For Khabar Magazine print edition. June 2017.  Kaala Pani is such a storied place in the narrative of India’s independence struggle. Visiting that infamous jail was a humbling experience. The iconic pagodas of Myanmar, on the other hand, inspired awe. Growing up in northern India, I did not have much of a chance to explore […]

For Global Atlanta. May 2017.  Why are millions of people from all over the world — including some from Atlanta — traveling to a small town near the capital of Brazil in search of personal and physical healing? To find out, I flew to Brasilia, having extended my stay in the country after a week […]

For CheapOAir Miles Away blog. May 2017. This Eastern European country has been popular among tourists because of its magnificent national parks, long coastline along the Adriatic Sea, and enchanting islands frequented by sailboats and yachts. But Croatia also has many small towns that offer natural beauty, authentic culture and local cuisine. Here are some […]

For Creative Loafing Atlanta. April 2017. Into Atlanta’s ever-widening ring of regional and modern Indian restaurants steps Jai Ho Indian Kitchen and Bar. Located in the former Madre + Mason spot in Morningside, the restaurant’s name means “let there be victory” in Hindi, perhaps in hopes that it will fare better than its locational predecessors. […]

For CheapOAir Miles Away. April 2017.  I have been doing yoga off and on for my entire life, but I still didn’t know what to expect when I first arrived at the Sedona Yoga Festival. It was early March and I was slated to attend all three days of the self-described “consciousness evolution conference,” where […]

For Creative Loafing Atlanta. March 2017.  From the outside, Royal Myanmar Cuisine looks like nothing more than a drive-through converted into a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, standing by itself in a quiet commercial plaza with a strip club, a liquor store and a few questionable-looking eateries. The interior of the former Crazy Wings is also very plain, […]

For Cuisine Noir magazine. March 2017.  Arizona is known to be one of the best spa destinations in the world. There’s no doubt that its native plants and herbs discovered by Native American healers have many spiritual and physical medicinal properties. Arizona’s dry climate, ample sunshine and warm temperatures make it a good place to […]

For The Huffington Post. March 2017.  I don’t have any life-threatening illnesses, depression or anything that is holding me from living my best life. Still, I felt drawn to go see John of God, a spiritual medium in a small town in Brazil, who has said to have cured millions of people. I first heard […]

For The Huffington Post. March 2017.  Looking for the latest laptops, cameras, or gadgets that will make travel easier and more exciting? Here are some of the best technical innovations of the year…. CANON POWERSHOT POWERSHOT G9 X MARK II CAMERA BY CANON $529 This hi-tech 20.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor, 3x Optical Zoom, DIGIC 7 […]

For The Huffington Post. March 2017.  Are you a frequent traveler, travel blogger or enjoy having the latest gadgets in travel? Then you need to take a look at this list and check out some of the most innovative products of the year. SAMSONITE STRYDE SAMSONITE STRYDE LUGGAGE $289.99 Shaped like a square, Stryde offers […]

For CheapOAir Miles Away blog. March 2017.  What do the movies The Martian, The Last Days on Mars, Prometheus, and Red Planet all have in common? They’re all science fiction movies set on other planets and they were all filmed in southern Jordan. In fact, from Lawrence of Arabia to The Hurt Locker, international filmmakers have been coming […]

For Creative Loafing Atlanta. March 2017.  Sadia Sosa Walker moved to Atlanta from Santiago, the second largest city in the Dominican Republic, in the year 2000. It was her first time in the United States and she felt instantly nostalgic for the aroma of slow roasting pork, the chit-chat of aunts and uncles gathered for […]

For CheapOAir Miles Away blog. March 2017. Bhutan is consistently ranked as one of the happiest countries in the world, and is the only country to measure its progress based on GNH (Gross National Happiness) vs GDP (Gross Domestic Product). So, what’s the secret behind Bhutan’s happiness? In order to unravel this mystery, we visited The […]

For CheapOAir Miles Away blog. February 2017.  Think carnivals are only for adults who want to drink, dance and party the night away? Think again! The carnival on the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire is a celebration lasting an entire month. Locally known as Karnaval, the island’s must-see events includes colorful parades, pageants, tumba music, and family […]

For The Huffington Post. February 2016. On a Wednesday afternoon, Gotham Bar and Grill is bustling with executives, vacationers and retired folks. There is a wait to get a table for lunch at this 30-year old legendary Greenwich Village restaurant. I savor every bite as I dig into my rainbow beet salad with toasted hazelnuts and creamy […]

For The Huffington Post. February 2017.  I call myself a restless traveler – one that always likes be on the move. I like to wander and get lost, not necessarily be bused around the main attractions. I prefer to taste the local cuisine, even if it means getting out of my dietary comfort zone. I […]

For Creative Loafing Atlanta. February 2017.  Sandwiching the northwestern corner of I-285 are the city of Smyrna and the unincorporated town of Vinings, fondly known together by some locals as Smynings. Until the 1990s, one of the only iconic structures here was the historic Vinings Jubilee, a town center with brick buildings, a clock tower, […]

For The Huffington Post. February 2017.  Reading along with kids can be a lot of fun. It gives you a chance to bond with your kids, just one-on-one, without interruptions from the outside world. I wrote Beato Goes To series of children’s picture books keeping in mind that parents need conversation starters to help them share stories […]

For CheapOAir Miles Away blog. January 2017.  With a majestic castle, river and cobblestone streets, Quebec City, Canada is a magical destination any time of the year. But for six weeks in January and February, the city is in full party mode with theme parks, parades, and quirky competitions. For 62 years now, the Quebec […]

For One Travel Going Places. January 2017.  Atlanta, Georgia: The de facto capital of the southeastern United States. It’s a hub for conventions, a former Olympic host city (the 1996 summer games, if you’ll recall), as well as home to CNN, Coca-Cola, AND the world’s busiest airport in the world. But it’s also a city […]

For Creative Loafing Atlanta, January 2017. One evening in the central Italian region of Tuscany, Meredith Hall, a young English teacher from Atlanta, walked into a traditional tango gathering known as a milonga. There, she met a charming local chef named Luigi D’Arienzo. Over passionate slow dances, fine wine, and Tuscan food, the two fell in […]

For Creative Loafing Atlanta, December 2016.  Amara is easy to spot, thanks to its electric blue and white sign. A Persian rug welcomes diners into the spacious, modern-industrial interior with pendant lights dangling from a high vaulted ceiling. A glass-backed bar with yellow chairs is central to the space, where one can watch people stopping […]

For CheapOAir Miles Away Blog. December 2016.  The country of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) is located in the South Asian peninsula, between China, India, Laos, Bangladesh and Thailand. Until recently, the country had an embargo on foreign visitors. Therefore, much of the land is still untouched by tourists. This off-the-beaten path destination has a […]

For CheapOAir Miles Away Blog. December 2016.  There’s no doubt that Bangkok is one of the most bustling and abundant cities in the world when it comes to street food. The smells of steaming noodle soups, simmering coconut curries, slow roasting chicken and frying fish cakes draws crowds from near and far into an around-the-clock eating frenzy. […]