These Fleeting Days

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A fun and adventurous road trip in Ireland with Kids

Highlights from our 14 day road trip in Ireland

After our amazing road trips in Australia and Italy, the idea of exploring the beautiful Ireland tempted us to spend 2 weeks of our summer vacation here. The size of this country is incomparable to its vast beautiful landscapes, charming castles filled with ancient history, the beaches and the cozy villages along the coast.

As we were travelling with small kids, it was a great idea to do a road trip at our own pace and that gave us a freedom and flexibility to customize our adventure. We made sure that our itinerary also included many things for our kids to do as well!

This post contains the highlights of some of the beautiful places we visited from our road trip in Ireland. I will be sharing a detailed itinerary in the next posts.

Galway city

A wild and vibrant bohemian city situated along the Wild Atlantic Way, Galway is a popular seaside destination with long sandy beaches. Take a walk around the city center while exploring the colorful shop facades, the cafés, pubs and the restaurants. Eyre Square (‘An Fhaiche Mhór’ in Irish) in the heart of Galway City, officially known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Park is a popular tourist spot. The famous Lynch castle and the Spanish Arch positioned on the left bank of the Corrib River, are few of the Galway`s historical gems, dating back to pre-medieval times.

Connemara National Park

Situated in the West of Ireland in County Galway, Connemara National Park is one of
Ireland’s six National Parks and is part of Wild Atlantic way. It covers over 2,000 hectares of scenic mountains, grasslands and woodlands. There are many walking trails of varying distances and levels and some are accessible by strollers too. Neel (almost 5y old) walked all the way collecting sticks, flowers and stones. There are designated areas for picnics and a playground for young children.

Kylemore abbey, nestled in the heart of Connemara, on the Wild Atlantic Way is worth a visit too.

Aran Islands – Inishmore

We spent an entire day in Inishmore island (Inis Mór), the largest of the three Aran islands. We drove to Rossaveal port and took the ferry to Inishmore. There are many ways to explore the island but we chose to take a pony tour. Our guide was really good and stopped at many locations explaining about the landscape filled with limestone structures, centuries old Christian and Celtic sites and many other interesting facts about the island. From the Dún Aonghasa visitor center, we climbed the cliff to visit Dún Aonghasa, a breathtaking semi circular stone fort overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. These cliffs are not stroller friendly, so make sure to take a baby carrier along with you.

Cliffs of Moher

Situated on the Wild Atlantic Way on Ireland`s west coast are the stunning Cliffs of Moher. It is one of Ireland`s premier tourist attraction and a must see for many people visiting Ireland. We visited the cliffs on a rainy / foggy day and the cliffs were fully cloaked in fog. We thought we would be unlucky and would not get to see these magnificent cliffs. Luckily, the fog lifted and we were able to bask in the glory of one of the most outstanding coastal features of Ireland. There are many hikes you can do to experience the beautiful landscape. However, we took a walk from the visitor center to almost near Hags head (until the path became too narrow to take our stroller) and walked back to our car.

Ring of Kerry

Take a drive through one of Ireland’s most famous scenic routes Ring of Kerry. It is a beautiful circular loop around the Iveragh Peninsula, beginning and ending in Killarney. Unfortunately, due to heavy rain, we could not stop and spend the day in any of the scenic spots, but we were glad we decided to do this trip. The spectacular views of the lakes, mountains, the cozy little villages like Portmagee, Waterville and Sneem and the rugged coastline was all worth the trip! By the end of the route, we stopped at Muckross House in Killarney, a 19th century Victorian mansion set against the stunning beauty of Killarney National Park and took a tour of the house.

Some of the beautiful spots in Ring of Kerry

Cork

Though we did not get to visit all the beautiful places in Cork, we were able to cover atleast a few of them. Inchydoney and Warren beaches located 10-15min drive from Clonakilty are worth a visit. Though the water was too cold to swim, kids enjoyed collecting shells, snails and worms (the last 2 were Neel`s idea). Clonakilty is a charming market town in West Cork with beautiful history and heritage of its own. Fota Wildlife Park, a 100 acre wildlife park located on the scenic Fota Island is a unique place with lots of animals and birds with some of them (like wallabies and lemurs) roaming freely throughout the park. It is a great place to bring your kids and spend the day here. Cobh Harbour located in Cork is said to be the second largest natural harbour in the world and is best known for being the ‘last port of call’ to the ill-fated RMS Titanic.

Wicklow

Located south of Dublin, Wicklow Mountains National Park is the largest National Park in Ireland. There are many things you can see and do throughout the mountains. The Glendalough Valley is located in the National Park and has many attractions like its world famous Monastic Site and the scenic Upper lake which are accessible through stroller friendly trails, easy for the young kids to walk too. From here, we took a scenic drive through the mountains until Sally Gap and back to Wicklow not before stopping to enjoy the breathtaking view of Lough Tay. Powerscourt Estate, House and Gardens, another grand mansion with a lot of history has one of the most beautiful gardens in Ireland!

I will be posting a detailed itinerary of our trip soon giving you all the details of the places we visited, stayed and the things we did with our kids.

Save these ideas for your trip to Ireland with your kids next time.

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A family road trip in Tuscany – 7 days in our campervan

Since our last roadtrip in Australia in a campervan (read about it here), we were looking for another chance to do a similar roadtrip. When the lockdown measures were eased last year, we decided to take a week long trip to Tuscany.

Tuscany is one of the most beautiful regions and pretty much the most touristic part in Italy! One can experience beautiful countryside, historical hilltop villages, the vineyards offering rich local wine, scrumptious local food and much more.

Choosing our campervan

Rather than renting a campervan in Italy, we decided to rent one from Switzerland through this website. We found quite a good one for 4-people for a reasonable price and the owner was really helpful in giving us all the information. Some tips when you rent a campervan:

Buy a good guidebook to get all the information about the campsites. We got this one for our roadtrip. There is an app you can download too.
Make sure to take child seats (if you have small kids) with you.
Check the space available in the van and pack your luggage accordingly.
Usually the owners offer a lot of things in the van like utensils, bedsheets, blankets etc. Check before you take these things with you.
Make sure to survey the van completely before starting the trip and don’t hesitate to tell the owner if something is broken or not working properly.
The rates per night at the campsite may change according to the season, it is best advised to book the space in advance.
Some of the facilities like swimming pools or restaurants in certain campsites are usually unavailable during off season, so don`t be disappointed.

What to carry for the trip

As we were travelling with two small kids, we made sure to carry enough necessities but at the same time, we tried not to overpack.

Clothes: We took enough clothes for all of us. However, campsites usually have all the utilities including washing machines and we were able to wash and dry our clothes whenever we wanted.
Food: We had a kitchenette (Including utensils) in our van and made use of it quite a lot. Eating out with 2 kids is not always easy and fun so we tried to cook atleast one meal in the camper. Some items we took from home, like coffee machine, coffee powder, milk powder (For Nyra), pasta, rösti (hashbrown) and snacks. We bought the rest in Italy.
Care kit: Shampoo and soaps, medicines (Especially for the kids), sun-screen lotions for all of us.
Others: Proper hiking shoes, diapers & wet wipes (not too many as we could easily buy them in the stores in Italy), garbage bags, Stroller, baby carrier, chargers and my kindle.

Planning our route

I had an extensive itinerary planned for the trip. In the end, we skipped some sights as the roads were either too narrow for our campervan or we could not find any parking spots. In the end, our itinerary looked like this. Make sure to reserve the camping spots in advance. It could either be full during peak times or closed during other times.

Places we visited on our road trip

Genoa

After a 6h drive from home and a 2h waiting time near the Italian border, we finally reached our first stop, Genoa. We made the mistake of not booking any camping space in advance and we had to search for one for quite sometime. Luckily, we found a spot in Camping Genova est. After a delicious meal at the restaurant inside the campsite for dinner, we rested for the night.

About Campsite: The campsite is a bit outside the city and located on top of the hills. So be careful when you drive with a big motorhome. There is a restaurant offering authentic Italian food. The view of the Italian riviera from here is amazing. It has clean basic facilities like toilets, showers and washing machines.

