LIFE AS IT IS

P eople have now resumed international travelling, although cautiously. With the emergence of a new, more contagious variant, Omicron, however, countries are placing new restrictions on travellers, making international travelling even more uncertain, more hectic. If you are planning on going abroad, plan well and plan well ahead of time.  The Daily Star link I have recently been to Bangladesh on a two-week trip to see my family. An earlier summer travel plan had to be canceled because of a COVID-19 lockdown that was imposed on Bangladesh to stem infections and deaths. In our case, it cost us a cancellation fee at the time. Because change is the only constant now more than ever, bear in mind that your travel plans may have to be changed or cancelled in the fluid situation of the world we live in today.  COVID-19 test You need show proof of a negative COVID-19 test to travel internationally. Please check with your airline and also read the entry requirements of the country you a...

My husband and I are urbanophiles, so it was little wonder that for our first getaway in nearly two years, we chose the City that Never Sleeps. New York, which was the US epicentre and a global COVID-19 hotspot, has lifted most of its pandemic-induced restrictions after having hit the vaccination mark. At the time this was written, more than 70 percent of the New Yorkers aged 18 and above have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. We spent three days at the Big Apple as it was swiftly returning to life after more than a year under lockdown conditions. I felt alive the moment we crossed the Lincoln Tunnel under the Hudson River. The 1.5-mile long tunnel connects Weehawken, New Jersey to Midtown Manhattan, New York City. After having spent most of my time at home since March 2020, the urban cacophony of construction, traffic, honking, ambulance wailing in the distance, and chattering of tourists and locals was music to my ears. I felt like myself after a long, long time, for I...

It is a life measured in numbers. If something is not countable, it merely takes a back seat today; the front seat honor is reserved for things to which numerical values can be attached. Today, we want to be able to measure everything that goes on in life! The Daily Star link We count everything - from the size of the paycheck deposited to our bank account to the number of likes on our last Facebook post. We count likes, follows, and views  on our social media accounts. The more likes, comments, follows, and views our posts get, the more acceptable and popular we become, or that is what the countable world would have us believe.  Our friends have become numbers. We count our friends --  five-hundred, eight-hundred or more. The more friends and followers we have online, the greater the likelihood of pocketing more of those intangible ‘heart’ and ‘thumbs up’ ideograms. It’s all about number, you see. We count seconds, minutes, hours, days, and months. “I had...

To those who reside in the US, summertime is synonymous to beach vacation, and a beach getaway is something Americans look forward to every summer. This year, we explored the historic Cape May, New Jersey, which has some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. Cape May’s beaches are consistently ranked as some of the best in America, and even the world. They are not only family-friendly, but also clean, quiet, safe, and have easy access to restrooms and restaurants. But visitors have to buy beach tags to lounge on the soft, white sand. I understood that the revenue from the beach tag sales goes toward safeguarding, maintaining, and improving these beautiful beaches. The Daily Star link Cape May, which is a peninsula, is the southernmost point of New Jersey, a Mid-Atlantic US state. Besides its beaches, the place is also known as a birder’s paradise. Forests, wetlands, and marshes make it a top destination for migratory hawks, songbirds, and seabirds. We set up our be...

If you ever set foot on British mainland, you will note how much the Brits love to use the word “lovely” in their everyday speech. There, the word “lovely” means more than just beautiful or attractive, it is a word that also conveys approval towards a person or their action. On an 8-night vacation in London, I learned, devoured and experienced so many new things that one write-up will not suffice, but I will try nonetheless. The National Gallery A week in London is not enough to fully explore the historic city, which stands on the River Thames and enchants visitors from every corner of the world. London is a cosmopolitan city in a very real sense. According to BBC, over 300 languages are currently spoken in London’s schools. The statistic tells you how unbelievably diverse London really is! London’s food scene is a gastronomic heaven for any foodie, where you can relish an incredibly huge variety of cuisines, thanks to its ethnically diverse population. To enjoy a wi...

Is life stressing you out? Aren’t there times when you want to escape, go somewhere or do something to relax your nerves? While it is not possible to go on holidays frequently to get away from the mundane 21st century life, it is very much possible to give yourself a short break every day, even it is just for 5 minutes. To enjoy this 5-minute vacation, the first thing you need to do is disconnect yourself from the outside world. Not completely, of course, just switch off or silence your cell phone for 5 minutes, so that a ping or a flash on the screen does not distract you. Sit in your balcony Sit in your balcony early in the morning or at the end of a long and tedious day to treat yourself to a hot cup of your choice of drink— creamy coffee or thick steaming tea... Gaze at the blue sky or whatever bits of blue sky that peek out from behind 10-storey residential properties. Enjoy your tea, enjoy these 5 minutes. And when you do, try to put aside all the worldly worrie...