It was love at first sight, for both of us. The first thing that hit me was the piercing blue of the Indian Ocean as my flight descended and the island came into view. The first thing that hit my best friend was the whisky her future husband poured her on their first date.
A lucky swipe on a dating app brought my college bestie and Dubai girl, Vimla Nadkarni, together with Didier Hubert, island boy from Mauritius. Two years in, they were sending out invitations to their wedding on the island nation.
As an overly enthusiastic maid of honour, I arrived early in Mauritius to get the lay of the land. Fields of sugarcane lined wide roads—I made a mental note to stock up on the rum.
At some point, after I crossed 25, my relatives and even the most distant family friends began to unsubtly comment on my relationship status. At a wedding, my mother’s friend insisted it was time to find someone to take care of me. On my 28th birthday, an aunt I rarely hear from rang up to ask if she should find me a “nice Goan boy”.
So when Vimla sent a slightly unintelligible voice note saying she was engaged, it got me thinking. Was there something wrong with me? Why wasn’t I dreaming of marriage and babies and galloping off into the sunset? (Though I wouldn’t mind that last bit.) I was approaching the bitter end of a rather painful relationship and felt a bit jaded about the thought of everlasting love.
This story is from the December 2020 - January 2021 edition of Condé Nast Traveller India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 2020 - January 2021 edition of Condé Nast Traveller India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Made In Nagaland
From home textiles to jewellery, clothing, and more, here are the 10 Naga craft brands you need to know. By Sohini Dey
TOKYO RIGHT NOW
As impossible to pigeonhole as ever, the Japanese capital is buzzing with fresh influences and new ideas
RAISING RAI: WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS
Raghu and Avani Rai on connecting via worlds seen through their lenses.
GILDED WATERS
Paula Hardy boards one of the last remaining dahabiyas on the Nile for a different perspective of Egypt's storied river
THE GIRL WITH GRAND DESIGNS
Gauravi Kumari is part of Jaipur's new creative set that is bringing fresh perspectives to the city's design legacy.
A FACE FOR ADVENTURE
Retooling the iconic Rolex GMT-Master II for fresh explorations.
THE GRAND seduction
Palermo's chaos, swagger, and temperamental charm cast a hypnotic spell.
Rhythm Divine
Wherever you go in Gwalior, the myth and magic of Tansen are inescapable, as Sam Dalrymple finds out.
IDEAL WORLD
Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan explains why he went ahead with the publication of Bethlehem, his celebratory cookbook.
NUJUMA, A RITZ-CARLTON RESERVE SAUDI ARABIA
On alittle-visited Red Sea archipelago, the Middle East’s first Ritz-Carlton Reserve reflects both untapped nature and hyperreal modernity, finds Noo Saro-Wiwa.