As an avid reader, I am perpetually romanticised by faraway places. Though, I’ve always thought these places - real or fictional - only belonged to my dreams. Becoming a mother at an early age solidified that resolve, what with diapers, schooling and other priorities. And then I realized that experiences can work more magic in a person’s life than material things; I stopped looking at traveling as a luxury, but as an essential, to child rearing.

Travel for a family of four is no joke, especially when it involves flying over oceans. So, we took pleasure in making the most of what’s within our reach - learning about bits of history from neighboring cities, falling in love with the quaint small town charms, occasional road trips to nearby states, and the countless train rides to and within New York City (the subway, itself, is an adventure).

I live in perpetual paradox by seeking grander, bigger things, while appreciating the everyday ones as a gift.