HarPiyTravel

Discovering Switzerland’s Best Local Dishes: Raclette & Fondue

August 10, 2026

Reading Time: 2 minutes
What’s the best local dish you’ve ever eaten while traveling?

Hmm, that’s an interesting question. First, I am not a foodie, but I like to try different kinds of food. My favorite cuisine is Italian, followed by Mexican, Thai, Indian and Mediterranean. Traveling gives you the chance to try local dishes in the most authentic ways.

I am a coffee person, so the first thing I do when visiting a place is find the local coffee shops. So far, I have visited numerous cafes across the USA, and a few of them are still fresh in my mind because of their divine taste.

Coming back to food, although I have been to many places over the years, one particular dish stole my heart in Switzerland during my business trip there 12 years back. The dish was Raclette. While writing this, there is a flood of water in my mouth.

I was in Switzerland during Christmas time, so it was super cold. There was this Christmas market; my manager and I were exploring food options, and then we noticed a shop serving melted cheese on bread and boiled potatoes, along with pickles. Being a vegetarian and cheese lover, it looked amazing.

The taste was superb; the idea was to eat it quickly before the cheese got hard. Every night of our stay there, we had the same dish. I noted down its name and tried making it at home as well, but it turned out to be too messy.

Another dish from the same trip was Fondue. That was a typical cheese fondue with breadcrumbs to dip as a side. It was the best fondue I’d ever tried. I really miss Switzerland now. Going to a nostalgia trip.

Happy Reading! Keep Traveling!!!
The Missing Lesson: Financial Management in Schools

August 9, 2026

Reading Time: < 1 minute
What’s a thing you wish schools actually taught?

Schooling is the most important phase in anyone’s life. That’s when we learn the basics and also which career path we should explore; everything is based on our schooling. In short, it’s the foundation of our career and life.

I was educated in India; I don’t know much about schooling in the USA. But there are so many reforms needed in schools in India that I can make a list.

Although there are so many things that must have been taught in schools, or should be emphasized, Finance is something I wish schools would have taught us. We are taught how to make income, but we were never told how to manage it. We learn this by ourselves through experience.

Not only in schools, but these things are also not taught in colleges. Although we had this Financial Management subject in our master’s, I don’t recall anything about the practical management of finance beyond debit and credit rules and balance sheets, which is very boring.

We spend a good amount of our lives accumulating wealth, but many of us are not aware of what to do with that wealth. We need to make sure we have the emergency funds we need for unexpected situations, and that we have proper protection, proper diversification of our investments, and proper tax management.

This all should be part of the course curriculum so that one can be financially independent with proper planning.

Happy Reading! Keep Traveling!!!
Meet Pixie: The Cat Who Chose Us

August 8, 2026

Reading Time: 2 minutes
Share a photo of your pet and tell us one thing that makes them uniquely them.

Our pet is a cat, and her name is Pixie. She is a darling. She is the most wonderful cat I have ever known. I am not saying it because she is our cat; she is actually a good cat.

Her arrival at our house is by destiny. We never thought we would be adopting a cat, but it happened anyway. One of the interns in my office sent an email about some sheltered cats waiting to be adopted.

I asked Harmit whether we should give the cat a home. We met with that intern, and without much thought, we welcomed Pixie to our home. You know what she was destined to be at your house; the previous owner had a cat too, so we already had cat entry/exit doors in our main bedroom and basement.

Now she is a family member, and I call her my beti (daughter). Whenever I come home from the office, she loves me for a long time, and that’s a great stress relief. She sleeps with us and is friendly with everyone, including our guests. There hasn’t been a single episode where she scratched my boy or any other guests.

She understands us very well, including our Hindi. These days, she has this new thing where she goes to our backyard and chases rabbits and birds. She is a peaceful, quiet, and understanding cat. We are blessed to have her.

Happy Reading! Keep Traveling!!!
Life-Changing Advice: What I Learned from My Dad

August 7, 2026

Reading Time: < 1 minute
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

These days, everyone is ready to give you advice; everyone is a genius and has their own theory about success, parenting, health, nutrition, and all such areas. And that too when they are not experts in those areas. But someone in your life gives you life-changing advice, either from their life experiences or their expertise.

I believe in listening to everyone, but do what you truly believe in. There is this flood of information floating around us; we need to maintain our sanity without being influenced by it. We have to use our wisdom before implementing anything. These days, everyone is a life coach and health coach.

The best piece of advice came from my dad. It wasn’t a direct one, but he told me many times, indirectly, to be grateful to God for the life I have. And over time, I realized there are so many out there more talented than me, more deserving than me, who are still struggling for some reason. I am grateful to have a successful career, a beautiful wife, an amazing boy, a supportive family, and Almighty God with me.

I make sure to show my gratitude to God and Mother Nature for the life I have. When multiple factors align, we reach our goals. Don’t take too much pride in yourself; be humble and respect everyone.

Happy Reading! Keep Traveling!!!
Overcoming Worries: My Journey to Confidence

August 6, 2026

Reading Time: < 1 minute
What’s something you used to worry about but don’t anymore?

This question is very thought-provoking. There are so many things in life that I used to worry about, but over the years I’ve achieved some of them and gained enough maturity not to worry about the things I don’t own yet. Instead, I work towards achieving them.

Thinking back, I used to worry a lot about how my career would shape up. I am epileptic and used to have those fits very regularly. My worst episodes were during my master’s, and they also had a major negative impact on my memory.

That time, it was unthinkable to have a great career, a great wife, and a wonderful son. Forget the USA; coming out of my hometown, Mathura (U.P.), India itself was a big thing for me. It was hard to think about a solid career and having a family.

My parents supported me like anything and gave me hope of a bright future. We tried multiple treatments and then finally found a working solution at Max Hospital, Delhi, India. The treatment brought me back to normalcy. I still take medicines for epilepsy, and it’s been more than 10 years since my last episode.

Thanks to my parents for supporting me, thanks to my wife for choosing me despite my imperfections, and to God, who showed me this phase that sparked my spiritual awakening and made me stronger.

Happy Reading! Keep Traveling!!!