Beautiful murals in the Noi Bai International Airport, Hanoi

 For the travel novice, Vietnam is known just for Ha Long Bay. Even though this quaint nation has so much to offer, those limestone cliffs in the sea attract millions of tourists from all over the world every year. Vietnam has a long coastline and in order to reach the coast, one has to travel quite a lot from the capital city of Hanoi. Ours was quite a journey. We had a red eye from Delhi, which meant we were not only awake the whole night but out of the house way before night time and we landed in Hanoi at 5 in the morning. Travelling with a toddler and an eight year old along with my elderly parents did not make it easy for us. Everyone was sleep deprived and hence cranky. But little they knew that the journey ahead was way more challenging.

The Vietnam Japan Friendship Bridge (Nhat Tan Bridge) linking Noi Bai Airport and Hanoi City

The sidewalks are always busy, bustling with diners sitting on tiny chairs..

Vendors on bicycles selling bok choy and fruits

We reached the bus stop at Hanoi at around half past seven. Our Cat Ba express was scheduled at 10 : 30 AM. This meant a waiting time of 3 hours. My husband (the planner) rarely decides to waste a single moment of travel period. He had planned for a walk in the Hanoi old quarters during those two hours. So we made my Mom sit at the reception of the Cat Ba Express office and we five set on a heritage walk.

Did you notice the people eating in the background?

It was half past seven in the morning only but the city was bustling with breakfast eaters, beverage drinkers and vendors on bicycles, wearing the quintessential Vietnam hats. The fascinating part was to see the locals eat. I guess they are highly social; because that is what we learned from the rest of our trip. They eat all their meals outside, God knows with their family or friends or both. They sit on these tiny little chairs and eat pho with chopsticks. And the smell of food emanating from all around was tempting to me but nauseating for my vegetarian family members. We thought of picking up some food for the go, but we could not find anything that would suit our buds!

The bus arrived at the office at 10 30 AM sharp. Then our journey started. We kept going for 2 hours. Then they stopped for brunch at a plaza. We were already famished as we were surviving on airplane food. We ordered two plates of rice (one with fish and the other with egg) and just when we got comfortable in the food court and started digging in, our guide asked us to hurry, to that extent that he did not leave our sides till we left our food and got up. They gave us just 15 mins for eating plus washroom!!

We again got back into the bus and after after an hour, we reached the Hair Phong ferry terminal. There we boarded the ferry and off we started navigating the first water body of the trip. It was a 10 minute ferry ride and the fresh sea air absolutely rejuvenated us. We could see the Cat Ba island as soon as we got into the boat.

Elated to be on the ferry!

After disembarking from the boat, again we got up in the Cat Ba Express bus, now on the island. It was a 40 minute ride through cliffs and jungles and the Cat Ba National park. It was quite a bumpy ride but most of it was along the South China Sea, which made it uber cool. Finally we got down in front of our resort at around half past two. We were dead exhausted but the surroundings immediately pepped our moods up! The bus stop was along the sea promenade, from where we could see the limestone cliffs already. And right in front of our resort, there was the 'I heart Cat Ba ' sign+ garden. Our joy knew no bounds. We had already imagined how exciting would be our stay ahead!

The park and the sea promenade just outside our resort

God is the greatest magician and I believe everyone would agree with me. I get fascinated by nature every single moment of life: opening of buds, appearance of new leaves, the breeze, birds chirping, my babies growing...the list is endless! Nature is truly my beloved and hence I am so drawn to the outdoors. I am a complete water baby and take it as a compliment when people who know me call me a mermaid. Therefore, whenever we plan a vacation, it revolves around a waterbody/waterbodies. Either oceans or gulfs or Alpine lakes as in our babymoon; the great road trip across Europe.

 Our trip to Tanzania was an ambitious one, we had planned adventures that we hadn't done ever before. Our trip largely focused on the island of Zanzibar, where were spending 7 days. From feeding turtles to swimming with the dolphins, we had planned some epic adventures. However little did we know how immemorial those excursions would be.

