Hello All! I have a question that I'd be glad for some guidance on. When you book wheelchair assistance with an airline due to medical reasons/disability, is it valid for the entire trip? That's Security-Border Control-Boarding Gate at Departures, to Border Control-Baggage-Cab Pick up at Arrivals?

Five consecutive days of snow. No outdoor pictures because I injured myself on NYE so I’m mostly bed bound. 🥲 But I’ve heard it’s extremely pretty everywhere across NL!

Easily one of the finest shows out there on Indian OTT, but also one of the most criminally underrated ones. For the start of 2026, I found myself humming the intro theme of Rocket Boys, and simply had to re-share it. Composed by Achint Thakkar. #MusicSky www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztaV...

Wishing everyone on Bluesky a warm, joyous New Year ahead. Laal Salaam, may good prevail over everything!

Was listening to a podcast on the history of witch hunts in Scotland, and the podcaster raised a brilliant point on how most monuments are to men slain in wars (state murder). But no monuments exist to women who also participated in WW 1,2 in many roles. 1/3

A curse on everyone with terrible spatial awareness or consideration who reaches the top or bottom of an escalator, and then calmly proceeds to open up their suitcase handle to start wheeling it. Meanwhile the people right behind are about to start tripping over or slamming into them.

Was listening to the Gaelic song that opens the first episode of Blood of My Blood, and it never ceases to fascinate me that all mountain or hill songs from cultures worldwide have a similar surreal quality to them. I suppose it's a lot to do with the geography of these regions too.

Easily one of my top faves. #MusicSky www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT5K...

Happy Birthday to my late Dad. He’d have turned 70 today! ❤️ My brother and mum baked a date walnut cake for him in memory.

Bird-mad 16 year old me would not have believed her ears if someone had gone up to her then, and told her she’d one day see a famed Archaeopteryx specimen! It took 23 years but was well worth the wait. I soaked in the moment in front of the case like a sponge. 😍

What’s considered to be the original tune of Vande Mataram by Tagore. I absolutely love how it sounds more moving than the eventual popular version we know today. This version had many famous pre-independence Bengali singers who came together to essay it. #MusicSky youtu.be/Yqo3yA6Rgs0?...

Everything about contemporary Indian politics makes sense when one sees that the country is auto-colonising.

Oooh Claire Fraser wearing an Ajrakh robe in S07 of Outlander! Guess this was creative license by the costume department? I’d guess Ajrakh if traded in the 1700s, would only be affordable for the super elite cause of the complexity in dyeing and printing? Claire here dons it as a casual night robe.

In a small Spanish town which is considered to be the cradle of Flamenco, I randomly found a restaurant selling pani puri shells stuffed with ricotta, pesto, sun dried tomatoes and anchovies. I’d have hundred percent tried this but it wasn’t available. 🥲

Earlier today, I was notified that someone was at my door. This is who it was:

It‘s always such a pleasure running into Pakistanis across Europe. They only hold incredible generosity, curiosity, and warmth for Indians. In the middle this year I met Italian speaking Peshawaris and today, Spanish speaking Sialkot waale.

I'd really like to watch a diaspora film on how an Indian upper caste family living in the west (or any other part of the world) grapples with the spectre of Hindutva. As enablers, as imposers (both in India and overseas), as practitioners, reactionaries, as impacted.

Carly Rae Jepsen needs to come to the Netherlands to perform. Please take my money. I need all the tracks from EMOTION on surround sound, live on a stage. I need to dance and dance into the night until my back hurts and be reminded that standing concerts aren't for my old bones. :D

Had clean forgotten about this film! One from a brief period from mid 2000s-early 2010s indie films, sandwiched between the shite Telugu cinema has been steadily peddling out since the 90s. This number is possibly the finest of the soundtrack. :) #MusicSky #TeluguSongs youtu.be/PcMTSfFZRe0?...

Ate store bought brioche dipped in home made sambaar. No one can protest, no laws, these are uncharted waters, the age of discovery and the onset of culinary heritage to be passed down to future generations in the Netherlands. hehe. hehehe. :D

If you are ever in Delhi, you *must* attend one of Pooja's type walks. It's easily one of the most unique experiences of the city. :) I have been incredibly lucky to go on two of her walks and learned immensely!

I haven't forgotten my song posting ways. :D Bringing this lovely cover by Pritt, a British Eelam Tamil songstress back onto the timeline cause can it ever go out of fashion? :) #MusicSky www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVuX...

Many well-off young folks in India and Pak say they want someone like Mamdani representing them at assemblies but possibly haven't acknowledged to themselves that what they imagine is someone from an in-group who is polished and sounds comforting; not stokes fear or hate like older politicos. 1/2

I had stopped watching cricket ages ago; exhausted by the testosterone, the saturation of matches, and the obscene money on it in India. Thanks to enthu friends and news reports by acquaintances of India’s women’s team making it to the ICC Final, I was glued to the screen today. AND BY GOSH! ❤️

Who's solving the louvre robbery? Right answers only

After it stewed about my subconscious for years, my brain finally put it together! This scene from S03E2 (aired 2000) of Sex and the City has a mural in an Indian restaurant which was enlarged from an illustration by the Telugu artist Bapu! An interesting choice by the art dept!

