Hi Reader, Sometimes things really do feel like luck. When I was in Sri Lanka, I needed to find a taxi driver for a day trip. I did what many of us do now: a quick search using AI, a look at a few Tripadvisor reviews, and I chose someone whose name kept coming up. When he arrived, I expected a simple transaction. A driver taking me from one place to another. But it turned into something more. We spent hours talking as we drove through the countryside. He told me about growing up in Sri Lanka,...

Hi Reader, I felt like sending you a photo from Japan today. I took this photo at Sandanbeki cliffs in Wakayama. What I remember about that moment is how quiet everything felt. The ocean was echoing through the rock, and the air smelled like salt. It’s one of those places where you naturally slow down without trying. I realized afterward that I don’t always give places that kind of time. Even on a solo trip, there’s this subtle pull to keep moving. To make the trip “worth it.” Standing there,...

Hi Reader, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about something I didn’t understand when I was younger. When I lived in India, I didn’t know that I was potentially unsafe as a woman. I lived there for two years, and it wasn't until after I left that I heard so many horror stories about the experiences of other women. I had small signals. When I went to the internet café, the browsing history was almost always porn sites. Consistently. And some friends told me that they kept their eyes on the road...