Livorno

From Genoa, we drove towards Livorno. The drive took us through the most beautiful scenic route of Italian riviera filled with colorful houses, turquoise sea and cute little villages all along. We reached our campsite Camping Tripesce by lunchtime. After we got settled in our camping spot, and ate lunch at the camp restaurant, we spent sometime on the beach next to the campsite. In the evening, we took a walk to the city, found a cafe and enjoyed gelato and coffee. We cooked burger for dinner in the kitchenette in our campervan.

About Campsite: The campsite is located right next to the beach and this makes the location quite unique. A bar and a restaurant offers wide variety of foods. The campsite runs a supermarket with fresh vegetables, fruits and all kinds of Tuscan products. A playarea and a mini golf area keep the young guests happy and busy. Clean amenities like toilets, showers and washing sinks are available in plenty.

Siena

Next day we drove to Siena. After getting settled in our campsite Camping Siena Colleverde, we took a bus to the city center. Siena is one of the highlights of Tuscany and the historic old town is one of the most beautiful spots in Italy. The old brick houses, the curved medieval alleys and the historic churches attract visitors from all over the world. The centre of the city is dominated by a large, shell-shaped square called the Piazza del Campo. We wandered around, browsing through shops selling local food, wine and other Tuscan products. After having lunch at this local restaurant (one of the best restaurants we found this time), we drove back to our campsite . Dinner was local foccacia bread with olives and cheese we bought in the city center.

About Campsite: The campsite is well located. Buses stop regularly at the bus stop right next to the campsite and you can visit the city center quite easily. Toilets, showers and washing sinks are clean. There is a swimming pool open during summer, a restaurant and a supermarket offering wide range of food. There is also a playground for the kids.

On our second day in Siena, we decided to try out an Agriturismo. These are farms/ camping grounds and are usually privately owned. We chose to stay at Agriturismo Podernuovo. After taking a short hike to a nearby river, we spent the rest of the day exploring the campsite. We cooked pasta for dinner and ordered freshly baked biscuits, rolls and foccacia for breakfast next day from our owners.

About Campsite: Located on the hills amidst green vegetation and fields, the campsite offers the best view of Crete Senesi. On the grounds of the farm there are many quiet spots where you can sit and relax. The farm has clean toilets and washing areas. You can buy local products like jams, wines, cheese, olive oil and breads from the farm owners. Kids can pet the farm animals.

Volterra

Fans of the movie series “Twilight” may recognize the place “Volterra”, where the fictitious vampire royalty the Volturi reside. The place inspired much of the movie series, even though the scenes in the movies that were set in Volterra were filmed in a different part of Italy. Volterra is a beautiful hilltop town with history that dates back from before the 8th century BC. We wandered around for few hours just exploring Volterra’s winding cobbled streets filled with Roman, Etruscan and Medieval structures before eating lunch here. We bought lots of local meat (for mike), fresh olives and breads to eat for dinner.

Cinque Terra

The next day we drove to Deiva Marina and stopped at our next campsite Camping Valdeiva. After we cooked and ate pasta for lunch, we took a train to Vernazza. Our camp offered shuttle service to train station every half hour. Among the 5 villages of the Cinque Terre, Vernazza is supposed to be the most beautiful, best known and most visited of all. Vernazza is the perfect starting point for hikes along the Blue Trail connecting Vernazza with Monterosso and Corniglia. We spent the rest of the day walking around the cobbled streets of Vernazza.

About Campsite: The campsite is located few minutes away from the famous Cinque Terre. It has quite a lot of facilities like swimming pool, playgrounds and restaurants. Clean toilets, showers and washing sinks are available too.

We drove back towards home the next day, not before stopping one last night at Sonogno in Switzerland. Located in Locarno (canton of Ticino), with plenty of stone houses and typical alleys, Sonogno is the last village of the Verzasca Valley. We parked at the general camper parking area for the night.

Hope our short family trip inspires you and gives you enough information for your next trip in Tuscany.

Cheers!

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Travelling solo with small kids

It can be quite daunting to travel with small kids. But when you are all alone with a baby and a toddler or a young child, things can get even more challenging. My first solo trip with Neel was to Dubai. Though I was quite nervous to travel alone with a 6month old, things went quite smoothly. The flight was on time, we got the best seats and the flight attendants were really helpful. Since then, I have been travelling with Neel alone on day trips, with a friend and her kids on weekend trips and more Internationally to India and Dubai.

With the birth of my daughter Nyra, my urge to travel alone has thankfully not dimmed, infact I have already made some weekend trips in Switzerland and have flown to India and Dubai. Based on my experience, I have highlighted some tips for travelling alone with small kids and I hope some of these tips really help you have a peaceful and yet a fun-filled vacation.

Start Small with day trips

If you are really nervous to travel alone with young kids, try taking day trips alone. Pack for the day and visit a city nearby or go for a hike. By the end of the day, you will be more comfortable travelling with kids and you can even estimate how many clothes or diapers, and milk you may need to carry (for babies) and snacks and food for the young kids.

Take weekend trips with friends

When you are comfortable travelling alone with kids on day trips, try going with a friend and their kids on weekend trips. The best part here is that you get to parent alongside someone else so you don’t really feel alone and you get to have lots of fun too.

Prepare an itinerary

Whether you are going to stay in one place or planning to visit different places during your trip, prepare a detailed itinerary. I still remember the old times when Mike and I used to plan everything spontaneously on our vacation. Unfortunately, when you’re alone with young children you have to have a plan. When the baby is crying and the toddler is whining, it’s hard to think straight much less formulate a plan. As the kids get older or you get more confident, you can start doing things more spontaneously. There are several downloadable Family travel planner online you can use for all the planning.

Take it slow

Try to schedule all the activities during the day and take it easy in the evening. You will not get to enjoy anything if kids are overtired and cranky.

Book a Hotel Apartment or Airbnb

Look for accommodation like hotel apartment or an Airbnb which usually includes all the facilities required for a family including changing tables, highchair, kitchen to cook food and large space for the kids to play.

Pack smartly

When you are travelling alone with small children, you tend to forget many things while packing. I recommend using a Packing list for such cases. I have been using this Packing list from Flying Tigers for the past few years.

Carry a comfortable backpack with lots of compartments. You will most probably carry it for a long time during your trip and you don`t want to kill your back (especially if you have to carry your little one too).
Try not to overpack with things you can actually buy at your destination. I always pack diapers, wetwipes and things I need for the baby for the first few nights. I buy for the rest of the vacation at the place I am visiting. It saves a lot of space in your luggage and you can travel light.
Travel with a stroller where you can also hang your backpack (so you don`t have to carry it all the time).
Make sure that everything you need is at your reach. I organize all the things I need in separate ziplock bags. I pack toys, books, snacks and extra clothes for us in different bags. This way things are easily accessible when you really need them.
Use a small pouch as a diaper bag with very few diapers and wetwipes (And store the rest in your backpack). This way you don`t need to take out the whole backpack to change your little ones especially when you are in the flight.

Prepare for the travel

If you are flying, some of these tips may come in handy:

When you need to use the restroom, try using the Accessible toilets at the airport. These restrooms are usually really spacious and can fit your stroller, bags, and kids with ease. They also have changing tables.
Look for a children`s play area at the airport. Let your kids release all the energy before the flight so that they get to rest while flying.
Make sure to pack lots of snacks, milk and other foods which your kids love.
Try taking as many small toys as you can.
Download songs/ movies that your kids love and play them when things get really hard. (If there is no inflight entertainment).
Make sure that you have all the documents required for the travel and easily reachable (if you are carrying them in your backpack).
If available, try booking a night flight as the kids will be asleep for most of the flight.
Don`t hesitate to book a porter to carry your bags at the airport.

Ask for Help or Accept help!

Things went quite awry this time when I flew back from India. The flight was delayed, Nyra`s diaper exploded and everything including my pant was wet, Nyra was crying (screaming) constantly before the flight and nothing could soothe her. I was quite overwhelmed. But a really nice lady offered to help me carry my stuff while I tried to calm Nyra down. I was so grateful for this kind lady who stepped forward to help me.

Don`t forget about yourself

Make sure you have comfortable clothes that fit well so you’re not worried about adjusting your clothes all day. Download your favorite books if you are carrying kindle.