After swimming with the dolphins and snorkeling, our guide was supposed to take us to 'God's swimming pool'. We had no idea what that meant. Only we were told that it's the ideal place to swim. We were already in the middle of nowhere in the Indian Ocean, and there was nothing but water around. Zanzibar is the land of high tides and low tides and this phenomenon dramatically changes the face of everything: the ocean, beach and the beachfront properties. Afternoon time is usually the period of high tide during that phase, it changes every 6 hours. 

So all of a sudden our boat got stopped and we were asked to jump into the ocean by our guide. We were like 'What?' The guide tried explaining us that the water was very shallow and we could literally walk on the sea bed. Seeing us still bewildered, he jumped himself to show us. Ismail was a tall man, but the water level was below his knee. We three and our co adventurers (two German gentlemen), jumped into the water immediately. It was God's swimming pool indeed! The water was crystal clear so we could see the sea bed legibly where we were walking (which was absolutely pristine)

We were reveling in the nature's wonder when Ismail startled us with a huge tray of freshly cut fruits. We literally had picnic in the ocean..in the middle of nowhere, knee deep in the calm water.

That fruit picnic was definitely one of the biggest highlights of our trip. On the way back, we held and caressed big and vibrant star fishes. They were so adorable! I had been watching them on the sea bed for years, but this was my first time holding them. They were like solid pieces of rocks. 

For a water lover, this excursion was absolutely stellar. At what all instances have you felt that God is the greatest magician?

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2023 

This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’

hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.

Well swimming with sea turtles sounds pretty terrific right? I had learned about this lagoon in Zanzibar quite some time back on a traveller's profile and had been fascinated since then. However little did I know that I would be there , myself , so soon! To be honest, Tanzania had been on my list for quite some time but just didn't think that we would explore it right away! It was fully the universe's calling...we found some well priced tickets and we immediately booked them. Bam! The most adventurous vacation of our lives!

We drove from our resort in Nungwi and it was quite convenient to park there with a wide space. There is a zoo too, which has separate entrance fees. The tickets for the aquarium were either 10 USD per person or 20,000 Tanzanian Shillings. Of course the local currency was cheaper hence we paid 60 K TZS for the three of us. 

It was really crowded when we reached there and at least 20 people were inside the lagoon. Firstly it took quite some time to gather the courage to jump into the lagoon with so many turtles flapping their flippers. Secondly I read a lot about their bites so was quite wary, especially with my elder daughter. After a lot of hesitation, I pushed my husband into the water. After some struggling and adjusting, he managed to start feeding those cute turtles and swim with them. During which one of them slapped his flipper so hard on his back that poor hubs got an incised wound! He literally had an anxiety attack when so many turtles encircled him and he was unable to come out!

I and my daughter had a wonderful time patting them and feeding them. They are incredibly beautiful creatures with their shells looking as if they have been hand painted by God himself. I was fully satisfied with my experience and hence I came up to the bank. I was throwing the sea weed into the water from where they were picking up.

My daughter became braver minute by minute to the point that she was putting the algae directly into their mouth. And suddenly we heard a scream. Mohi got a bit late in releasing the weed and hence the turtle placed its canines on her thumb. It was a really deep cut and bled profusely. We had to immediately rush back to our resort to dress her thumb. Mohi was inconsolable from the fright and pain.

Our day did not end as expected but it was one of the major highlights of our trip.

So here is a list of things that I have learned and plan to share with you

1. Don't go in the afternoon. Go early in the morning at 9 AM, when it opens. The water is much clearer and cleaner and of course the place isn't crowded. The aquarium closes at 6 PM.

2. Don't wear anything green. Turtles comprehend everything and anything green as their food and hence bite. I recommend wearing a rash guard or swimwear with full sleeves. Although once you reach there, you would witness the tiniest of itty bitty bikinis! It's a total glam show out there as if the girls are posing for Sports Illustrated!

3. Don't apply any sunscreen or body lotion before stepping into the lagoon. These chemicals would get washed into the water and harm the sea turtles.

4. Last but the most important thing, don't try to be an expert in feeding the turtles. Unless you are a pet parent yourself, you won't be thorough with feeding those beautiful creatures right into their mouth. They have really sharp teeth and it's not really their fault if the pulp of your finger comes in their grip of their sharp canines while taking a bite of the sea weed. 

