Nowadays, it is hard to find a person who won't say,"...and I love traveling". I am one of them. Some do it to tick-off bucket lists, to create a record of x countries visited, while some like exploring new places, food and culture, etc. 

Having lived in Europe for 1.5 years now, I have gotten to travel a lot more here than I did while I was in India. After a while, you get exhausted with big European cities though; they start looking similar. Now I am always on the lookout for quaint old towns, the so-called hidden gems, of Europe. Of course, one never gets tired of Italy (for the food obviously).
But I digress.
My main reason to travel has always been to break from the monotony of corporate-life and to reinvigorate. Beautiful memories and explorations have always been a byproduct. However, in the last one and a half years of Euro-trotting, I got something else too.
After moving to Amsterdam in October of 2018, I got to travel to all these dreamlike places. I could go to any damn location in the Schengen region over the next long weekend. The whole of Europe has been my oyster. 

I would return home from a trip and go back to my normal self, but then again on the next holiday, that familiar feeling returned. If it were a trip with a group of friends, I would feel detached. 
I found myself thinking- Why does it feel so strange? What is this emptiness?

Travelling does not make you forget your problems. You carry your anguish, indecisions, insecurities, anxiety, and all of that baggage wherever you go. I found that these problems magnified whenever I traveled. Indeed it made sense because, in my humdrum routine, my focus was majorly on my work. I ignored the inner goings of my mind that had been stripped of its comfort zone since the big move that I made 1.5 years ago. 
Back in India, for over 5 years, I had been in the same job, in the same city, and around almost the same people. I was so comfortable. It was great but was it? 

Traveling here had smacked me in the face with the reality of who I have become.  It taught me the forgotten lesson that work is only a small part of life. Also, I had grown, developed preferences after all, and I knew better. It made me realize that I had been attracting so many wrong people in my life and have been quite blind to the opportunities to go to the ones who were so my type. I had been repeating those wrong patterns in friendships. Oh for those missed experiences! 
Coming to the shallow things, I was sticking to clothes that were not my style anymore. I did not know anymore what sort of clothes made me happy. I was still wearing those bright lipsticks that did not appeal to me now. Wow, I had changed so much. 

It is difficult to part from my clothes, shoes, bags and jewellery in that very order. However, keeping unnecessary pieces only leads to a lot of stuff and that limits the usage of the good ones. Too much stuff also causes stress and/or anxiety, whether you realise it or not. 
Imagine a cupboard where you have everything you want and you want everything that it has. Think about it. With that goal in mind, I recently decluttered my jewellery collection. Here is how-

Step 1:
I took out all my jewellery and put them in categories- necklaces, bracelets, rings, anklets, earrings, etc. Next, within each group, I further grouped things by colour. This part is optional but gives you clarity on whether you have too much in the same colour. You could instead group by style (chokers/hoops/etc.) or material (crystal/stone/silver/etc.).

Step 2: 
I made 3 sections on my bed- 
1. Give away- Jewellery that is in good shape and it kind of hurts to throw it. So I would pass it on to my loved ones. It could also be an idea to sell these pieces. 
2. Keep- These pieces go back into my cupboard.
3. Memory box- I am not going to wear these but they are special because they bring back memories (for whatever reason- it could be a special gift, you picked it from a favourite trip or maybe your grandma passed it over to you, etc.). Tuck this memory box away.

The other pieces directly go to the bin.

Step 3: Decision-making 
I went through every single piece of non-precious jewellery and made my decision to keep it, give it away or throw it based on the following:

1. Have I worn it in the last 1 year? Yes- Keep. No- Next question!

2. Have I outgrown this piece? Yes- Discard (Giveaway/Memory box/Bin). No- Next question!
Example- These were earrings with hearts and butterflies, or a necklace with too many tassels, even a very bright gold statement necklace which surely I am not going to wear anymore.
3. Do I have pieces similar in style/colour/material to this one? Yes- pick the one that excites you from that bunch of similar things and keep it; discard the rest. No- Next question!
4. Is it really my style and does it make me happy when I wear it? Yes- Keep. No- Next question!
Example- I gave away a beautiful layered necklace just because it was a bit too thick chained for my taste and I would always pick up other layered necklaces over this. I also gave away some silver jewellery because I realised that golds, browns, greens, and orange pieces suit my brown skin better.  
5. Is it a unique or statement piece that suits particular occasions only? Yes- Keep. No- Discard.

Step 4: Maintaining this collection
This is more for the future but here is what you could do-
1. Avoid impulse-buys by maintaining wishlists and checking your cart back later to see if these items still excite you. You could ask yourselves the questions 3, 4 and 5 again. Also, with wishlists, you can choose to only buy on sale.

