Hey travelers! I’m Mehek, a part-time traveler looking for every opportunity to explore something new. That probably explains my education and career choices! After studying chemical and biomedical engineering, I worked in healthcare consulting and digital health, before making the shift to something radically different. I now work in the development sector at a non-profit. I grew up in Dubai and Mumbai, and spent several years on the East Coast of the US, studying and working (shout out to New York City and New Jersey), before returning back home to Mumbai. I’ve been to 33 countries so far, and I’ve set a personal target to get to a total of 45 by the time I’m 45!

Freezing to death in the Icelandic summer 😀

How did I start blogging?

I’d been wanting to start a blog for many years, but just never knew what to write about! I’m a strict vegetarian (I won’t eat gravy from a meat dish, I don’t mix cutlery, and I don’t eat eggs). This has always been a bit of a struggle while traveling, especially to offbeat locations. On a trip to Europe in 2015, a close friend lent me her detailed notes for the best vegetarian food she tried in Budapest and Prague. That list turned out to be a life-saver. Thanks Priyanka! Before that trip, I also spent a ton of time reading travel blogs, noting down unique and offbeat recommendations. I ended up taking a graffiti workshop in Prague, getting the best coffee of my life at a 1900s coffeehouse in Vienna, and visiting some funky ruin bars in Budapest – none of which I would have discovered just through TripAdvisor or the likes. I realized just how great personal perspectives on travel are. They help you uncover little secrets around the world. Hoping to do just that through this blog 🙂

Seville is definitely one of my favorite cities in the world!

What can you expect to find on my blog?

I love scouting the best vegetarian food in town, looking for the local coffee shops where you can spend a lazy afternoon, meticulously planning itineraries to the T, and indulging in experiences off-the-beaten-path. My favorite things to do in a city are collecting local street art, taking walking tours, and sending postcards.

So far, I’ve taken a graffiti workshop in Prague with Europe’s first female graffiti artist, gorilla trekked in Rwanda, cycled through the Cambodian countryside, and snorkeled between America and Europe!

When I’m not traveling, I’m reading up about places I have no immediate plans of visiting and creating Google Docs of my research :p

One of the best experiences of my life. Trekking up 9000 ft to see a family of 11 gorillas, in Rwanda!

Why Map and Magnets?

“Map” because I’ve got a huge world map on my wall, on which I pin my travels. “Magnets” because I love collecting magnets from every city I visit. You will not believe the amount of time and decision capital I waste on purchasing a magnet 😉 This is serious business! (In case you’re wondering, the cover image of this blog is from the map and magnets in my room)

This blog captures stories from my travels: itineraries, offbeat experiences, vegetarian food, history, culture, and lots more! I hope you’ll follow along 🙂

Exploring the summer gardens of Portuguese kings