It`s all worth it

Though we love travelling as a family, sometimes I have to travel alone especially if Mike is busy with his work. My zeal for travelling has also given me great strength in travelling solo with my kids. Even though it can be overwhelming and things are definitely going to go wrong, I am happy to know that I can travel anywhere with my two kids and I hope that some of my tips will also give you the confidence to travel alone with your little ones.

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Steal like an Artist – A Book Review

This bestseller has 10 ideas to unlock your creativity and sustain it.

It comes highly recommended by some of my favorite bloggers and YouTubers.

I really want to get better at writing, and I’m hoping to get published someday. On this quest, I’m trying to read books and attend classes that help, motivate and push me towards my goal of becoming a Writer. Through my reviews, My hope is to help you, reader, decide whether to actually buy the book for yourself or to simply learn the lessons I gleaned from the books, as some of these non-fiction books are pretty expensive.

Coming to the book….

The first idea is to “Steal like an Artist”.

The author, Austin Kleon, says, no art is original, but if someone calls a work “Original”, it just means that this person doesn’t know the reference material from which it originates. Isn’t that freeing? How often do we listen to our inner critic( and sometimes external ones too) who shames us for not doing something “different”?! We make art by copying what our idols do, repeating and then over a period of time develop our own style. He suggests we collect good ideas, from people we admire, from the books we read, the art we enjoy and sift through them, see them through new eyes and use them in unique ways. He quotes the French Writer, Andre Gide, as saying, “Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But, since no one was listening, everything must be said again”

I always believed we had to write what we knew, but then, he says, if we did just that, our work becomes dull and boring. If I began writing about my everyday mommy and teacher life, I’m sure I’d bore you to Unfollow! His words- “Draw the art you want to see, start the business you want to run, play the music you want to hear, write the books you want to read, build the products you want to use- do the work you want to see done.”, struck a chord with me.

He suggests we get our hands “dirty”- to use all our senses for our next project and not just clack away at the keyboard. The solution to get our creative juices flowing is by making stuff with our hands and allowing ourselves to get bored. Taking long walks, doing menial work- like laundry, the dishes, ironing (which I do plenty of) surely helps in getting our sluggish creative wheels turning, he says. Sadly, my phone doesn’t allow me to get bored!

He emphasizes the importance of holding onto your daily job, especially “if it pays decently, doesn’t make you vomit, and leaves you with enough energy to make things in your spare time”. A day job gives you a routine. And routine is highly important for creativity. Doing the work everyday helps you stay in the groove. If you get out of the groove, your work loses its flow…. like mine, right now, wonder what you’re thinking about my rambling!

The only route to success is by doing your work on a daily basis. And that requires time and energy, which are in short supply. He asks us not to waste it on other stuff.

And it is true that when you do something over a long period, you build a collection. Some days you don’t do your best work, but in the long run, you would have amassed enough material to publish your next book or create a portfolio. To maintain this daily, I love Jerry Seinfeld’s Calendar method. Apparently, the comedian uses a big wall calendar that shows the whole year and he crosses every day that he accomplishes his joke writing quota. And then he tries not to break the chain. I’m definitely going to try this method for my daily writing.

I wish I’d read this book in my 20s. Now I know most of these lessons, but since I haven’t implemented some of them yet, it is always a good reminder to read such books. See… it goes to show that everything that needs to be said has already been said, yet it needs to be said over and over again, in fun and innovative ways.

This book is an easy-breezy read. I wish it wasn’t as expensive as it was though.

-Manasa.

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Some tips to keep kids engaged while working from home

As a working mom of 2 (a pre-schooler and a baby), I have a lot on my plate right now. Here are some of the things I do to not lose my sanity, while also getting a lot accomplished and spending quality time with my kiddos (as much and as often as possible) .

You can read about the things we did when my firstborn, Neel, was just 9 months old here.

Working from home is no easy feat; Here is how I make it work for our family:

– I start my work earlier than the kids’ wake-up time. Waking up early gives me time to answer emails and finish up any pending work. There are days when the kids wake up at the same time as I do and then decide not to go back to sleep; During such times I just let them play with the toys lying around. No noise is allowed during this time.

– I take a break for preparing breakfast, feeding and cleaning. Once we are done, we move to the “playroom”. This calls for independent play. Though the kids play by themselves, or with each other, I still sit on the couch placed in this room and work while keeping an eye on the little ones.

– While Nyra is usually happy if Neel is around and plays with all the toys, Neel however gets bored quite easily. During such times, I let him do some pre-school activities (safe around the baby as she wants to grab everything around her). Here are some of them –

Making alphabets/ numbers out of stickers (Neel came up with this idea)

Making alphabets/ numbers out of lego

Drawing/ painting
Tracing alphabets/ numbers. You can find lot of free printables online. The one in the picture is from this book gifted by Manasa.

If the weather is nice, we stay outside. While I work, the kids run and crawl about in our yard.

– After lunch, Neel is allowed a few minutes of TV time while Nyra takes her nap.

I usually finish working in the afternoon. I start early so I can finish up early and spend the rest of the day with the kids (I have the flexibility to pick the time-frame in which I like to work)

Some tips to make life easier while working with kids around:

Prepare your meals in advance. I cook all the meals for us and Nyra during the weekend. This saves all the time used for meal preparation. Freezing meals, veggies or purees (for Nyra) also saves a lot of time.
Prepare all activities for kids in advance. I have arranged the things required for the activities in different boxes.
Always make sure to let your kids try only 1 activity at a time so that they don`t get bored easily.
Make sure to have meetings / calls when the kids are really busy or taking naps. I do a messy activity with kids like painting and let them sit in one place and not move. And while they are engrossed in the activity, I can walk away to take calls.
Encourage kids to play together (even if there is an age difference). It is always fun to work or play if they have company.

I hope this list gives you some ideas on how you can manage work and kids at home. Please share your thoughts and ideas too.

-Madhurya

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Baumwipfelpfad Neckertal

Toggenburg is located in the eastern part of Switzerland in canton St. Gallen. It lies between the mighty Säntis massif and the peaks of the seven Churfirsten mountains, where the Thur and Necker rivers take their course. One of the most beautiful regions in Switzerland, Toggenburg is composed of many villages like Wildhaus, Unterwasser, Alt St. Johann, which are famous tourist spots. In winter, there are many ski slopes in the region and in summer, there are several interesting panoramic views and themed hiking routes that wind through impressive mountain landscape.

Baumwipfelpfad Neckertal, the first treetop path opened in Switzerland, is located in Mogelsberg, a village in the Toggenburg region. The 500-metre path offers a unique experience of the local forest.

I drove my kids from our home in Dachsen and an hour later I was able to find this place quite easily. From the parking lot it is a few meters uphill walk to the hiking area.

First we walked around the treetop path. There is a lot to learn on this path. There are almost 40 stops/ stations that give a lot of information on the flora, fauna and the settlements in the region. From the viewing platform which is around 50 metres from the ground, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the entire Neckertal valley.

It is a very good place for kids to learn about the different trees, animals, birds and local people that inhabit this area. When we visited, there was a huge group of kids on their class trip; It was so nice to watch them discuss everything with their teachers.

Below the treetop path, there is a play area for kids and a forest adventure trail which is almost 650m long. After we came down, we walked around the forest trail. There are more interesting and fun stations on the forest trail too. Neel enjoyed the walk looking for different kinds of mushrooms.

I packed some lunch with us and after we ate them, I let Neel play for a while in the play-area. It consists of a zipline, balancing ropes, swings all made of wood and natural materials.

Everything looked so natural!

Before we headed back home, we ate some ice cream in the picnic tables set up, while enjoying the views of the region.

Some more information about this area:

Day ticket costs CHF 15 for adults (16years and above) and CHF 8 for children (6 – 15 years) and free for kids younger than 6.
There are many package deals available, find out about them here.
There is a small self-service bistro, where you can grab light snacks and drinks.
All around the park (including the treetop path), there are seating arrangements to sit and just soak in the beauty.
There are designated bbq areas and picnic tables
The whole facility is stroller- and wheelchair-friendly
There is wheelchair-friendly parking right outside the park
There is a huge parking facility just 15 min from the park at Parkplatz Sportzentrum.