2. Make it a rule to replace existing items while adding new buys.
3. Figure out the theme of your collection and stick to it- rare finds? trendy pieces? 
In the former case, you should avoid stock buying from retail shops/sites, and only pick collectables from travels or vintage finds.

Later, I created a WhatsApp group with all my girls where I posted the pictures of the 30 giveaway items. I asked them to pick whatever they like and I would give it to them when I see them next, Some of them were quite excited about this and 70% of my stuff found a new home where it would find more love. 

This process has given me more peace of mind and pride in my jewellery and I wish the same for you.
If you have more ideas on this then please share with all of us in the comments below.

My wardrobe has been giving me real anxiety lately. I often look at it and feel like I have nothing to wear. There is a coat section mixed with warm scarves, a sweater section, a work blouse section, a casual tops section, an Indian wear section, a shawl section and so many more. Too many options that just confuse me! So I keep wearing the same 4-5 things over and over again.


I have come to realise that I keep buying similar things and trendy pieces a lot. I hold on to my old stuff even if it looks ratty or does not fit me as well anymore.

I also do not relate to a lot of things sitting there in my wardrobe anymore because my sense of style has evolved in the last couple of years. Last night, I was re-organizing my shoe rack when I found this pair of gold slip-ons and thought to myself- "How could I ever buy this thing?" Moreover, it is hard to throw such things away because they are in brand-new condition.

I am 30 and by this age, I should know my style well. My wardrobe should reflect that style. Every outfit I wear should make me happy because it speaks my style. Instead, what is happening is that I pull something random, in the rush of getting ready for work in the morning or even for an outing with friends. This random outfit does not make me feel like myself every time. There are days when I feel great about my outfits but mostly, I wear whatever catches my eye first in the wardrobe.

I hear that the most stylish women have capsule wardrobes. They wear everything from it, rotate it often and spend on the right things. They also often shop during sales.

I am determined to make this capsule wardrobe for myself and to make that happen, I have written down a clean and crisp strategy-

1. Items sitting there out of sheer nostalgia
It is difficult to discard clothes and a lot of times our feelings have nothing to do with the clothes but the memories around them- when you bought a piece, when you first wore it, the compliment you once received, etc. I am not going to throw all of these clothes away (because it is hard!) but will move some of them from my wardrobe to a memory box somewhere.

2. Discover my style from that mess of a cupboard
I am going to think hard-
"When have I felt my best and when did I last feel amazing in my clothes?"
I clearly like unique pieces of jewellery so I am not going to touch that stash. I like flowy silhouettes and prefer skirts and dresses over pants/jeans. I like sweatshirts and hoodies on others but they do not flatter my figure so I am not going to waste money on them.
I am going to think about this more and everything that does not fit in with my style has to go away from the wardrobe.

3. Basics
I shop trends but don't think basics deserve my hard-earned cash. Consequently, I have realised that I am missing a couple of key things that could tie together my outfits. These would be simple things like a black shirt or minimalist sandals. I am going to make a list of these and buy the most necessary ones.

4. Stop buying similar pieces
I am going to hang all like items together to see how many of the same thing I have. This way I will not buy more of them again.

5. Organize by outfits, not categories
This will drive more usage from a lot of things I own but do not wear much.

6. Shop wisely
I am going to shop while keeping outfits in mind. I will pay utmost attention to the 'feel and fit' of a piece. Now I really care about how a fabric feels on my body and I know a few brands that sell such fabrics. Time to get loyal, I guess!
I am going to use wish lists and shop them on a sale later to avoid impulse buys.
I will shop more only to replace the existing items or for things that I really need to complete *multiple* outfits, as I said before.

7. Footwear & Handbags
I will throw away those scuffed sandals and handbags! More than 1 scratch and the item goes out.
I will not spend a lot on footwear (except shoes) as they wear out too quickly.
I will stop buying trendy handbags with a gazillion colours because they do not go with my outfits.

8. Sell the pieces that do not speak to me anymore online or put up stalls to sell or just donate them. Pieces that look old and do not make me look shiny are sure to land in the donation box.

I hope these pointers will help you as well to achieve a boutique-like wardrobe for better peace of mind as well as to feel more confident and happy in your outfit choices every single day!

