Who am I? While this is a deep philosophical question, this update is not about philosophy. I am trying to understand my identity as an explorer. I am also trying to answer the question: What about the world deeply resonates with me? I was born in India and have spent a significant part of my life in Singapore and in the UK. Since 2016, I have travelled through South/Central America, Southern/East Africa and South East Asia. I have also done a fair bit of weekend travels to Europe. As I aim to answer the question posed, I am trying to … Continue reading My Explorer’s Identity

There are more than 190 nation states in the world and many other areas are disputed among nations. The concept of a nation state is a modern one. Most nation states, seen today, were colonies of European powers a few decades back. Consider India – it was a colony of England and prior to 1947, the nations of Pakistan and Bangladesh did not exist. Yet people, cultures and societies existed. It is the same throughout history. Borders have changed. Lands have been won and lost. The Roman Empire covered much of Europe and parts of Asia and Africa – we … Continue reading Do Nation States Matter?

After travelling to multiple countries across the seven continents, it is surprising for me to state that I have just begun. There is so much more to experience. There are stunning landscapes, wild life, and cultures waiting for us. It is the same in almost every continent. While each continent is unique in its own way, there are also many common aspects. Excluding Antarctica, all continents have abundance of the same: food, landscapes, wildlife, cultures and activities such as festivals. In global trade, countries trade with each other based on their comparative advantage. Current politics aside, it made sense for … Continue reading What are the comparative advantages of a region?

In July 2016, I embarked on a journey that took me across Africa, Americas and parts of Asia. The first leg of the journey took 21 months. The second leg was cut short almost a year into the travels due to the outbreak of COVID. During these months, I spent a lot of time understanding people, cultures and societies. I felt like a student, hungry to learn again. In my book, the Journey to Infinity, the first lesson I embraced was to ‘Be curious’. It helped me a lot in those months. But I was just a traveller. It is … Continue reading Who is an explorer?