Are you a thrill seeker, culture curious, nature enthusiast, party animal, sports freak, honeymooner, shopaholic, glam thirsty or in search of mind, spirit and body relaxation? Whatever the profile of the traveller there’s bound to be a wish-list of places to visit. Here are my picks and some travel must-dos for every possible type of traveller.

1. FOR THE THRILL SEEKING ADVENTURE LOVER - Wildlife Safari in East Africa – a trip of a lifetime! Though I’ve been there done that I want to do it again. Highly recommend it to those who love the wilderness and have a curiosity for the animal kingdom. If you have kids old enough to appreciate such a trip then you have all the more reason to go on safari. Tanzania & Kenya offer the best of game especially in migration season, June-July. A definite must-do!

Scaling heights in Scotland – The best views of lakes and mountains. You can never have enough of the landscapes of Scotland. Climbing one of the small peaks in the freezing cold (in mid-June mind you) in the Highlands, Inverness has been one of the most awesome mind-blowing experiences ever!

Crumber travel destination tip - Bungee Jumping in Rotorua, NZ - Fear of heights and wanna get over it? Nip that fear in the bud and head down south (literally)! Bungee jump off the most spectacular bungee sites!

2. FOR THE NATURE ENTHUSIAST - Frolic with dolphins in the wild in Maui, Hawaii – unless you’re the more fearless types and crave the adrenaline rush then opt for shark diving. Again, a family with kids, the interaction with this animal is simply amazing! With the dolphins I mean.

Crumber travel destination tip - Snorkeling in Koh Kood, Thailand - For a fabulous and colourful underwater experience you can’t miss this one. It’s dirt cheap too. Can’t go wrong with this 1 for sure.

3. FOR THE PARTY ANIMAL – Freak out in the Caribbean – Ok, our Cricket World Cup debacle is over. Let’s brush off unpleasant memories and rediscover paradise and party away in sand and sunshine. Bum around on the beaches and swim in sparkling aquamarine blue waters. Aruba & Curacao – my all time favourite party destinations - 2 thumbs up!

4. FOR THE CULTURE CURIOUS - Go Greek Islands – Santorini & Mykonos located in the Cyclades Islands in the Aegean Sea. Breath-taking sceneries from charming villages perched on top of impressive cliffs. If you are a natural history and culture freak, these islands have a lot to offer on the Greek civilization along with the spectacular views of the dormant volcano.

5. FOR THE SPORTS FREAK - An avid Formula 1 fan? Do the F1 trail and follow your favourite racing team around the globe. My suggestion would be the Brazilian Grand Prix. Team your sports trip with touring one of the most beautiful countries in South America.

6. FOR THE HONEYMOONERS – French Polynesia - Tahiti & Bora Bora – Exotic, exotic, exotic!!! Heaven on earth! You don’t need anything else but each other!

7. FOR THE SHOPAHOLICS – Obviously the fashion capital of the world – Paris and it wouldn’t hurt to include London, NYC, Milan if it doesn’t cause any harm to the wallet. More economical shopping destinations – Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur.

8. FOR THE GLAM THIRSTY - Feel the GQ of your city ain’t quite up there? Head to Monte Carlo in Monaco or Cannes in the French Riviera for your dose of glam and get a view of some of the world’s hottest celebrities.

9. FOR THE MIND, SPIRIT & BODY RELAXATION SEEKING – For the unforgettable spa experience, Krabi, Thailand wins hands-down! Nothing beats the traditional Thai and aromatherapy massages.

10. FOR THE FOODIES - A separate post on that comin’ up shortly!!

Never had I imagined rice would so impact my life. I was never one to indulge in too much of the stuff, even though I was a complete foodie. Coming from an essentially wheat consuming Gujarati family, I had my share of ras-rotli and thepla-chhundo while growing up. So here I was in Bangalore, getting engaged to a Gujju-turned-Bangalorean, a self-proclaimed South Indian, who ate, spoke, breathed and dreamed RICE!! My 1st experience with his rice eating abilities occurred at a friend’s wedding, where we sat down for a sumptuous lunch by all standards. But something stopped me short from delving into the then-frightening (no offense) looking servings of ‘yelle-oota’, ‘anna-saar’ & ‘rasam-rice’. My hubby dived right into his banana leaf and literally inhaled whatever came his way. My jaw dropped. I was stunned beyond words at his relishing so much rice. So I sat there, too shocked to eat or taste anything, sure this image would haunt me for the rest of my life.

After that fiasco of mine, I decided to venture into tasting and trying bit by bit, rather than being besieged by an overtly eager husband and the onslaught of rice at wedding festivities we would inevitably have to attend of family friends in the not-so-distant future. I mean it was seriously overwhelming and I’m sure a lot of transplants to the South like me, would agree. Anyway, here I was, determined to taste every morsel that I downed, to develop a fondness for rice and the many spices and flavours added to it. Not too much later, I was pleasantly surprised as to how distinct each rice dish was from the other. From the sour n spicy puliogre to tangy chitranna, lip-smacking bisi-belle bhaat to simple yet tasteful pongal, to the healthful vaangi-bhaat and traditional anna-saar and rasam rice, and of course, the tummy cooling masru-anna, I have quickly realized how awesome and satisfying these rice dishes are.

So for those who have recently moved to Bangalore, having trouble adjusting to the local food, I’d say give it a chance. It may look daunting to eat so much rice but given the varied scents, colours and flavours, I’m sure you’ll be hooked to it in a matter of time, just like me!