The Tea Ceremony

Pouring tea into a cup

The best tea stories aren’t just about leaves and brewing – they’re about the memories that steep alongside them, from a roadside tea stall’s thundering rain to air-conditioned luxury that somehow lacks soul. When Ria transformed my understanding of tea through her ceremony, she didn’t just share product knowledge; she crafted an experience that connected my past, present, and the premium teas of Darjeeling’s misty hills. This is how smart businesses package their Darjeeling tea – not as commodity, but as curator of moments that customers will remember long after the last sip.

Take a hike!

Caricature

Once in a while, all of us need a little push in the right direction to see the world from a different perspective. All we need to do is pause, open our minds, and look around us.

A Memorable Sixty

Chitra

There are moments in life that define a person. Some collapse under the burden. Others rise and create their own destiny. Wherever Chitra worked, she proved that under the gentle exterior there resided a person of incredible courage and integrity.

Madhav Kochunni

Madhav

My rollercoaster career ride began in Bombay, India. The first part of the ride took me through the world of journalism and publishing, instilling in me the finer aspects of writing, editing, proofing, production, and conducting interviews. A few years later, I embarked on the second leg of my career into advertising. Besides enjoying the duties of a copywriter and creative lead, I taught myself graphic design.

When the road takes sides

When the road takes sides! The first time I drove a car was in India. A friend taught me the basics in his father’s 1960 Fiat that had doors opening from the front. The road had no markings. The general sense was as long as one stayed on it one was fine. In Dubai, I […]

Kissing the dolphin

Kissing the dolphin! The day started early, a few sunrays before six. The sun peeped, ran an eye over Holguin beach, looked up, parted the curtains of our resort room, and summoned me to the window. Our third-floor room offered a fabulous view of the resort and nature: thick vegetation to my right, with the […]

99% Canadian

99% Canadian My journey to become Canadian started more than 25 years ago. I was told Canadians are very nice people. The same person told me, in Canada there are people from all over the world. So, before I reached Canada, I decided to find out about the different forms of greeting people. At a […]

Lotteries, a worthy cause

My $100 contribution towards disease research will save someone’s life—or so I tell myself. The research into my lottery buying habits, however, has just begun.