Here are a few tips:

Make sure your stoller can handle the forest path.
As the bistro has very limited options to eat, make sure to take lunch from home. There are many picnic tables to sit and enjoy.
Our picnic lunch usually consists of sliced carrots, sliced cucumbers, sandwiches and fruits
It usually tends to get crowded on weekends so try to get there early
We spent almost 4 hours inside the area. You can explore the nearby villages or hike around.

I will surely bring the kids and Mike next time when the kids are a bit older and are able to better understand the natural habitat that we call home.

– Madhurya

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A touch of Romance, A dab of Mystery and then some more- Books we have read in 2021

This is a round-up of some of the books we’ve read in 2021 so far.

If you’re new here, you need to know that we are big on Reading! 2020 was a great year for reading for both of us. All that time that was freshly open in front of us led us to devour quite a number of books. We even surpassed the limit we set for our Reading Challenges on Goodreads!

Comparatively, 2021 has been a slow year, but it isn’t over yet.

Here are some of the books we read so far-

Summer of Love – Katie Fforde –

This book is about a young woman who moves into a small town far from the bustle of London City with her son and befriends a charming older woman. Their lives are about to change. Something unexpected happens here – Sparks are about to fly (or re-kindled?). It is a sweet Romantic story that can feel a bit too long at times, but it satisfied my love for a story set in a tiny neighborhood where people have all the time for one another and most matters are solved over a cup of tea, a slice of rich home-made cake or a glass of bubbly champagne. I’ve read a few other books written by the same author and feel tickled by the kind of professions she comes up for her main leads- here, Sian Bishop is a painter of furniture- and the description of her work was enough to compel me to finish the book.

2. Pollyanna – Eleanor H. Porter

My sister and I read this book as part of our “Read a Children’s book a month” challenge we have set for ourselves. It is about a girl named “Pollyanna”, who is sent to live with her aunt after her father, a Minister at a church, dies. This book is about the transformation she brings to some of the most morose characters in her new hometown by playing a game called “The Game of Gladness”. A game taught by her father, it is all about finding something to be glad about, in every circumstance. Isn’t that wise, relevant? I will be picking this up for a comfort-read again.

3. The Jane Austen Society – Natalie Jenner

The name “Jane Austen” was enough for me to snag this book when it was on sale on Amazon. It is about an unlikely camaraderie between a host of characters, including a famous actress and an employee at Sotheby’s, who come together to form a club called The Jane Austen Society, to save the famous author’s estate and her library. I loved the references to Jane Austen’s books I adore.

4. Beach Read – Emily Henry

A much-hyped book which I felt like I’d read even before I picked it up, Beach Read is about 2 people, writers, on a beach retreat, trying to get over their writer’s block and deal with other stuff life has thrown at them. I wanted to dive right in to see how a writer works through her writer-y cobwebs and have a good piece of writing published, but all I got was a slow – burn romance that felt tooooo slow at times (if you know what I mean), a lot of thinking and not much happening. It was as if all the action was happening inside the characters’ heads than on the paper. Frankly, I saw a lot of potential in this book, that got wasted!

5. Daddy long legs – Jean Webster

Another short and sweet story along the lines of Pollyanna, this is an epistolary novel, which means it is written in the form of letters, from an orphan girl named Jerusha, to her anonymous adoptive guardian. She simply calls him “Daddy long legs” and her letters are witty and honest and one-sided (She doesn’t get a reply back!). They are so full of the angst and naivete of growing up; I made my 11 year old read it too and she loved it! I will be picking this book up again and again.

6. The Uncommon Reader- Alan Bennett

A quick charming read that came into my life at the time when I was totally obsessed with the show The Crown on Netflix. So, the Uncommon Reader here is HRH Queen Elizabeth herself! A chance encounter with a traveling book library leads to a transformation in the Queen, who becomes an obsessive Reader of all kinds of books to the point that she begins to neglect some of her duties. This is all fiction of course, but it makes for such a delightful read. If you are a lover of books and reading, you have GOTTA PICK THIS UP!

7. Well Met – Jen DeLuca

A Romance set in a small town (What’s with the small town theme going??!?!) between 2 people who have a lot of emotional baggage to sort through… And all of this happening amidst the annual Renaissance Fair that the town hosts every year. I loved the chemistry between the main characters and the love and care for family that is portrayed in this book. Also I loved the behind-the-scenes of organizing a big event like a fair. It reminded me of my own college days when Fests were such a big deal!

And then, some by Madhurya-

8. All the devils are here – Louise Penny

I have read all of Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache series. Murder musteries are my genre. I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes. I have read every one of their books. I was a bit skeptical to try any other book from this genre. But was glad when Manasa suggested Louise Penny’s books. Once I started the first of the series, I couldn’t stop reading them. So you can imagine how heartbroken I was when I got to the end of this book which is the last in the series. Louise Penny’s books are not just about solving murders, they dig deep into the soul of the characters to find answers. Almost all of Inspector Gamache series take place in an idyllic small town in Canada called Three Pines, except for this one which takes place in Paris. The family gets together for dinner with Armand Gamache’s Godfather, Stephen. Walking home together after the meal, Stephen is knocked down and critically injured and the whole family gets caught up in lies and deceit. Relationships are questioned. Who can they trust? Will they be able to find the bad guys?? In this book, the whole family works together to get to the bottom of this! Very well written!!

9. Ahead of the game – J.D. Kirk

J.D. Kirk’s DCI Jack Logan series is another of my favorite set of books I’ve been reading so far. I love DCI Jack Logan. His big build, his brash Scottish “I dont give a f***” attitude for almost everything except for finding the murderer is quite endearing! Everyone other than his team (who he really cares about) either fears him or hates him. J.D.Kirk’ s books can be really disturbing with descriptions. In this book a body is discovered at a popular Highland landmark. What it uncovers can leave you chilling! I totally enjoyed it.

10. An Isolated incident – J.D. Kirk

Another book from J.D.Kirk, a violent home invasion in the remote wilds of Glen Coe, leaves a family of four dead including 2 kids. The plot was really good. However, in between the story, the focus turned to 2 of the DCs working with Jack Logan. Though I loved how the story had lots of twists and turns, I was disappointed with the ending.

I hope you enjoyed the round-up of some of the books we’ve read so far. Do you have any recommendations for us? Let us know…

-Manasa & Madhurya

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Summer in Switzerland- Things we do as a Family

Summer is the best time in Switzerland. After the freezing cold days of Winter and rains in April/ May, people eagerly wait for summer to begin which is usually in the month of June. All the ski stuff, winter jackets, wraps and cardigans are put inside the closets and the summer shorts, floral dresses and swimsuits are taken out. As the number of sunny days are short here and intermittently composed of rain, we take every sunny day very seriously and make sure to enjoy every bit of it.

Usually our summer days are filled with:

Taking long walks around our neighborhood

Our house is surrounded by a lot of vegetable farms, berry fields, vineyards and forests. There are designated stroller-friendly paths for the public to take walks or cycle around. This is one of the best ways to let kids witness how the farmers grow the vegetation and the tools and equipment they use.

Hiking the mountains

You get to enjoy the real beauty of Switzerland when you explore it on foot. There are many mountains and trails to hike in Switzerland. We always look for child-friendly hikes which can be easily done by kids.

Biking

Thanks to my e-bike, I am able to bike around a lot with my kids in tow. Switzerland is one of those countries with really good biking paths. Read about some biking trips we made in the past here.

Swimming in the lake

Switzerland is home to over 1500 stunning lakes. On a sunny day, you can find lots of people sunbathing on the lakeshore or swimming in the lakes or in Neel’s case, finding special stones and throwing them into the water!

Boating

When Mike is not working and we know that it is going to be hot and nice, we spend the day on the boat. When I was pregnant with Nyra and was nauseous and couldn’t go boating, Mike would take Neel with him and they would spend the whole day together. Now Neel knows where everything is on the boat and he is the co-captain!

Pool parties at home

Get an inflatable pool, fill it with water and kids are happy no matter what age. When my friends bring their kids, I prepare some lemonade and snacks and we all get to enjoy a pool party at home.

Berry picking

A lot of berry-field owners in Switzerland keep their fields open for the public to pick and buy the berries during summer. You can pick strawberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, gooseberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Picking berries with kids is fun and a lot cheaper than buying them in the supermarket.