5. Don't jump in the lagoon, you will hurt your feet. You can wear underwater slippers or plain walk very carefully barefeet.

6. Don't pick the turtles from the water. The large ones are very heavy; you would not be able to. But the small ones can be easily picked up, but they should not be. Respect the rules of the aquarium

7. Don't feed them anything other than the sea weed that is available in the reception.

I 100 % recommend this experience because it's something unprecedented and would be a forever memory for our family.

 This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2023 

This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’
hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.  

Title: The Ex Factor

Author: Harini Srinivasan

Genre: Fiction/Romantic Comedy

Number of pages: 192

Publisher: Om Books International

Disclaimer: You would love this book even more if you happen to be a Bengali or closely related to one! I mean the 'typical' temperament of a Bengali household is so aptly depicted that the story would crack you up at multiple situations. I actually started digging in more about Harini to know how did she so accurately depict a Bengali family because I was pretty sure that she isn't one. And then all my queries were solved at the end in 'Acknowledgements', where she thanks her colleague/friend and she is a Bong! Also learned that she has a handful of Bongs in the acknowledgements, which sums up how she is so well versed with their lifestyle! That's a beauty of an intelligent writer...they make you believe everything and give you a sense of belongingness in their narrative!

Coming to the story, Oindrilla or Oinks is a messed up girl, emotionally. Professionally she is sincere and intelligent (just like a diligent Bong girl). The title does reveal that the story has got something to do with an Ex but it takes quite some time to understand who and how and where as the story unfolds.

Oinks work in Gurugram and is resides in Vasant Kunj which again is such a relatability factor for Delhiites like me because it feels so enjoyable to be visualizing she with her friends hanging out in Cyber Hub and all. I was literally transported to my college times. 

Though Oinks dreads office and her 'Hawkeyed' Boss, she is one of the most sincere employees of her organization and hence get posted in Shillong for a short period on an important project. The journey to Shillong via her hometown Kolkata, along with her mother is quite eventful; as you can anticipate. Not only she bumps into her Ex, but her cousin, who also happens to be her soul sister runs into trouble! And things are not even smooth back in Delhi either, where she learns that her best friend is bisexual; that too with someone she really can't stand!

Things take a really interesting turn in Shillong when she learns more about her senior colleague, her Ex too joins the project and a long time good friend/colleague starts exhibiting romantic feelings for her! And then hell breaks loose when her cousin goes missing and her best friend elopes with her same sex partner and arrives in Shillong; and she is held accountable in both these controversial cases!

Would she fall for her good looking Pahadi colleague or would she rekindle the romance with her dark and handsome Ex?

I don't want to reveal any spoilers here but would like to sign off by saying that the ending is kind of predictable as you would have wanted the same!

Although there is one thing that has left me wondering in the recent Indian romcoms I have read. I am not a prude and don't want to sound judgmental; but this is something that has been bewildering me. Are the millennial girls way sexually forward? Or have I been living under a rock? I mean lots of body count and pre marital sex; are these things mundane now? Seems like I have been brought up too conservatively (I only look modern 😂) and so have been my friends!

I read this book at quite a low phase in my life and my mood was instantly uplifted and I devoured this cute, funny story is 3 days; which is really fast as I am the primary caregiver of 5 kids 😂 

Go, grab this copy now! 

 This review is powered by Blogchatter Book Review Program 

 Self care is not selfish. Always remember that you can't pour from an empty vessel! Wellness has been gaining importance thankfully and it does not involve sheet masks or spa dates. Well those would not hurt either but wellness is so much more than that. You can just postpone your sadness for a quick moment with cucumber on your eyes and a foot massage but the real issue needs to be addressed. While there are innumerable ways to feel better, we should be more concerned about building a body and life that feels good from within; and not just look good.

As one of my favourite quotes say, " Motivation is what gets you started, habit is what keeps you going."

Sunlight: One really can't ignore the power of the sun. Sunlight immediately signals the brain to release serotonin, which is a mood booster and uplifter. It's simple chemistry here...tap the power of sunlight to combat anxiety and depression. And basically we all need to be in a good mood right? We Indians are blessed to have the sun shining 12 months a year; the people in cold regions suffer from SAD ie Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is due to the lack of sunlight. So apart from your daily dose of sunshine, just go out in the balcony or garden of in the terrace of your office whenever you feel off.