I was in Naples for the best trip of my life between 28 Mar - 1 Apr 2019 (i.e. right before the start of tourist season in and around the area). During these 4.5 days, my husband and I extracted as much from the trip as we possibly could. Our biggest challenge seemed to be hiking Mt Vesuvius and Pompeii the same day, without a rush. Here is the itinerary that we managed to pull off-

• Day 1- Land in Naples early morning and see Naples
• Day 2- Mt Vesuvius and Pompeii 
• Day 3- Ischia
• Day 4- Go to Caiazzo to eat the world's best pizza at Pepe in Grani (you will need to reserve a month in advance)
• Day 5- More pizza in Naples before departure at 3 pm

I would not get into the whole trip and rather stick to this post's headline- Yes, it is easily possible to hike Vesuvius and visit Pompeii the same day BUT ONLY IF you start the day early. Upon leaving our Airbnb in Naples at 8:30 am, we got 3 hours to spend in Pompeii after the Vesuvius hike, but we wished we had one hour more. Pompeii is huge so it needs time and another factor is how much of a history buff you are!

Connection details 
1. Naples to Vesuvius 
EAV bus was suspended while we were there and there is insufficient information related to its stops and timings. We were not very trusting of the tours/tourist buses either. So out of renting a car versus train, we picked the latter option.
We planned our train journey before going to bed the previous night, using Google Maps but the next day (and through rest of the trip), we realised that trains in Naples have delays and nothing runs as per the schedule on Google Maps. What can definitely be trusted is the LCD screen at the train station.

Leg 1 of the journey: Naples to Ercolano Scavi
We reached Porta Nolana train station (you can go to Garibaldi as well) and bought tickets for Poggiomarino 8:55 am but it arrived at 9:06 am and departed at 9:13 am. We double-checked with the locals on the train (the majority do not speak any English) if we were indeed headed to Ercolano Scavi. The train did not stop at all the stations and we reached Ercolano Scavi sooner than the 15 minutes ride that it was supposed to be. We had to pay keen attention to the announcement in the train to not miss our station.

Leg 2: Ercolano Scavi to Vesuvio
It was 10:30 am now and our original plan was to walk 40 metres to Panoramica bus stand and take the Vesuvio bus that would drop us at our destination in 30 mins. BUT we did not take that bus because as soon as we walked outside the train station, we saw a 'Vesuvio Express' (tours and travels) bus right in front of us, about to leave. It was a €20 return journey and add to that another €10 for the entrance ticket to Vesuvius National Park (which is the trail that you hike up to reach the crater). This entrance ticket can be bought after reaching Vesuvius as well. The bus returns for the pick up within about 90 minutes. The hike is an easy one, 30 minutes each side, so there is ample time to get the most out of it.
It is very windy at the top, so carry a windbreaker or a rain jacket.

2. Vesuvio to Pompeii
We came back to Ercolano train station with the same bus and boarded the Sorrento train to Pompeii Scavi station at 1:50 pm. As a result, we had 3 hours to explore the ruins of Pompeii from 2 pm to 5 pm (closing time).  3 hours were not enough for us (4 would have been ideal) and then it was time to head back to Naples.
Also, we took the audio tour at Pompeii but I recommend hiring a tour guide for the fun historical details they share. You can hire them at the entrance to the ruins.
Another tip- You could also choose to explore the ruins of Herculaneum (at Ercolano) instead. The site is less touristy and more intact.

3. Getting back to Naples
From Pompeii Scavi, we took a direct train back to Naples called Napoli Porta Nolana - about 40 mins ride, to enjoy more Neapolitan pizza!

Low blood pressure is the less important sibling to high blood pressure and so it is not talked about much. I have struggled with it in the initial days. With time, I learned how to conquer those days when it would just be impossible to get out of the bed.

1. Treat it as soon as the BP (blood pressure) goes down- Initially, I could not catch it right at the onset and would only realise that my BP has gone down when I would start to shiver. This is the worst stage and the sooner you catch it, the sooner it gets normal. So what are the symptoms that help you catch it early- feeling low for no reason, feeling light-headed, uncalled-for exhaustion, and blackouts when getting up the bed. These have always been the key indicators for me. For girls, it is almost like PMS so yes, I am sometimes unsure which of the two it is.
2. What to do when it gets too low- Firstly, it is important to know that the definition of low is always specific to an individual. My normal stats are 110/80 which could be low for some people. When it gets too low, your hands shiver, you probably won't feel your legs, feel energyless, and it gets impossible to move. Quickly have 1 glass of lemon water with 1 spoon salt and 1 spoon sugar. This will give you ample energy to go home and get to your bed.
3. What after the first-aid- 
• Increase liquid intake by manyfold: water, coconut water, sports drinks like Gatorade
• The savior- Keep a bottle full of glucose water with you and keep sipping on it throughout the day until it gets normal. This is the ultimate cure!
• Do not stay hungry. Eat little portions of easily digestible food (Khichdi for Indians)
• Without adequate rest, it is not going to get any better. Health is more important than all the other engagements.
• Black coffee, beetroot et al? They probably work but the things I mentioned earlier are stars!
4. Prevention- 
• Exercise regularly. It can be just 30 minutes walk on a daily basis
• Prevent over-exertion; know your stamina levels
• Avoid too much alcohol when you are stressed/tired
• Do not stress
• Avoid lemon and honey water in the mornings
• Avoid eating fruits that are just too citrusy like green apple, kiwi
• Keep a note of your triggers and avoid them in future
5. Can you trek with low BP?- yes! BP goes up on the mountains so it is actually good that you have low BP. I have gone on Himalayan treks with low BP on the previous day. On the other hand, trekking at high altitudes can get unsafe for high BP patients.

Low BP came with my genes. With these tips, my recovery period has reduced from a week to a couple days, it has stopped getting too low and the attacks have become rare. This makes me thankful that is it low BP that I deal with and not high *brighter side of things*. 

This is my experience and I would encourage you to share yours in the comments below.
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That being said, if your BP goes too low and does not seem to improve, see a doctor immediately. Extremely low BP can be fatal.

While there is no way to not let in the monthly visitor, there are definitely ways to make its stay more endurable. The hero of this post is not a debutant in the market, yet it is not commonly used. The prime reason for this seems to be fear. So let us try and conquer this fear-

What is a menstrual cup?
No marks for guessing that it is a cup- a cup that collects menstrual blood when placed inside the vagina. Once it is full, you need to empty it and re-insert. There is absolutely no need to empty & re-insert it multiple times a day as it is safe to go on for 12 hours. The exception to this is only that heavy-flow day when the cup fills up earlier. Yes, you read it right! So start your day with an empty cup and forget about it for the next 12 hours.
It comes in various sizes so that women of all ages and sizes can use it. Teenage girls would wear the smallest size and so on. 
I use Sikly cup in medium size. Read the product description to buy the right size for yourself. It usually retails for 300-700 INR.

My experience with it and why you should give it a try?
Like all new things, you will take a bit of time to get the hang of it and so did I. After 4-5 uses, I was a pro. I am a regular user and honestly, sometimes it makes me forget that I am on my period.
I came across menstrual cups online while I was frantically searching for tampon alternatives. I had heard of a model get Toxic Shock Syndrome because she kept the same tampon on for longer. 
And ta-da! My life changed!

If I could, I would kiss your forehead, hold your hands and say- do not miss out on it! It is such a boon-

• Does not give that wet feeling like sanitary pads. No stink!
• No need to change multiple days during the day like pads or tampons
• Very comfortable to wear once you get the hang of it, feels like it disappeared inside
• Go swimming with it
• Eco-friendly as nothing to dispose
• Budget-friendly as you do not need to buy pads/tampons every month. This is a one-time buy ladies!
• The use is painless, do not worry

and yes, unmarried/virgin women can use it too, ha-ha.

How to use it?

• Start with a sterilised cup and washed hands
• If the cup has a long stem, chop it off with scissors, leaving a very tiny bit so that you can hold it. This will be needed while pulling out the cup from the vagina.
• Poke your finger into the middle of the cup to make it look heart-shaped as in the image to the left
• Sit on the toilet seat (or in that position) and gently insert the folded cup into your vagina, with its narrowest side facing the vagina. Then push it downwards towards the base of your spine. The image above clearly shows that the cup should be placed downwards, in the vagina. Vagina has two openings- one for urination and the other one lets out the menstrual flow. If the cup is not properly placed then the blood will leak and it will get uncomfortable while passing urine.

• Once the cup has been inserted, hold it from the bottom and rotate it. You will hear it pop as the folded cup unfolds and takes the shape of your vagina. If it is easy to rotate that means you got it right. You can try and push it down further (while still holding it at the bottom, a little above the stem) if you feel that its hanging outside. Basically, when you get up and walk, you should not feel the presence of the cup.
• While you are still practicing using it, use a panty-liner or a pad along with it so that you're all covered
• Now how to take it out? Hold the stem and push- push your muscles there to move the cup a tad bit outside and then pull it out using the force of your fingers very slowly. It is completely hassle-free. Remember to keep it vertical during pulling out else the blood will spill out.

Keeping it clean
Since it goes in the deepest corners of you, ha-ha, it is very important to keep it clean.

• You will notice that it has two holes at the open end. To clean them, place the open end on your palm and squeeze the cup such that the debris in the holes gets pushed out.
• Before using it, boil it in water for a minute and then wash with a vaginal wash.
• Wash it between uses during the period with warm water when at home. When out, use clean water. You may use bottled water as well.
• After the period, wash with vaginal wash and keep it back in its pouch.

It is no rocket science. Just be patient for the first few tries and like everyone else, you will get supremely comfortable with it. It is really worth the frustrations of not getting it right initially- you have my word.
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Now go, let the redcoats attack!