Fly with me

When people would ask me where I live, which city I actually call home, I’d enjoy giving my vague answer of a bit of here and a bit more of there. If a friend was present when I was posed this question, there would be a giggle as they waited to hear the convoluted explanation. I think that’s what I’ll miss most about my nomadic life. Giving a straightforward normal answer might be a tad bit boring.

My travelling certainly won’t stop — dare I even wish this — but I’m willing it to mellow down. I have a new place in Dubai, a “home” I guess, and I actually want to enjoy the process of living somewhere, travelling of course, but coming back home, unpacking, making my own meal (I deem myself a secret cook so now it’s time to prove that to myself) and just lounging on my own couch. The weird thing is, I’ve never been in any rush to have a home, but since we’ve found and decided on the place, I just have this desperation to move in.

I say this as I sit in London, a quick last trip before really “moving” to Dubai, and I feel a slight pinch realising just how much I love my home city. The sun might be streaming in today as I write this — it’s easy to love London on a summer’s day — but there is an incandescent energy about this city even on a cold grey day; there’s always the theatre, the beauty of the historic buildings, the element of modernism here and there, the distinctive energy as Christmas approaches and the parks, filled with brown crisp leaves in October and November. But then, I have found this new appreciation and adoration for London since I moved away a few years ago. And so, if there is one thing that living in Dubai can give me, it is to come back to London and to rediscover it each time, to love it even more, and to always be grateful for being British ... and Indian!

In light of the fact that I might want to travel a bit less, I think I’m going to change this column, which I’ve been scribbling for the past two and a half years. I am, as you would expect of a person who gets itchy feet every few weeks, scared about making this move, I’m taking a deep breath as I write this, but considering I’m so into my food, into finding alternative, healthy, unique options, into concocting with this supplement and taking that vitamin, a food column might be an exciting change.

That is a long-winded way of saying that I’ll be telling you all about my fun veggie finds, about being a vegetarian in Dubai and travelling as a vegetarian. I might still write about travel for the next few weeks, until I come up with the right name, and of course any suggestions are welcome mail@meera-ashish.com) but this is just to tickle your taste buds. I’m finally ready to kiss goodbye to nomadism ... So here’s to “home”. Let’s see how long it lasts.

Follow Meera Ashish on www.talefourcities.com and @meeraashish and @talefourcities