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Personal Landmarks: A Map of Trauma in London

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For me, London is defined by its street names, locations, and urban landmarks. Over the past 14 years, these elements (and more!) have left very distinctive mark on me. My London, first and foremost, is the one I came to know as a courier. I memorised all the addresses—Soho’s townhouses, the glass and steel skyscrapers in the City, and the many other places I delivered to. That was pre-smart phone era, so the famous A to Z map became my best friend for three years. This experience formed the foundational layer of my "London skin". Later, as I became an operations controller, these addresses took on a more digital form. They became combinations of postcodes (EC2M or EC2N—who can tell the difference? Well, I can, as I’ve become a bit of a postcode geek!), each just another place to send a delivery. Then there’s another layer—my social life in London, full of moments, encounters, people, and unexpected events scattered throughout the city. After 14 years, this collection of expe...
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ADO starfish

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ADO – the name of a bus service in Mexico Starfish –  a 5-armed sea creature that everyone loves I absolutely dislike traveling at night. While it may seem like a cost-effective option and works for some, I simply cannot sleep on trains, buses, or planes unless I can stretch my legs in semi-bed position. Traveling at night in Vietnam, however, had its perks.                     If only Mexican night buses offered the same comfort...                            Currently exploring southern Mexico, I knew the time would come for a long-distance night bus. That moment arrived with my journey from San Cristóbal de las Casas to Oaxaca (pronounced 'Wahaca'), a “lovely” 12.5-hour ride. I even took sleeping pills in an attempt to catch some sleep during the trip. The bus was dark, the seats were comfortable, and it was only half full, allowing me to spread out across two r...
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Three weeks into my Panchakarma retreat

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I am currently three weeks into my Panchakarma retreat. It feels like I have entered level four of a captivating video game. The anticipation (or dread) of the impending final stage of my detox journey,   known as the infamous ‘vasti’-(often referred to as “the mother of all panchakarma procedures”), looms overhead. Last week, I underwent the ‘nasya’ treatment, that is cleanse of your nasal passages and detoxification of the head and neck. This procedure came with a challenging condition : no hair washing allowed. For a full seven days, my hair remained unwashed, gradually becoming so greasy that catching a glimpse of it in the mirror turned into a test of endurance! Fortunately, the ‘nasya’ experience had a silver lining, as it was coupled with herbal steam bath and ‘kizhi’ treatment—a pounding massage with heated herbal pouches infused with medicinal oils. These fragrant sachets worked their magic on my body, providing a perfect blend of invigoration and relaxation. ‘Kizhi’...
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