does it feel like we just did this? maybe, but we’re doing it again!

my parents are heading back to india, so that obviously means that i — and sarah! — are heading back as well. due to flights and logistics we’ll be there a few extra days on either end and i’m excited to get back to a few places i’ve not been in a long time and to create lots of new memories.

we head out today and we’ll be going pretty much nonstop for 3.5 weeks. below is our itinerary and some of the things i am most looking forward to.

calcutta.

we land in bombay and head straight to calcutta to meet up with deboo and priyanka. the last time i was there was 9 years ago for their wedding and i am excited to be able to explore the city with them this time. we’ll be there for new year and will get to meet and spend time with some of their friends. i’m also trying to think of what i’d like sarah to see and while i hate monuments to colonialism i think victoria memorial might be on the list because it is very beautiful and very peaceful. i’d also like to get back to south park street cemetery if we can.

surat.

from calcutta we’ll fly to bangalore to meet my parents upon their arrival, bid my father farewell as he travels to coimbatore, and continue on with my mother to surat. my masi — my mother’s older sister — is in india for a few more weeks and we are taking advantage of the overlap and going to see her. my last visit was in 2012 and my mother’s was in 2013, so we are both looking forward to seeing her new [to us] flat and eating her delicious food. i definitely want to spend an afternoon / early evening at the beach and have a thali somewhere, but otherwise we’ll be chilling and being entertained by the sisters.

coimbatore.

after a few days in surat we’ll fly down to coimbatore to spend a few days with my father’s side of the family. there’s one breakfast place and one lunch place [pictured above] that i’ve already told my father we need to go to while i’m in town, and i have heard rumors that one of my aunts is already planning to make prawns for lunch one day [hers are my favorites]. i’m excited for sarah to meet my father’s extended family and put faces to all the names abi and i are always mentioning.

bangalore.

an overnight train will take us to bangalore, where luck has us there on the weekend nilah and evika will be celebrating their first holy communion which will allow for time with both sides of amaidhi’s family. i want to get lunch at nagarjuna one day, stops at blossom and pecos are a must, and i need to say hi to raju uncle and pick up some new ear studs to add to my rotation — anything on top of that is great.

goa.

we needed a stopover between bangalore and bombay and goa really is the easiest option. we’ll take an overnight bus there and have the better part of 3 days to lay on the beach, eat delicious seafood, and catch our breath. i’m still hoping we are able to convince someone to join us [saranya, priyanka, deboo, anyone?], but even if we don’t we will still have a blast. i was lucky enough to book us a cottage at the same place we stayed this past january, which will be nice.

bombay.

and after an overnight train from goa we will arrive in our final destination, bombay. priyanka and deboo are very generously hosting us again even though i keep threatening to move in and never leave. we will obviously spend an evening at toto’s, i would like to take sarah to janata if it works out, and there’s a poster store i didn’t get to on the last visit that is a priority this time around. beyond that i’m looking forward to riding the trains and people-watching and trying out a new restaurant or two and maybe getting to bandstand or juhu for a final india sunset.

like i said, it’s a lot, and i also know it’s going to be so much fun. my parents have already determined they’re not making a trip in 2026, so we are making the most of this one. stay tuned for the recaps that will begin in february!

xx