Make homemade popsicles

With all the berries we pick and the produce from our local farm, we make delicious popsicles at home. So good to relish when it’s so hot!!

Bbq with friends

On sunny days, we mostly bbq at home. This is also a fun way to spend time with friends!

With less time in the kitchen and more fun outside, it is the best way to enjoy summer with your loved ones!!

This is how we make the most of our limited sunny days. How about you? Do you have any suggestion? We would love to know!

– Madhurya.

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Celebrating America in India- July 4th Thoughts and Activities with kids.

This blog began its journey in a quiet city called Tucson in Arizona, known for its majestic Saguaro Cacti and dramatic Sunsets. I lived there for 5 years, my husband even longer. Life as a newly married woman and then as a young mom, in a different culture was hard. I had no job, my friends lived far and we met them only on weekends; My family lived even farther. There was nowhere I could run to when things got crazy, and boy did we go through some crazy stuff! But bit by bit, day by day, I ventured out into the unknown, got my Driver’s license, got lost a few times and found myself again. My friends who are still close to my heart, helped me navigate the unknown roads.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

While living in the US, I learnt as much as I could, whenever I could about everything I fancied. I enrolled myself in a Community College and took classes on Sociology, Psychology and what not! I learnt to respect personal space- physical as well as emotional. I began to believe in the power of physical exercise. I learnt to drive and not wait to be driven; cook with the freshest of ingredients available at the local farmer’s market; appreciate and protect natural beauty. I learnt to give of myself to causes I strongly believed in, as I volunteered at the local library, for an organization called Junior Achievement of Arizona and at a Seed Conservation Center called the Native Seeds Search.

US has played a big part in our lives. We spent some of our best years there. Part of me yearns to be back, especially when I look at the pictures of our road trips and remember our walks to Starbucks or breakfast at Nico’s or shopping at Trader Joe’s. And maybe we will go there someday, who knows?!

Just like how I nurtured a love for India and all things Indian in my daughter when we lived in the US, by celebrating all the festivals, reading books about our culture and taking her to Prayer Classes, We want to ignite and keep the patriotic flame going for my kids, who were born in the USA. I want them to learn as much as they can about the place where they are from and where they belong (Not sure which one’s which at this point!). So we decided to start our own July 4th tradition celebrating America.

I drove myself crazy figuring out all the activities I could do with the kids. I bought books they can read by themselves or to be read by me. I downloaded free worksheets related to American Independence, came up with lists of songs to listen to and movies to watch. We watched YouTube videos of History lessons for kids. I even compiled a list of shows they can watch as part of their American History “Lessons”. Even though it was quite exhausting not being offered a syllabus on platter, it was totally awesome coming up with my own.

Books we read, worksheets we had fun doing…

Learning about American Independence and drawing parallels between American and Indian struggles for Freedom, discussing topics like how Boston Tea Party vaguely resembles the Salt Satyagraha movement in India, were some of the many things we did as part of our July 4th American Independence Day Celebration. The conversation has only just begun and we have a long long way to go.

On the 4th of July we had hot dogs (we followed this recipe and it turned out great!), watched Hollywood favorites, listened to folksy country music and danced to songs like Katy Perry’s “Firework“, Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the USA“! It was a Party in India… 🙂

This exercise gave us an excuse to learn something new and it made an otherwise mundane weekend very special.

Watching a quintessential American explorer “Indiana Jones” movie

I hope this post inspires you to dive deep into anything that fascinates you and your children. This World is full of stories and magic waiting to be discovered. And who better to unlock these hidden gems with than our kiddos?! You only need to scratch the surface along with them, they will lead the way with their curiosity and excitement.

Books we read – Who was Alexander Hamilton?, Magic Tree House – Revolutionary War on Wednesday.

Downloaded worksheets from Education.com

Got ideas for Songs, Shows and Movies from healthyhappyimpactful.com

Watched Videos on Kids Academy.

Learnt so much from kidskonnect.com

LOVE

-Manasa

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ANDAMAN- Hotel Ixzire and Jarawa Tribe

When you still can’t travel, you think about the beautiful places you’ve visited in the past. It is almost as good as traveling!

All that Snorkeling and beautiful encounters with the Coral Reef and marine life at Elephant Beach had us itching to learn more about the Andaman & Nicobar group of Islands. We made our way to Samudrika Naval Marine Museum in Port Blair. We Learnt so much even as we sweated away in the tiny museum run by the Indian Navy.

Many people think that corals are lifeless rocks but they are stony skeletons secreted by marine polyps. These polyps are tiny animals. A close look at a dead bleached coral piece will reveal its porousness. Millions of pores are found in a small piece of coral. Each ‘pore’ was the home for a ‘polyp’. The living part of a coral is a thin layer on the outside of the colony. The coral animals can withdraw into the skeleton when they are attacked or when they are just resting. Polyps emerge and extend their tentacles to extract calcium from sea water to build their communal Coral Reef structure, and to capture food delivered by marine currents.
– Naval Marine Museum

A Ferry ride took us to our next stop – the Ixzire Resort on Bamboo Flat Island. The name is an amalgamation of the airport code IXZ (Veer Savarkar International Airport) and the word ‘Desire’. This hotel had good reviews, but at first I was quite skeptical- The campus looked small and I couldn’t see other guests! It was under renovation and they were running short on time as monsoon was fast approaching. Now the website shows the extra features that have been added since our visit 3 years ago.

The cottages were clean and the lobby was quite magical with fairy lights hung all around. We spent most of our time there- reading, writing, watching TV, munching on snacks or talking to the proprietor, Mr. Bibhas Das.

To me, one of the best parts of traveling is meeting new people and hearing their stories. Mr. Bibhas Das remains one of the most interesting characters I’ve encountered in my trips so far. He regaled us with stories about the place, a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other. When he bought the property in 2007 it was a thick jungle, he said. He even had the road installed. It was evident from our conversation that he’s in LOVE with India and traveling. I loved his passion and his laidback attitude. He looked like one of the workers there and not as someone who had traveled all over the World! He gave us lots of tips about what places to visit and how. He told us not to pay heed to people who advised us against travel to places like Kargil and Kashmir. All the fight happened near the borders, but in the middle of those places, life was as normal as can be, he said.

“Someone who says India isn’t a good place has never traveled its length and breadth or set foot outside his comfort zone!”

-Bibhas Das

He compared life to a video game -“Just play the game, whatever game you wish to, and then move on… ”

Deep!

His crew seemed to be working efficiently. Our driver was a quiet gentleman. Our waiter was an omnipresent workaholic. The guard dog, a Rottweiler, Gushtu (naughty in Bengali), was so ferocious, he wouldn’t let anybody enter the premises, strangers or wildlife. Piku & Chiku, 2 puppies, were a cute addition to the Ixzire family. The woman at the reception- a fluent, friendly Bengali hostess was Mr. Bibhas’s wife.

A native tribe still living in the jungle without the amenities we take for granted?

Hard to believe right?

We were on a quest to see the Jarawa Tribe of Andaman.

We woke up early to reach the convoy that began at Jirkatang Checkpost. We had a lot of time to kill there- We had some breakfast, visited a temple nearby and walked around. We counted about 86 cars/vans as part of the convoy; More must have joined later. At about 9, the whole convoy made its way into the Reserve. It was a long drive through dense forest. It was like going on a safari. We spotted a bunch of tribal people, all dark with tight curly hair, a band worn around their heads, white paint/powder smeared on their faces. They had Western clothes on and seemed boisterous. Apparently they’ve learnt a bit of Hindi to survive in the modern World. We saw some of their huts too. Photography was strictly prohibited. We kept on moving. It was weird! Wonder how they felt about being gawked at. There were forest officers to protect the tribal people.

And then we all stopped at a point, took a ferry to Baratang Island. A motorboat sped us off to the site of Limestone caves. The heat was killing us. We walked through mangrove forest, the journey was full of climbs and descents. We have seen many limestone caves but this one had its own appeal.

Later, we piled into the motorboat and made our way back to Baratang port where we ate lunch of rice with vegetables at a local eatery. Even the kids cleaned up their plates. We were so hungry! After the ferry ride we had to wait for an hour or so for the convoy to leave at 3 pm together.

We met more Jarawa men and women on our way back. I wish the car would slow, and I could put my window down and pay more attention to them, but it was not allowed!

Our last stop at the Mount Harriet National Park before heading home was a pleasant end to what was and still is an unforgettable trip to the Andaman Islands!

-Manasa

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A Weekend in Flims

Not more than 2 hours from my home in Dachsen is the beautiful holiday destination of Flims. Tucked in the Canton of Grabunden, this place offers the perfect getaway for hiking, biking, swimming or other child-friendly activities.

We visited this place and had a fabulous time before the kids were born. You can read all about it here. In late August last year, I revisited Flims with my Mother-in-law, my son Neel, and my nephew. As I was quite pregnant and nauseous with my second child, and we were accompanied by 2 toddlers, we decided to take it easy on this trip. I wasn’t expecting to have all the fun that we did!

We visited the picturesque Caumasee lake first. This lake is rightfully named the “Jewel of Flims”. There have been many changes since we last visited here. Ticket prices are different now; There is a playground with lots of activities for kids and better arrangement to sit comfortably and enjoy the stunning views of the turquoise waters.

Kids had a great time swimming in the lake and running about in the playground. We ate pasta and fries for lunch in the restaurant beside the lake.

You can find all the information about Caumasee including the ticket prices here.

Then We drove from the lake to Rhine Gorge (Ruinaulta), known as the Swiss Grand Canyon. The Gorge looked even better from the Islabord viewing platform.

Rhine Gorge view from Islabord viewing platform

We checked into our airbnb apartment before heading out to have dinner at a small Turkish/pizza restaurant nearby.

The apartment I booked was just perfect. We found it amazing that:

It was centrally located.
There was a shopping mall a few meters from the apartment with a supermarket in case we needed to buy foodstuff (which we did).
There were lots of restaurants nearby.

For breakfast next day, I bought fresh gipfeli (Swiss version of croissants) from the nearby cafe and we ate them in our airbnb before getting ready for our next outing.

Our first stop for the day was Crestasee. It was almost drizzling when we reached the parking lot. From there it was a 30 min walk to the lake. It was almost empty when we reached and we could enjoy the view and let the kids play about.

We left before the crowd started trickling in. You can find all the information about Crestasee including the ticket prices here.

We then drove to Laaxersee, located in the village of Laax (around 10 min drive from Flims).

A walk and some play later, we were ready for lunch. We had a delicious bowl of carrot soup and bread (I was happy to find something that didn’t make me nauseous!) and the kids ate Älplermagronen (Swiss Alpine Macaroni and Cheese) in Ustria Lags by the lake.

We were so lucky to find this amazing place to spend a quiet evening as it was raining heavily. There was no entry ticket but we had to buy a drink or snack. While the kids played, we relaxed and enjoyed our coffee. For dinner, we cooked pasta in our bnb and watched The Parent trap on Netflix before going to bed.

After our breakfast of more gipfelis, we drove back home as I was too tired to do any more sight-seeing. I made a pact to visit this beauty again with both my kiddos.

Total price for our airbnb was Approx. CHF 400 for 2 nights. Check out other options too.

Do note these points before you visit Flims

Make sure to download the INSIDE LAAX app. It gives all the information on Flims and Laax. With this app, you can book the tickets to the lakes easily and avoid long queues. We got guest cards from our airbnb host using which we got discounts on the entry tickets.
Even though it was summer, it rained continuously for 2 days. We were prepared with raincoats and other wet gear. So make sure to check the weather before visiting (this applies to all places in Switzerland!)
Reserve your hotels/bnbs way in advance as they can get fully booked and very expensive.

Dont miss this place if you are in Switzerland or if you plan to visit sometime.

–Madhurya

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10 Things to do with kids at home

India is still in lockdown mode. We are unable to travel or visit our loved ones. Kids are stuck at home and having to sit through another year of online classes. Sometimes it feels like there’s all the time in the World but nothing much to do!

Now you can fuss and fret about it, get on each other’s nerves and pull one another’s hair out, which we absolutely do quite often, OR you can use this time to learn something new, make the best use of the time that we are blessed with and have oodles of fun along the way.

Here are 10 things we do as a family that we think you can try (in lockdown or not) and enjoy-

1. Have a Study routine

Please bear with me here…. I know you were not expecting to find this but I believe it is a good practice for kids to work on Math and another subject that you think they need help with, every single day (or as often as possible). Not the whole day, maybe Just for an hour. It will help to retain the concepts they learn at school and Daily practice is a good habit to inculcate at a young age.

2. Have circle time

You must have heard of circle time for babies and toddlers, but it works for older kids as well. This was something I was inspired by Jady A to do. The kids and I sit together, take turns and chant a few prayers, discuss current events, learn about a particular art form, memorize a poem etc. Everyday we recollect what we learnt the day before.

3. Reading time

Sleepy Afternoons and just before dozing off are times dedicated to quiet reading. We all pick our books/kindles and just read. We also read to one another. No matter how old your kids are, it is always good to read aloud to them. It helps to understand the story, the structure, the vocabulary better when kids are read to. My grandma would ask me to read scriptures to her. I wonder why she made me do it when she was perfectly capable of reading them herself, But I will never forget those stories or the life lessons we discussed after reading.

4. Learn a new language

Currently My kids are learning French basics. I found a great teacher and we are all enjoying the online classes so much that I wish to join the advanced course myself. I’m also looking for online Kannada or Sanskrit classes.

5. Go for long walks

We go for long walks with kids in the evenings. Sometimes they go with their grandparents too. It’s a good way to converse and catch up with them without the distraction of screens. We share our childhood anecdotes, narrate stories from scriptures, talk about values and, these days, take turns recollecting French lessons.

6. Exercise with YouTube

Oh my God, there are so many options to choose from on YouTube. When we could not go for a walk or attend basketball classes, we brought the workout home. Depending on our moods and the time we have at hand and the intensity we are capable of trying on a particular day, We either follow Roberta’s gym, Yoga with Adrienne or Dance with Deepti.

7. Art & Craft

We enjoy doing art on our own, But the best times have been when we’ve all sat together around an object (like a flower vase) and painted the same in our art journals. We scrapbook, bullet-journal or do origami whenever possible. Such a great way to spend time together.

8. Join classes

There are so many classes to pick from based on your child’s interest, some paid and some free. Currently my kids are loving the wide variety of classes on Calligraphy and Magic tricks offered by yellowclass, all for FREE.

9. Cleaning /organizing

This is something I don’t enjoy doing with the kids! I am always in a rush to finish and move onto my next chore, and they also run out of steam midway through the organizing, which means I’ll end up with a whole lot of mess to clean up. But…. Cleaning and organizing the shelves and cupboards is exciting for them. We put on some music and have fun going through the treasure (clutter) we have accumulated and sorting them into different bins.

10. Writing stories

This activity requires a bit of work from my side. I come up with a few characters (girl, dragon, giant etc.), some settings (lake, castle, jungle etc. ) and a bunch of scenarios (loses a tooth, meets a beautiful princess, finds a magical pen, fails a test….. and so on) and we all sit together, randomly pick one thing from each of the 3 categories and write our own stories. It brings so many giggles and some surprises as kids get to show off their creativity!

These are some of the MANY things we do around here. How about you? What do YOU do with your kids when it is difficult to get out of the house?

– Manasa.

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5 Family-friendly free Parks in UAE

When your kids are bubbling with unlimited amount of energy, you’ve gotta find ways to release it! In Switzerland, kids are always encouraged to play outdoors. Nature is in abundance here. There are forests to walk in; mountains to hike, ski or sled upon; and lakes to swim in. It is a country with a huge number of natural parks and zoos. When the kids are not out exploring the nature, they get to enjoy the playgrounds every village has to offer. These playgrounds are filled with swings, slides and all sorts of physical activities for kids to play and get wild in!

UAE is not short of parks/ playgrounds, lakes and mountains. When we visited UAE this year, it was during the hot season. Rather than spending time in indoor play areas and malls, I wanted to find some good playgrounds/ parks for Neel as well as for us adults to enjoy.