I ❤️ independent cinema theaters in NL! The one I go to usually in my town, has been super kind. Once I missed watching Santosh cause I read the date wrong, and they gladly switched the showtime to the following day because I had already paid for the ticket. 1/2

If you’re looking for a super cosy and heartwarming watch, much like a bowl of porridge, then The Golden Spurtle is screening widely! Took a chance and watched it at the town indie cinema, and came away feeling warm and gushy. Perfect for autumn!

It was through a reel of his little son identifying the swaras in every song instinctively for a family friend of his that I learned of Ramakant Gaikwad. His rendition of Aan Milo Sajna is simply atmospheric for a crisp, magical autumnal night. #MusicSky www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x7F...

Mandatory Pujo 2025 photo!

Truly abhor that exoticising, model minority strain of thinking among desi diaspora whose politics are wishy washy; where if you as a woman wear kurtas or sarees in the west, you’re trying to show off, impose hyper-nationalism, or are conservative/hyper religious. Anything but comfy in your skin.

Been tracking Sabr Bonda ever since Jim Sarbh mentioned in an interview at the start of the year, that he had co-produced it. Caught a screening in AMS today. A beautiful portrait of queer love set in rural Maharashtra, with an absolutely rooted story and gaze. Screening globally, please watch!

Arunachali performer Taba Chake will be in Amsterdam next weekend! :) serioustimepassfilms.com/events/taba-...

Hyderabad based Pranav Pingle Reddy's documentary on a group of Falastini artists and their enduring relationship to their home, is possibly one of the finest out there. Currently on Mubi, highly recommend watching it. homegrown.co.in/homegrown-cr...

Ooof, this beautiful scene set to this stunning song showed up on my YT playlist after ages. It’s also one of those syncretic Indian instances of a ceremonial Sanskrit shloka used by Gulzar in a song set to music by Rahman. We need this India back. :( #MusicSky youtu.be/I1pTqx8u9PY?...

Tried Senegalese Lamb Dibi with some red rice the other night. Lord I thank you for the gift of life. I could eat Dibi for the rest of my time here on Earth. Dare I say, a good dibi can give most subcontinental kebabs a run for their money?

Watched a very sweet video of a family offering an Onam fruit sadya to birds, and they had grey hornbills visit the table! Reminded me of Zika the Wreathed Hornbill of Mizoram that Nimesh Ved had reported on to the wider birding community in India. 1/2

After having shamelessly slept through a 4K restoration of Ran (thanks to a long train journey and food coma), managed to finally make Yojimbo my first Kurosawa. :D

Wondering how financially viable it would be for the Indian left media to offer bundle digi subscriptions. It's expensive on readers to patronise multiple individual outlets. I'd love an affordable fee/year to access collabs like scroll+newsminute+newsclick or Frontline+Caravan etc.

Finding Safety, is a painting I’m working on today of a long tailed tit building its nest in the heart of a San Damiano cross. It must wait now for a beak full of nesting materials because coffee is calling me and I can no longer resist

Are other Indians (residents, PIOs, NRIs, OCIs) observing a dreadful uptick online in the justification of brutal hate crime against Indian/Indian origin people overseas with things such as “karma,” or a generalisation of a 32mn people as fascists/sanghis? It’s been making me deeply nauseous.

Kandukondain is easily one of the most timeless songs and a fave of millions for all the right reasons. I particularly love the opening shot of the song where Abbas rides up to the shore (of Eilean Donan in Scotland) in a boat beautifully lit at sunset. #MusicSky www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1V8...

Here to report that I tried my first Cremino (the Venchi version with almond and hazelnut) while I have lost all sense of smell and taste. :D The texture floored me though. Can’t wait to try one properly when whatever awful illness I’ve caught wears off. hehehe!

AI slop plagiarists from @virginmusic.com ripping off (2025, L) our OG Tamil Pulp Fiction cover by Shyam & Malavika (2008, R). Tauba Tauba indeed 😡

I need to find a sattu powder supplier in NL.

Drank around 600ml of concentrated bottled chicken bone broth in a feverish daze. Discovered it expires in 2029. I am now a ‘roach. Indestructible.

Was clearly living under a rock and possibly on the wrong timeline or algo cause no one I knew even sent this my way? Ever since I heard Tambdi Chambdi on a reel from the Berlin pride blasting this from a float, I’ve been hooked. :) Der but durust! #MusicSky youtu.be/kmjeMrjOjFA?...

Managed to see a fire salamander and a white throated dipper thanks to my spouse who is a master spotter, on a short trip to Schliersee+Partnachklamm! 😍

I appreciate my mother’s dedication to changing her whatsapp display photo regularly. Her go to seems to be cropped images of flora from a rotation of “good morning,” or “happy Gurupoornima” type forwards.