Indian States Visited

1. Maharashtra
2. Gujarat
3. Rajasthan
4. West Bengal
5. Goa
6. Arunachal Pradesh
7. Uttar Pradesh
8. Himachal Pradesh
9. Jammu and Kashmir
10. Karnataka

LA Art and Sports scene

If you live in LA, here are some of the things one must experience to expose one's mind to new ideas and fresh thoughts:

• Visit Annenberg space for photography for delightful photo exhibitions
• Get membership to CA Science Center(CASC)
• Watch Pompeii exhibit at the CASC
• Watch true IMAX movies in IMAX theaters
• Everyone goes to Catalina but visit Channel islands for quieter natural experience. Snorkeling is must do here not so much for the fish and corals but for the thrill of hanging by a sharp cliff of secluded small island.
• Hammer museum is a little gem deserving more attention than it does.
• Drive by HW 210 E and 2 South on a crisp morning. Within 
• Jog by Santa Monica Beach.
• Go for Full Moon Hike in Pacific Palisades
• Full Moon Hike in Griffith Park
• Stroll on main street in Santa Monica for small cosy boutique stores - to find trinkets unimagined.
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Why Travel?

Our intention in traveling the world is simple: Understand the world without the prejudice applied by life -  authors we read, movies we watch, partly biased views of friend sand family. Exploration should not be limited to traveling to far flung places though. It should involve visiting new theaters and museums in your city or neighborhood. More importantly, it must include no name streets,a quiet park at the street corner, a children's soccer game in a community college. Doing any one is necessary but not sufficient condition to be considered explorer. People who travel also have biases, just that their biases are different from those of non-travelers. Being without prejudice is the most important journey of man. Traveling is but one potential medium toward that goal but not the only one. It must be adequately complemented by reading and engaging and learning from other people around us. Traveling smart is a balancing act. If you only visit a swanky resort in Cancun, you have hardly visited Mexico. In fact, you have not even experienced Yucatan which has a distinct identity, topography and history different from rest of Mexico. I was shocked to know that many Cancun visitors didn't even know the presence of abundant Cenotes. Cenotes (natural wells or underground water bodies with collapsed roof) are one of the most fantastic discoveries of my travel. Sure, we all want to relax in exotic infinity pools but it doesn't qualify as travel. You are just getting dropped from one lap of luxury into another. 

1) Walk or Jog your neighborhood: The surest way to embrace local lifestyle. People in middle and low income countries do spend much of their evening on the streets. Kids and Men playing soccer, doting moms huddled in friendly chat is a common sight. It also reveals local economic life. Fishermen carrying their catch to restaurants. People from small towns going for night shift to large resorts. These are some of the benefits of a aimless stroll in a foreign country.

Countries Visited

Here is a list of countries Chandni and I visited beginning 2012. 

Why? Our intention in traveling the world is simple: Understand the world without the prejudice applied by life -  authors we read, movies we watch, partly biased views of friend sand family. 

Which countries?

Our choice of countries is primarily driven by lower development index because people with recent struggle have more character and I love beauty with rough edges. Anything perfect has never enamored me. Some day, I will visit western Europe and enjoy its castles but that trip will be more to observe and experience the functioning of their democratic institutions than anything.

Where to stay?

Although we luxuriate in upscale resorts, most of our boarding is at unique hostels with singular style or boutique family owned hotels. 

People: 

We spend large amount of time chatting with locals - from bellboy and receptionist at hotels to vendors and street bumpkins (who is more likely an immigrant from rural land where a new dam or factory was being constructed) We prefer our own mode of transport even in supposedly dangerous driving conditions because it grants us access to hinterland and we don't believe it can get more dangerous than driving in our motherland (so far this has been true).

1. India: A Microcosm of the planet
2. Nepal: Montain Spirit
3. USA: Diverse man-made and natural wonders in equal proportions
4. Malaysia: Paragon of Islamic state allowing freedom of religion to non-muslims
5. Mexico: Underground rivers and cenotes
6. Costa Rica: Islands of landmass within sea of verdant forests
7. Peru: Perched on a pinnacle 
8. UAE-Dubai: Shortest journey from desert tents to skycrapers
9. Turkey: Amalgamated Eurasia
10. Jordan: Sculpted Desert
11. Thailand: Industrialized Tropical Paradise
12. Cambodia: India's ancient oversees territory
13. Tanzania: Where the wild feel at home
14. Guatemala: To see a simple beauty afflicted by imperial interference
15. El Salvador: A war ravaged beauty
16. Nicaragua: Its okay to make a left turn!
17. Jamaica: Carribbean Pearl
18. Belize: Big diversity in a small land mass
19. Greece: