Category: A Minimalist’s Memoir

A visit to Eva Peron’s grave. A tango show over dinner. Picturesque views of the magnificent Andes. Meh. Nothing could ever hold a candle to our memories of Argentinian beef.  We flew to Buenos Aires from Brazil and soon after, headed to Mendoza for wine-tasting. Driving near Tupungato, a wine region several hours away, we…

At a meeting in Lanzhou, China, on the ancient Silk Road, we ate sunflower seeds and discussed spread sheets.   Rodney’s attack of sciatica began in Istanbul. It worsened on our long flight to China from Dubai. Still, at the public marketing event, he smiled widely for a picture. (Nice corsage, eh?) And in the evening,…

The flight from Mumbai arrived at dawn. Our first stop was Port Louis, the capital. Mauritius serves as offshore headquarters for Maple Bear East Africa.  In a nondescript office building, in a conference room inexplicably painted pink, we held a board meeting. Where the hell had we landed? Mauritius discombobulates. A population of French-speaking South…

Good morning, Vietnam!  The dinky plane bounces off the runway. At the Dalat Palace, in the former French colonial hill station, Catherine Deneuve in Indochine haunts us over high tea. Next, an exciting but terrifying bus ride to the coast to Nha Trang. To relax, we rent bathing gear and soak in a barrel of mud. Small…

New locations for Maple Bear were scouted. And, research of Nairobi preschool market conducted, albeit using harmless subterfuge. Raj played our son-in-law while our other partner wondered aloud: Who am I supposed to be? “Uncle Saurabh”, we told him. After passing by the Westgate Mall, I foolishly downloaded Terror at the Mall. Horrific nightmares ensued. Surreal dinner on…

“It’s good you will be staying for three nights.”   Mohammed, the concierge at Marrakesh’s Le Meridien spoke calmly. The cranky business travelers apologized. Our road to Morocco had many potholes.  The puddle jumper flight delayed from Lisbon. Rush school tours in Rabat and Casablanca. Eid al Mubarak sightings: a sheep riding shotgun in a taxi;…