Sleep: Just like the power of sunshine, don't neglect the healing effect of sleep. Sleep, which is a mandatory part of lives, have been taking a backseat these days; thanks to stress, deadlines and netflix marathons. What we fail to see is that the human body is made to function in a certain way, in which sleep occupies one third of it. And yes, sleeping 8 hours in the morning after staying awake whole night doesn't help either. Because melatonin is released in the dark, which aids shut eye.

One often neglects the fact that adequate sleep at night is integral for immunity; so if you are falling sick often, you may reevaluate your routine.

Also there is an enormous therapeutic effect of naps. There's often a joke that the solution to every problem in life is to take a nap 😂 So the next time you have a fight with your spouse or face a professional setback, nap over it. You are bound to feel better..promise!

Nature: We humans are a fundamental constituent of nature; but we have shut off ourselves in closed air conditioned offices and artificial habitats. Regular interaction with nature is indispensable for mental and physical wellness.  

Real food:

 Real food is made with real ingredients in real time. And this means no processed food, no instant mixes and no powders. Wholesome food made with fresh fruits and vegetables, hot on the stove and not just taking it out from the freezer and heating it.

Food is thy medicine and medicine is thy food. Hippocrates just didn't say it without substantial reason. Majority of the ailments we suffer from commonly , can be cured with the right diet, on a regular basis. 

Exercise:

 The main misconception hovering around exercise is that it is only for weight loss, only for overweight people. NO. Exercise is one of the main pillars for a healthy, disease free life and it has got nothing to do with weight. A fat person may be far fitter than a genetically blessed thin person. Also, exercise is often looked upon as punishment; while in reality, it's a treat. Pamper yourself with workout and stretching everyday and thank me later. The endorphins released during this process lifts you up like nothing else.

Fasting:

Fasting has been an integral part of our ancient Indian healing science. All these Ekadashi Vrats, fasting on important religious occasions etc were part of detoxification in the olden times. In the modern times, naturopathy pays utmost importance to fasting.

Regular fasting(weekly/fortnightly/monthly) has been found to be beneficial in detoxification and myriads of other ailments (except if you are suffering from duodenal ulcers or other gastrointestinal disorders).

Fasting has been found helpful in reducing the risk of metabolic diseases like obesity, Diabetes, inflammation, brain diseases and even certain cancers. In a nutshell, it has been proved to increase longevity!

Meditation

One of the easiest ways to improve focus and mindfulness is to meditate. Today's world is sadly grossly suffering from distraction and lack of focus and this has to be blamed on the instant dopamine overdose from everywhere. People have become addicted to instant gratification and intentional living is going out of the window.

If you think sitting still with blank thoughts for 20 minutes is not your cup of tea, then aim for shorter durations. Opt for guided meditations if focus is an issue. If you are a crazy busy mom with an insanse schedule, try squeezing mindfulness whenever possible. Think of the higher power before every sip of coffee, don't think of anything and keep your mind blank while taking a bath/shower, sit still for 10 minutes after waking up in the morning and be intentional in every thing you do.

Not to sound like a broken record here but meditation helps in reducing stress and negative emotions, increasing self awareness, focus and concentration, imagination and creativity.

Laughter: Definitely is the best medicine. It's a cardiac excercise as it sends the heart rate racing, in a good way! Learn to laugh without reason. Even if there's no one to share the laugh with, schedule your laughs in the morning and evening. That's how laughter clubs work! After three or four fake laughs, one automatically starts laughing frantically!

Laughter has been scientifically proven to decrease stress hormones and increase immunity. If you are lonely and don't have funny company, watch comedy shows or videos. If you want, you will definitely find a way to improve your life!

Take care of you

So once your cup is full,

Whatever overflows

Is what you are able to give others.

Disclaimer: This article has been drafted in a generic way and is in no way equal to a prescription. I am a registered medical practitioner but every individual is different. So it is advised to always consult your doctor before making any changes or adapting anything new.

"This post is a part of Wellness Hour Blog Hop by Rakhi Jayashankar and Swarnali Nath"