The ones I have listed are my favorites for following reasons:

They are free of cost
They are not so crowded
They are all pretty with lots of greenery.
The playgrounds are good for all ages of kids.
All playgrounds are shaded (which is so needed during summer)
There are good walking/ cycling tracks
All COVID measures (like cleanliness, maintaining safe distance) are taken care of.
There are designated areas for family picnics.

Here are 5 of them-

Al Qusais Pond Park (Dubai)

This was our favorite. We spent a lot of our evenings here. While my mom and I took Nyra in her stroller and walked the 2km around the beautiful lake, my dad and Neel hung-out in the play-area. We would always end up having this amazing lemon juice from the cafeteria next to the park.

Shees park (Khor Fakkan)

Located amidst dusky mountains, it is one of the most beautiful parks in UAE. This park features man-made waterfalls, mountain walkway and paths to climb and enjoy the gorgeous landscape. It also has a large play-area for kids and a Cafeteria. It is also a good spot for picnicking.

Quranic park (Dubai)

Quran park or the Quranic park is inspired by the features mentioned in the Holy Quran. It is packed with different species of plants and flowers. We had a lovely evening taking a stroll around the park. There is a beautiful lake inside. Read all the interesting facts about this park on the website.

Wadi Hatta park (Hatta)

This park is located very close to the Hatta dam. There is a running/ walking track around the perimeter. It is well-kept with plenty of vegetation. There are fire pits available for barbeque, a large children’s playground and a cafeteria.

Al Barsha Pond Park (Dubai)

Like Al Qusais pond park, this park is also family-friendly with lots of greenery and a lake at the center. There is a long running/ walking track. It has nice picnic spots all over. There are 3 shaded playgrounds for kids.

The whole family used to look forward to these outings in the evenings. l am eager to discover more child-friendly places when I visit UAE again.

–Madhurya

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A Young lady or a Big girl- Medha turns 11.

I can’t believe this tiny butterfly that flitted about all the time, SO out of anybody’s reach, is now a Big Girl. Almost as tall as I am, Medha looks, talks and thinks much older than her actual age of 11. I sometimes forget that she’s still a kid and share some of my ideas and thoughts with her just like I would with a friend!

Medha is observant, attentive and smart! She tells me I make a Life lesson out of every joke she cracks! She knows what pushes each and every one of us, especially me, and can easily get on our nerves! I can see her rebel nature slowly emerging. Can’t wait for the teenage drama to unfold!

Pick your battles

-I remember a friend’s advice to me.

Medha is reading a lot lately. I think it is due to the Harry Potter series. She read all of them and for a while I doubted whether she would ever get out of HP funk, but she found something else to latch onto – Percy Jackson. She read all of them and quickly gobbled up the Heroes of Olympus series too. Over 500 pages some of these books are, She simply tore through them! I sometimes wonder if she pays any attention to detail!

Drawing and watching TV are still the only activities that will glue her to a place. This foodie enjoys cooking and helping me around the house. Ha! Anything to get away from the dreaded studies, right?

By Medha

I feel like I have so much to learn from her. She is so confident in herself, knows what she wants and how to get things done! She tells me she hates movies where girls just sit around and wait for boys to come save them!

Medha loves collecting quotes that inspire or move her. I’m guessing pinterest is her favorite place to be… for drawing, quotes and makeup ideas. What can I say about her obsession with makeup! She is using up all my makeup trying out different styles, sometimes on us too! “WHY do you need them? You hardly use them!” is becoming her signature dialogue before ransacking all my stuff! Daughters!

Cake for her Birthday

She loves making videos and one day hopes to start her own YouTube channel. I know many kids have their own channels and social media accounts these days but I’m not ready yet.

Favorite Series – The Heroes of Olympus
Currently Reading – Tuesdays at the Castle
Favorite Show – Alexa and Katie
Favorite Food – Maggi
Favorite pastime – Reading and Drawing
Favorite Singer/ Band – Selena Gomez
Favorite Song – Driver’s License by Olivia Rodrigo
When I grow up I’d like to be – a Fashion Designer
Favorite Quote –

so SHINE ON…..

-Manasa.

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A Staycation in Ras Al Khaimah

A quiet getaway from Dubai into the Sun-kissed, sandy RAK or Ras Al Khaimah, full of pristine beaches, culture and beauty, to get our travel fix,

After months of lockdown, I’m in Dubai with my kids, visiting my parents. Manasa was supposed to join us with her kids….

I decided to book a staycation for a couple of nights, somewhere nice and safe in UAE. Ras Al Khaimah, or RAK as it is known, came to mind. It is one of the 7 Emirates of UAE, 45 minutes away from the bustle of Dubai.

As we were going to be 8 people including kids, I thought Airbnb would be the best option. Since having kids, we have been using Airbnb a lot. We find that:

It is much cheaper, especially when we travel in a big group.
We can all stay in one apartment/ house but also sleep in separate rooms so we get some privacy when needed.
We have our own kitchen. We prefer to stay inside and cook our own food in the evenings when the kids tend to get tired and cranky.

After browsing many options, I found this beautiful apartment in Al Hamra Village in Ras Al Khaimah. It was perfect for the whole family.

What I loved about this apartment was:

It was very spacious. With 3 kids and a baby we needed more space.
It was right next to the beach and the views from the balcony were just breathtaking!
There were many restaurants close to the apartment.
It was inside a safe and secure community.
The building had a gym, pool and playground for the kids to enjoy.
There were many attractions nearby like RAK zoo and heritage villages.

But before I booked it, I made sure to check the following as well (these are a few things we always check when we book in Airbnb):

Our host is categorized as “Superhost”
The apartment and the host were following all cleanliness, health and safety protocols.
All the amenities required for small kids like a baby bed, high chair were available.
There were enough good reviews from other guests.

Unfortunately, Manasa’s trip to Dubai got canceled due to the second outbreak of COVID in India and the ban of all flights to Dubai from India. Instead of cancelling our staycation, we went ahead with it even though now the apartment would be too big for us.

When we reached in the late afternoon, we took a quick survey of the apartment to make sure it had everything we needed and all the facilities were working and in good condition.

In the evening, we took a walk around Al Hamra Marina & Yacht club, a 10min walk from the apartment. For dinner, we bought Pizzas from Pizza hut and ate in our fancy balcony.

To wake up early in the morning and watch the sunrise (when the kids were still in bed) while sipping a hot cup of coffee was the best experience! For breakfast we walked to Al Hamra Marina & Yacht club and ate at Tucano Coffee. It was a beautiful café, especially for book lovers. The shelves were full of books. We ate delicious pancakes, bagel, croissants while gulping lemonades. I’m sure Manasa would’ve loved this place!

We spent the rest of the day relaxing in the apartment before eating lunch at Al Hamra mall. In the evening, we drove to Marjan island, few minutes from our apartment, and took a stroll along the boulevard while Neel played in the huge play area.

The next morning, while the baby slept, my parents took Neel to the swimming pool and playground in the premises and I enjoyed some quiet time in the apartment. We ate toast, butter and store-bought croissants for breakfast.

We had a lot of time to visit other tourist attractions, but we were not so keen on doing it. It was way too hot to go out in the day time and we really were enjoying our time inside the apartment. Neel got to play with the toys arranged by our host. My dad had brought his laptop and he was able to work in between and also relax. My mom was able to rest and NOT cook and clean for a change. Even though this staycation was short, it was worth it!

Just to see my parents enjoy the grandkids was truly a blessing!

Did you also get a break? If so, where did you go? Do share your comments. If not, I really hope you get to have one soon…

Madhurya

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Rubick’s Cube to Rummy – Turning 8 in COVID times

“Should we learn Blackjack or Poker now?”, Madhav, my younger one, asks me.

We learnt card games like Donkey, spoon, Rummy and Go Fish watching YouTube videos and now we play them in rotation. Madhav taught himself a few card tricks and now he offers free sessions as gifts on our birthdays. He resorts to playing Solitaire when I have to cook and big sis is doing her own thing (play with mama’s makeup!).

So counting cards it is then. We might sneak him into a casino in Vegas and make some big bucks. What do you think?

