I met you 432 days ago. We are, what I’d call, an unexpected collision. There was no anticipation, no chase, no beginnings or endings. We are a sudden combustion dictated by the universe. So fast, so vibrant. Just like stars – a second so full of life and energy, and the next, an explosion, into tiny specks, far far away, scattered, thrown, flung fearlessly into the darkness of the evening skies. Like most sad love stories, this one starts on a late night, things a blur and words a slur. We spent the night with our friends, them talking boisterously, and us, us exchanging furtive glances, here ..read more

As the end of my year-long sabbatical comes into sight (I can see pretty far!), I’m confronted with real questions like: “where do you want to live?” Moving out of the US Being in the US for close to a decade has it perks. I’ve been spoiled by the access to new ideas in technology. When abroad, I realized my tendency (hovering at a 95%) to respond to lifestyle inefficiencies with “there’s an app for this”. Living in Seattle, smack in the middle of Amazon’s home, I was constantly testing out new ways to not checkout my groceries, new ways to have Christmas presents delivered in under an ho ..read more

A year ago, I left my job to go fulfill a childhood dream so I packed a 45L backpack and boarded a plane to Kazakhstan. I decided I’ll travel differently this time – to go to places less heard of, to do things that are less conventional. I wasn’t leaving to run  away, in fact, I left to run towards something big. Something important. It was a hunger to grow, a hunger to learn. Traveling as a minimalist taught me many things. Here are the 4 lessons that I will take with me as I continue down this journey of life. Lesson 1 in the Himalayas: the beauty of anti-ownership Ping! I get a me ..read more

Untitled I dream, I dream when I travel The journey, longer and longer the higher I desire Far, far away, above the cloudy storm Far, far away, below the never ending downpour A place wrenched out of my heart Branches to heaven and stairways to hell For seas are so blue, and the waves are so wild Let me flitter among the playful, let me rest among the warm Find me through a secret, find me loving the stars x (Sent from Pakistan) The post tj tree of life inspiration appeared first on sent you a postcard ..read more

Occasionally, your core is so violently shaken by some force that is so utterly powerful, you open your mouth and you do not know whether to scream, laugh or to weep. You open your eyes and you wonder why the floors are jagged like the rough currents on a stormy ocean, you wonder why the peripherals of your vision blur since you are concentrating, understanding, seeing everything but nothing all at once. You are seeing everything. From the scathing hot outlines erected against the afternoon sun, to the cool, laissez-faire meanderings escorted by the evening moon. You see the universe ..read more

I spent a few days at Auroville, a universally renown community among dreamers as “the commune that worked”, in other words, some sort of “utopia”. Definition: A commune is an intentional community of people living together, sharing common interests, often having common values and beliefs, as well as shared property, possessions, resources, and, in some communes, work, income or assets (Wikipedia) I’ve been growing my interest in “communes” – the concept of mutual support and co-existence / co-growth of a group of individuals who are different “in practice” (i.e. profession, interest ..read more

I’m obsessed with brutalist architecture. The clean lines and efficient build gives the structure a simple yet daring vibe. I love that it leaves so much room to grow life. Below is a collage of a building I shot in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. The images I used create the layers belong to their respective owners.   x (Sent form Phuket, Thailand) The post jp concrete inspiration appeared first on sent you a postcard ..read more

Go to Gokarna Going to Gokarna was a very last minute decision. I met up with my ex-coworker who was in town for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit when I was in Hyderabad. He has lived and traveled quite a bit across India. As we were talking about my travel plans, he took it upon himself to vet my itinerary and make sure I’m visiting the places where he thinks I’ll have a great time in. That’s when I learned about Gokarna. Gokarna is one of the 7 important pilgrimage centers. It’s on the western coast of Karnataka with a population of around 26,000 people. The small town is dedicated to Lord ..read more

I’m writing this piece, albeit a little shaken up, from a beautiful cafe / healing center in Southern Goa called The Space Goa. Space Goa is in the small town of unspoiled, white pristine beaches and colourful shacks called Palolem. from then till now: golden goa Throughout history, Goa was one of India’s main trading hubs till the Portuguese took rule in 1510. The Portuguese turned it into the Asia capital of their kingdom to control the spice trade. The Goan bazaars flourished – there’s a Portuguese proverb that even states “He who has seen Goa need not see Lisbon”. Golden Goa stayed pr ..read more

I spent 5 days in Hampi, an ancient city on the Tungabhadra river in Karnataka. Ask any Indian about Hampi and they’ll rave about the historical significance of the Vijaynagar Kingdom’s capital city. They’ll animatedly discuss how Hampi was once the most prosperous and largest medieval-era city, boasting of magnificent stone-carved temples and one of the world’s biggest trading centers; how Hampi survived multiple invasions and attacks before being tragically reduced to ruins in 1565 by five Deccan Sultans. The Indians will then enlighten you on the spiritual and mythological aspects of Hampi ..read more