For this blog post, I’d like to step back from Costa Rica and talk about what kindled (or rekindled rather) my love for travel. A few years ago, in a hospital in California, I had recently been told that I had Crohn’s disease and would need surgery based on how advanced the symptoms were. That episode of hospitalization, tests, multiple surgeries, bowel rest/NPO (meaning no food or drink), and general depression lasted close to 19 weeks. Since I was a child, travel has always been a point of excitement for me, after all, I moved to the states from India, have had a passport since I was under a year old, and had extensive family to visit in far flung places.





That was 19 weeks of sitting alone in a quarantined hospital room with only 3 channels on my TV. The food network which sparked my interest in cooking, an unwatchable fuzzy national geographic, and the Travel Channel. I spent endless hour watching shows, reruns, interviews, tours, and of course travel hosts longing for an escape from my life at the time. One host struck a chord with me over all the others. Being sarcastic, pragmatic, and sometimes rather caustic, I was drawn to similar characteristics in Anthony Bourdain. Here was a chef, who loved travel, waxed poetic, and described the world I longed to be a part of again, in colorful terms. While his love for pork, travels through SE Asia, the zany antics of his Russian friend Sameer, and his blatant abuse of alcohol were all good and part of the mix, his delivery of profound and deep thoughts in a laid back, unassuming way was what I enjoyed the most.









News of his apparent suicide last year struck me harder than anything had in a very long time. I would never get to meet this man and thank him for his work. I wouldn’t be able to tell him that his show helped pull me out of depression, greatly impressing my medical team at the time. I would never be able to regale him with stories that express my own love of travel, all things pork, and refreshing alcoholic beverages. We live in a heavily politicized world now where people find it acceptable to denigrate their fellow human beings. The focus on what makes us different (in a bad way) has taken a turn for the worse. In spite of his politics and personal beliefs, Tony spent the time to get to understand the other side of the coin. His shows often featured elements that were directly opposed to his personal views (like Ted Nugent, coal miners, gun enthusiasts, communists… the people behind the view).





Dear reader, the world lost someone that we can hardly afford to lose for the times in which we live. Depression is a difficult cross to bear and it has toppled many a goliath. Suicide is a harsh reminder that many have displayed the courage and fortitude to withstand the onslaught of depression for longer than they are able. Even the most isolated person in the world is not truly alone, neither are you. PLEASE reach out to someone, anyone, me… and don’t lose hope.

For my part, I hope my travels help me understand other viewpoints. My ode to Anthony Bourdain is using the inspiration from him, travelling around the world, understanding the culture, meeting the people, eating the food, living the life I have seen him live over the years. My friend, wherever I travel, I promise to raise a glass (caipirinhas if I can find them) to you and remember your legacy… Keep on adventuring!!!