We are slowly running out of options to play, but thanks to the internet, something or the other keeps popping up just when we are about to throw in the towel and switch ON the TV. I thought he would never come out of his Rubick’s cube phase. For a while all he did was teach himself how to solve a 3×3, a mirror cube, a 4×4, a megaminx and when he had perfected them all, he tried to solve them blindfolded. As I type this he comes and asks me to let you all know that Cards are his thing now.

A Rubick’s Cube Rainbow Cake for his birthday

Lockdown hasn’t been that hard on this homebody.

Just like any other boy his age, he loves to take things apart and fix them back. For the first time in my life I’m investing in good quality and slightly expensive toys that are more STEM-based (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics- all integrated) projects. He’s truly enjoying building them along with his sis who has (surprisingly) shown an interest in them too.

He still follows his sister around like a puppy. I believe she’s his strength as he’s too scared to sleep in the kids’ room without her. She’s more a mother to him than I am as her word and opinion is all that matters, in the end.

Madhav @ 8 is funny, still talks like a baby and cries like one too. He’s a talker but also a very good listener. He tells me about ‘parity’ and ‘algorithms’ and other terms cubers use which I can make neither head nor tail of. He was already a clean freak but the pandemic has turned him into an obsessive handwasher! He even talks about double-masking and practices yoga and pranayama for improved breathing. Here are a few of his favorites.

Favorite food – Dosa.

Favorite book – Wayside School

Currently Reading – Sheila the great

Favorite Song – Radioactive

Favorite show – Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous

Favorite movie – Terminator 2 Judgment Day

Wants to become – a Biomedical Engineer (he knows it is a mix of Engineering and Anatomy, but not sure if he knows anything beyond.

HAPPY 8 Madhav!

Thanks and Stay Safe..

Manasa.

10 Books to Read This Summer

Whether you’re headed to a far-flung beach or a nearby couch, if you are looking for books to read this summer, here`s a list of our favorites.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

By Taylor Jenkins Reid

An aging renowned Hollywood actress Evelyn Hugo, after decades of dodging the press, is now ready to tell her story. She agrees to give an exclusive interview but only if she is interviewed by an unknown magazine reporter Monique.

The book takes you to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood in the 50s. Evelyn`s life, her ruthless ambition, and ofcourse the story of her husbands keeps the reader enthralled and captivated.

The Vanishing Half

By Brit Bennett

Desiree and Stella Vignes are identical twins living in Mallard, Louisiana, where people are proud of their Caucasian features and coloring, and most of them could pass for White.

After their mother forces them to leave school at the age of 16, the Vignes sisters run away to New Orleans in search of a better life. Years later, one sister drags herself back to Mallard with her black daughter. The other is married to a wealthy businessman, who knows nothing of her past.

The Geometry of Holding Hands

By Alexander McCall Smith

Our favorite philosopher and the editor of the journal “Review of Applied Ethics” has a new dilemma. Retired physician Iain Melrose approaches Isabel with an unusual request. He would like her to serve as executor of his estate

Closer to home, Isabel`s niece Cat has finally found the love of her life and has plans to marry him. But Isabel is beginning to suspect that Cat`s fiance Leo might be interested in more than Cat, namely her access to the family trust.

Small Pleasures

By Clare Chambers

It is 50s London. Jean is nearly forty. She works as a reporter for the newspaper North Kent Echo. She is single and living the same way everyday with her demanding, overbearing mother.

Jean’s unspectacular life changes when a woman writes to the newspaper claiming to have experienced a virgin birth. In her journey to find out the truth, Jean experiences love, friendship and happiness, but will it be long lasting?

The Last Thing He Told Me

By Laura Dave

Hannah and Owen are newlyweds who are living happily on a houseboat in Sausalito, California with Owen`s 16-year-old stepdaughter who is not so fond of Hannah. Everything changes when Owen goes missing and the company he is working for is being investigated for fraud.

It is now upto Hannah and her stepdaughter to search for Owen and in their search, they uncover secrets held by the one person they loved and trusted the most in the world.

You and Me on Vacation

By Emily Henry

Poppy and Alex are best friends. They are polar opposites. While Poppy is a free spirit, impulsive, and adventurous, Alex is introverted, mild, and measured.

Every summer, they take a trip together, sometimes due to Poppy’s job, which sends her across the world to tour vacation spots to write articles on various locations. But 2 years ago, they had a fall out. Now Poppy has one chance to make everything right. One last vacation to win her friend back. While on vacation, will they finally realize how they feel about eachother?

City of Scars

By JD Kirk

The brash Scottish DCI is back. Finally, things are going great in DCI Logan`s life. He is happily settled down with the love of his life. All that is about to change when there are murders in Inverness and Jack’s boss decides to bring in some outside help and that turns out to be Jack’s past lover.

Heather isn’t quite ready to let Logan go, and as the dead bodies rack up, the life Jack has been building for himself may be the next victim to fall.

The Dry

By Jane Harper

Set in a small outback town in Australia during the worst drought the country has ever seen, Federal Police investigator Aaron Falk returns to his hometown for the first time in decades to attend the funeral of his childhood best friend, Luke. Luke is suspected of killing his wife and son, before shooting himself.

Amidst all the tensions, suspicions and allegations Aaron finds himself in because of something that had happened in the past, he reluctantly agrees to support the local detective in the investigation to find out if there’s more to Luke’s death than there seems to be.

Staying out for the Summer

By Mandy Baggot

Having spent the summer of 2020 battling a global health crisis, Lucie Burrows is looking forward to a summer away from her stressful life. When her best friend Gavin, finds them a perfect place to stay in a Greek island, Lucie finally starts to believe it’s time to put the past behind her and embrace the Greek life.

But after a landslide puts the village into a local lockdown, Lucie is thrown together with Michalis Andino, the super sexy village doctor. As Lucie relaxes into the Greek way of life, she begins to wonder whether this lockdown might just end in a new life, a new love.

Shadow and Bone

By Leigh Bardugo

Alina Starkov is a junior cartographer’s assistant with the King’s Army. Her childhood best friend and fellow orphan, Malyen “Mal” Oretsev, has also joined the army as a talented young tracker. Having grown up together in the orphanage, Alina and Mal were best friends.

Alina was never special. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a strong power that saves his life. After it is discovered that Alina is a Sun Summoner, she is brought before the ruthless and powerful commander of the Grisha army – The Darkling. With Alina getting trained to be a member of the Grisha, she will find dark secrets of the Grisha that can change her life.

Happy Reading!

Activities with kids to get you in the Christmas spirit

The holiday season is officially here and the countdown to Christmas is on! So, we’ve listed a selection of fun things to do together with your kids to get in a festive mood.

1. Visit Christmas markets

If there are christmas markets going on, make sure to visit as many as possible with your kids. They will enjoy exploring the shops and all the buzz and activities around.

2. Bake cookies

Neel is my assistant when I bake. He enjoys adding stuff into the baking mixture and loves to roll and cut them into different shapes. Oh and in the end he does a bit of tasting to make sure I have added the right amount of sugar!! We pack the cookies in glittery packets and hand them to our friends and family.

3. Make advent gifts for the neighborhood

Every year, around 24 ladies from our village come together to make advent gifts. Each one makes 24 identical gifts and labels them with the number provided by the organizer. The organizer will then rearrange all the gifts in such a way that each one in the end gets 24 different gifts to be opened from 1st of december till 24th of december. Neel is always happy to help me with preparing these packages.

4. Decorate the house with simple Christmas ornaments.

Neel is happy to assist me in decorating our house with ornaments. He even decides where each item has to be placed. As long as the ornaments are unbreakable, I just let him take charge of decorations.

5. Make christmas crafts

Read about it here.

6. Watch christmas movies

Thanks to Netflix, we get to watch lots of Christmas movies. Sipping hot coffee / hot chocolate and sometimes with an ice cream, we spend our weekends watching these movies.

7. Get togethers

We usually invite our friends and family for a sumptuous meal (raclette is our traditional Christmas meal) and exchange gifts.

8. Last but not the least, decorate our Christmas tree

This time I really enjoyed decorating our Christmas tree with Neel. All I did was put up the tree while Neel hung up each ornament in the place he thought was the best.

These are some of the things we do for Christmas. I am sure we will be doing more exciting stuff when Nyra is a bit older. What are your Christmas traditions?

– Madhurya