek might teach you patience. A bustling city may reveal resilience. A quiet village could remind you of simplicity. Wherever you go, something stays with you.

You don’t just visit places—you carry them forward. In memories, in perspective, in the way you tell your stories.

And in the end, perhaps the real journey is realizing that you never return as the same person who left.

One Fact, Many Views: How Perspective Shapes Reality

April 18, 2016ByteSize, Travel Talesanxiety, beach, challenge, coach, commonman, conversation, effort, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, Happiness, incredibleindia, Joy, Leadership, Life, makeadifference, mentor, optimism, partner, peace, practice, ready, startup, Tourism, Travel, view, Vision, wisdom

There is one fact. There is one view. And then there’s another. And another. In truth, there are many.

The fault lies not in seeing differently, but in believing our view is the only one.

Our biases quietly shape what we see. They tint our lens, colour our reality, and limit our understanding. But the moment we recognise this, we create space for perspective.

To see things in better light, we must first acknowledge that another light exists.

So, what are you looking at today?

More importantly—how are you looking at it?

The Courage to Leave Shores and Find Yourself

April 13, 2016ByteSize, Travel Talesarabiansea, beach, commonman, conversation, dailylife, daytoday, difference, diveagar, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, Happiness, human, humansofindia, incredibleindia, India, inspirations, Joy, Love, maharashtra, makeadifference, partner, ppeace, sea, simple, smile, Tourism, Travel, wanderlust, winter

When you leave sight of a shore, new adventures unfold. Yet, adventure comes at a cost—the courage to override fear.

The fear of loss. The fear of pain. Some fears are unfounded, others practical. But neither should anchor us in place.

Life finds its renewal in the courage to seek new shores. The willingness to step into the unknown—to let curiositylead, even when familiarity begs us to stay.

In this seeking, new journeys emerge. With new journeys, new insights arrive. And somewhere along the way, we find new eyes, a new mind, a new way of being.

So, go travel. Beyond places. Beyond comfort. Beyond what you know.

Because the real journey isn’t to a new place. It’s to a new you.

(at Diveagar, Maharashtra, India)

Pitching Tents and Choosing Views: A Lesson in Life

April 2, 2016ByteSize, Travel Talesadventures, blogger, Blogging, destinations, hike, instapassport, instatravel, live, mountains, Nature, sky, tent, Travel, traveladdict, travelblogger, travelinsights, traveller, traveltheworld, trek, trekking, wanderlust

No walls, no ceilings—just a thin layer of fabric separating you from the stars. Want a better view? Just roll out.

As we camped in the mountains, one thing became clear—where you pitch your tent matters. The view, the experience, the journey—it all depends on where you choose to stop.

And isn’t that how life works?

We pitch our tents in different places. New places. Yet, no matter where we go, it’s always under the same vast blue sky.

Because in the end, the sky itself is our big blue tent.

The Secret to Great Cooking (Hint: It’s Not Just the Recipe!)

March 27, 2016ByteSize, Travel Talescalories, chef, confidence, cooking, creativity, Food, hobby, kitchen, masterchef, oil, passion, recipe, Roadtrip, southindia, tamilnadu, Travel, vada, wanderlust

There’s a joy in watching a chef at work—especially the weekend warriors, the amateurs who step into the kitchen with enthusiasm rather than obligation.

From scribbled recipes to sizzling magic, the journey is one of experimentation, creativity, and a dash of chaos. The dish must first delight the eye before it wins over the taste buds.

But here’s the thing—the best chefs don’t mind sharing their recipes. Because it’s never just about the ingredients.

The real secret? It’s in the hands, the instincts, the little improvisations that make every dish uniquely theirs.

(at Madurai, India)