Cutie Ooty

Last week I had the chance to leave the Princess of the Hill Stations for a weekend to meet its Queen. In my mind, I’d pictured a similar quaint little mountain village, perhaps also complete with a man-made lake and Mickey Mouse paddle boats. Unfortunately, I saw no lake, but I did get to see another Kodai. Well, something akin to Kodai as I stumbled upon Kodaikanal on steroids. In many ways, Ooty had the same charm as Kodai, along with quadruple the amount or tourists as well as purchasable amenities. It was kind of surreal seeing something so familiar and yet so different at the same time. After getting my fill of Western sweets at the import store, wandering around for a few hours (not possible in Kodai), and heading back down a mountain, across the plains, and back up mine, I still cannot decide which I prefer. Bustling city or quaint mountain life, how can one ever choose? Maybe I shall go meet the King!

Peace, Love, and Thailand

For reasons unbeknownst to me, Asia has been clumped into a region of consistencies. This stereotyping however could not be further from the truth. I mistakenly imagined Thailand to contain many similarities of India. Perhaps a little less Hindu and a little more beach but more or less consistently ‘South Asian’. Touts always giving you the “best price, madam”, animals in the street, English speakers all around, and an occasional temple to keep the spirituality alive. I could not have been more wrong.

Sifting your toes through the sand on an amazingly white beach may feel very similar anywhere you go. Yet, in Thailand, the view of the horizon on the glistening ocean is somehow different. I think this may have something to do with that fact that in Thailand, ocean equals life.

Sitting at a local dive (parking lot by day, street food restaurant by night), it is basically impossible to get even the local pad thai specialty prepared without the two most important ingredients: prawns and oyster sauce. Despite the Buddhism so uniquely integrated in everyone’s life, being Vegetarian excludes fish, as in Thailand, they are a necessity, along with rice and hot sauce.

Thinking back on Thailand, though, in a way does conjure up some familiarly Indian feelings. That is, just like after the first time I visited India, I felt completely overwhelmed by the unique beauty of this place. It’s these feelings that perhaps for me help connect the dots of what is ‘Asia’, ‘South Asia’, or whatever else you want to call it. For now I guess, let’s just say it’s a crazy wonderful place to be.

See more of Thailand here.