Confessions of a Loud Tourist

Chai with Ghai

Mar 31, 2025

Hello chai drinkers, welcome back to March’s edition of CwG!

If you were to think about the person you were five years ago, how similar would they be to the one you see in the mirror today?

Lately, I’ve been sitting with this question a lot. Not because I resent my past self, but because I’m trying to understand what led to my changes. I don’t think this recent reflection is rooted in gratitude for how far I’ve come — it’s more about a fear of slipping backward.

As life gets busier, I sometimes feel like I’m losing control. The habits I worked so hard to build are fading, and with them, the version of me today.

I wonder if any of you feel this way, too?

Another Old Man Story

This past weekend, I saw an old man struggling to climb the subway stairs with his luggage. Usually a typical, ignorant New Yorker, this time I surprisingly chose to offer him help — I carried his bags while he gripped the railings with both hands to make his way up.

While I thought I’d feel great about myself, I was instead left wondering: What made me help this one time? Was I actually a kind, helpful person, or was I just seeking some self-gratifying relief after an emotionally rough day?

Then again, in true New Yorker fashion, I brushed those thoughts aside and jaywalked my way back to my apartment.

March Wrap Up…

Away from the philosophical stuff, let's focus on the fun stuff!

Wine Class🍷

I finally attended one of CBS’s Wine Classes, where they walk you through region-specific wines… and you slowly get drunk in the name of education.

After the class, they auctioned off the remaining bottles to whoever could guess the price correctly. And guess who nailed it?

Enjoying my free $50 half-bottle of wine

Talent Show🎸

I finally crossed off the to-do, and performed at the CBS talent show! Here’s a snippet of my performance:

Japan and Korea

I also visited Japan and Korea this past month and loved it. Since you all can ~~Google~~ (ChatGPT) what these countries are like, I won't bore you with things to do. Instead, I'll share five completely random personal takeaways from this experience:

Driving in Japan and Korea feels eerily similar to India—my heart rate shot up every time I rode shotgun. Turns out, drivers aren't fans of music or loud noises either; I got shushed twice for speaking at what I genuinely thought was my normal volume 😂.
Turns out historical sites aren’t my thing anymore (so much for childhood dreams of becoming a history professor). Instead, exploring local food spots, cozy bars, and cafes in Korea and Japan brought me the most joy.
Starting to feel quite tipsy after just one drink, I learnt about the Shampoo Effect from my friend Bri.
Bri, an aspiring rancher
I initially thought that traveling with friends was a medium to enhance the trip experience, but instead, the trip itself became a meaningful medium to enhance my friendships.
Next time, I'm traveling with an empty suitcase—because I didn’t do nearly enough damage at the vintage and thrift stores.

Honorable Mention: Trash cans are mythical creatures in Japan and Korea. I carried around empty coffee cups like prized possessions—it was a real struggle

For the fitness folks

To stay consistent with my workouts, I found it super helpful to set up a workout + supplement tracker. Every time I felt tempted to skip, visualizing the satisfaction of ticking off the day’s workout pushed me to hit the gym. Additionally, planning out specific days and times for my workouts made a huge difference. In short, using the implementation intention and habit tracker techniques from Atomic Habits, I partially managed to prioritize health and wellness even while traveling.