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Travel Tales from India and Abroad
Travel Tales from India and Abroad

Going Beautiful Places- Part 1

Posted on July 4, 2021June 21, 2025

I come from Gorakhpur, a small town in UP. Growing up, I only dreamed of traveling in a plane. I boarded a plane for the first time in 1999. I was traveling to Singapore to attend an academic conference while I was doing my Ph.D. at IIT Kanpur. I still remember the rush of the aircraft thundering through the runway and then suddenly taking off.

I got my first travel opportunity as an academic and then as a travel blogger. I feel immensely lucky to have traveled to 32 countries till date. And while all my travel has come to a grinding halt since March 2020 due to the pandemic, it is time to remember my trips.

1. Singapore

buddha-tooth-relic-temple-singapore

As I said Singapore was the foreign land I ever set my foot on! I was sitting inside conference rooms most of the time but I did manage to see a little of the city. Then I went back to Singapore in 2017 on a blogging trip! Singapore will always remain special to me!

2. Athens, Greece

Plaka Athens
Plaka Athens

I once again went to Athens for an academic conference in 2001. I was still a broke Ph.D. student. I still sat through a lot of papers in a conference room and I only saw a little of the city. I boarded a metro for the first time in Athens! I didn’t know how the system worked. I have come a long way since then!

3. Amsterdam and Groningen, The Netherlands

Amsterdam

I appeared in a post doc interview with the University of Groningen in 2002. Those were the days, they invited you to the city to take an interview. I managed to spend some time in Amsterdam too.  

4. Modena, Venice and Rome, Italy

the-colosseum-rome

I visited Modena as you know now, for an academic conference and I hopped over to Venice for a day trip from there. This was 2003. None of my pictures from this trip can be found. But I transited through Rome in 2017 along with my sister Alka. We did spend a night in Rome and managed some sightseeing.

So, these are the first four countries I visited. Not bad for a small town girl, who never thought she will travel the world. I even named my blog Travel Tales from India and added the ‘and Abroad’ bit much later.

This is to be continued!

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6 thoughts on “Going Beautiful Places- Part 1”

  1. Rahul Bhatia says:
    July 5, 2021 at 5:57 pm

    Wishing you, even more, travels post-pandemic!

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      July 7, 2021 at 11:29 am

      Thank you so much Rahul!

      Reply
  2. rupam { xhobdo } says:
    July 6, 2021 at 2:04 pm

    Loved the post and Beautiful reel videos.
    Stay well. Keep sharing.

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      July 7, 2021 at 11:29 am

      Thank you Rupam, you too stay safe!

      Reply
  3. Rajeev Moothedath says:
    July 8, 2021 at 12:19 pm

    Fond memories- Very nice…

    Reply
    1. Mridula Dwivedi says:
      July 8, 2021 at 6:37 pm

      Thank you Rajeev!

      Reply

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About Me

I am Mridula Dwivedi and I started this blog in 2005. It has been an amazing ride. I have visited 33 countries till date! I have worked with many tourism boards and prominent travel companies. My blog was featured on the BBC and the Guardian.

I did my Ph.D. from IIT Kanpur. I worked full time in academics till 2015! I quit my job as a professor, thinking I will take a break for one year, which turned into five.

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