Bitten by the Travel Bug

Actor Amol Parashar of TVF Tripling fame had a packed travel calendar for 2019. He talks to PRIYANKA CHAKRABARTI about his most bizarre and memorable adventures of the year.

- Priyanka Chakrabarti

How was 2019 travel-wise? Any bizarre experiences?

Last year, I had the opportunity to travel to multiple countries. I went on several road trips, and each trip had some unique experiences. One bizarre trip that I will remember all my life was the one to China. I ate a live shrimp! Before the trip, I wasn’t sure that I was going to go through with it, but I did find the courage in the moment.

Tell us more about your China trip.

I was expecting China to be full of surprises, and it didn’t let me down. From the local culture to the food and the infrastructure, everything was unique. We drove to the Yellow Mountain (Huangshan); it was spectacular. The little town of Xintang in Guangdong province was an interesting place, as it has been preserved the way it was 500 years ago.

Did you discover any interesting restaurants?

We visited Robot. He, located on the outskirts of Shanghai, where food was being served by robots. You ordered on an app and the food was delivered to your table by robots that moved on a conveyor belt. China has been using technology in innovative ways, and this is just another example of that.