7 August
2026
6 August
2026
Doubling down on my swimming lessons!
Before I left for vacation to the Polynesian Islands, my swim teacher declared that I had cleared Level 1 and was ready for Level 2. I took that as her polite way of saying she had finally had enough of me refusing to get into the water, then bawling loudly to get out once I was in. You know, classic Level 1 behavior.
For a while, I thought I might take a break from my swimming career. But those aforementioned Polynesian islands changed my mind. It was as if the azure waters were calling to me, like sirens luring me out into the sea. So I resolved to get back to my lessons.
Fresh out of my first Level 2 class, I now have a deeper, pardon the pun, understanding of what these new exercises are meant to do. I am apparently now taking in twice as much water through my mouth and nose as I did in Level 1.
At this rate, the highest level of training will have me drinking the whole ocean. Isn’t that also called drowning?
Okay, now I am confused.
🙂
2 August
2026
From the bartender’s corner: Kilted Dragon
I had to think a bit before making today’s cocktail. I moved away a little from the Indian theme because I have managed to give myself some acid reflux after all the Indian food. So I was looking for something a little gentler on the stomach.
I went with red dragon fruit juice and Hendrick’s gin, then added a little sugar syrup and tonic water.
The name of the cocktail is a nod to its Chinese (only the dragon part, the fruit itself is from Central America, I think) Scottish (this particular gin) roots.
2 August
2026
My study table’s exchange program
Under the glass on my study table, I have 70 paper currencies, plus one coin that is not shown here. Six of those currencies no longer exist, either because the country itself no longer exists, like Yugoslavia, or because the country later switched to another currency, like the euro. The remaining 64 currencies span 107 countries, since a few of them, like the euro, the U.S. dollar, and the East Caribbean dollar, are used in multiple countries.
1 August
2026
From the bartender’s corner: Island Dragon
30 July
2026
View from La Guardia runway
30 July
2026
The moon last night
27 July
2026
My friend from the other end of the world
We had just touched down in Nadi, and my mind was still swimming with memories of Tuvalu. But the return journey had begun, and I had a few hours to kill in Nadi before heading out to Los Angeles.
There was just one complication. I could not go straight to the transit area because Fiji Airways in Tuvalu had not checked my suitcase all the way through to Los Angeles. So I had to go out through immigration, collect my bag, and then check in again. A mild annoyance, yes. But also, as it turned out, a small and very welcome opportunity.
I quickly fished my phone out of my pocket and sent Aseri a WhatsApp message: “Are you anywhere near the airport? I just landed.”
Aseri was the driver Marriott had sent when Sharmila and I visited Fiji for the first time many years back. Since then, he has become a dear friend, and we have managed to meet a few more times on my later trips to Fiji.
It turned out that Aseri was indeed at the airport, waiting for a fare.
“Just hang in there. Do not take any fares. Book the next couple of hours for me,” I wrote back. Then I rushed through immigration, grabbed my suitcase, and headed out.
There he was, waiting for me in front of a column. At first, I almost walked right past him. He had lost so much weight that I barely recognized him.
“Bula!” we shouted together.
First things first. We went to the airport store, bought a bag of kava, because I simply cannot resist it in the Polynesian islands, tucked it into my suitcase, and checked it in again. Only then did we set off.
We spent the entire time talking. The funny part is that he did not even ask me what I wanted to do. We had our usual routine all set. First, he showed me his prized possession, the new car he had bought.
Then we headed straight to Denarau Island, where he took me to the three shops I always visit to buy my island shirts. This is never an easy task. There are just too many to choose from. There was one shirt in particular that even made Aseri laugh. He said it was too loud. Naturally, that was the one I bought. I only discovered later that Sharmila agreed with him, and apparently, with great enthusiasm.
I still had a couple of hours left, so we went to a nearby Indian restaurant and I introduced Aseri to pani puri. He quite liked it.
Over dinner, we caught up on our lives since we had last met, and on our families too.
Finally, he dropped me at the airport and headed off to his next fare.
Sometimes I feel incredibly lucky to have friends in far-flung places, people who can turn an awkward airport layover into something warm, familiar, and unforgettable. That, more than anything, is the real souvenir.
27 July
2026
The kind of tourists Tuvalu attracts
As I mentioned before, Tuvalu is the least visited country in the world.
Over the few days I spent there, I got to know quite a few fellow travelers. They were easy to spot. You would invariably find them either at the pool bar or at Sue’s Kitchen! Most were from Australia or Europe, including Luxembourg, the UK, Germany, and Switzerland. Curiously, I did not run into a single tourist from the United States.
But I noticed something else.
If you meet a tourist in Tuvalu, chances are you have met one of the world’s true nomads.
It makes perfect sense. A tiny, remote island nation with minimal infrastructure is probably not where you come for your tenth or even twentieth country. You get here after years of chasing distant corners of the globe.
On my last day, I found myself sharing a lunch table with four other travelers at Sue’s Kitchen while we waited for the plane that would take us away.
“How many countries have you been to, Rajib?” Louise from the UK asked.
“Seventy-two by the UN count. Eighty-six by the ISO count.”
“How about you two?” I asked Louise and her partner, Jeff.
“One hundred five by the UN count. One hundred seventeen by the ISO.”
“Wow! How about you, Tony?” I asked another gentleman I had just met, originally from the UK but now living in Australia.
“One hundred forty.”
My jaw dropped.
Then we all turned to the fifth person at the table. Sadly, I have forgotten his name. His answer, however, I will never forget.
“All but four countries.”
“What? Which four?” I blurted out.
Ironically, I have already been to all four. They were all Caribbean nations.
The conversation that followed was mesmerizing. Louise and Jeff spoke about their recent trip to Afghanistan. Tony had just completed visits to all fourteen sovereign countries of Oceania on this very journey. Our fifth companion talked about traveling to every country in Africa, including Western Sahara.
I just sat there listening.
These were not tourists.
These were explorers in the truest sense of the word.
And as impressive as my own travel journey has felt at times, sitting at that table reminded me just how much of the world is still waiting to be discovered.
27 July
2026
That is a bit over the top, if you ask me
The island airport is wonderfully humble, perfectly in keeping with the island’s size and the number of visitors it receives.
Everything is frighteningly informal. Check-in, security, immigration, customs (yes, it is an international airport), and just about everything else seem to be handled by the same three or four people. There is no currency exchange. No snack bar. No gift shop.
But, wouldn’t you know? There is a duty-free liquor store!!
Why is it that airports everywhere are so eager to sell you alcohol? They tempt you with it before you fly out, and then greet you with it again when you land.
We are going to get “high” anyway, right?
