Prologue :

Like many others as a kid, I had a fascination of aeroplanes and wanted to become a pilot. As time went by, as a teen I wanted to study aeronautical engineering, and eventually my dream came true. From my humble roots as a government employee’s son in Bangladesh, with a scholarship to study overseas I began my first journey. Over the next three decades, I was fortunate to hop on aeroplanes again and again. The journeys across the continents opened my eyes, helped me overcome prejudice, taught me invaluable life-changing lessons, and even helped me become a better professional. These journeys are not necessarily the stories of success, but rather about a quest to see the world, meet new people, try new food, and find happiness in the little things from around the world. Small happy moments from these journeys made me feel good, be appreciative, and change my perspective. Over the years, both the positive and negative experiences made me realize that happiness is not about being cheerful all the time: it is necessary to develop a state of mind to find a peaceful space and stay happy. I began to look at things from a different perspective and become more appreciative of the contribution of others for my success, particularly that given to me by my parents, siblings, spouse, and children. For a long time, I was under the misapprehension that where I am today was the result of my education and hard work alone. The fact of the matter is that I couldn’t be here today without the help, support, and sacrifice of my family members and close friends. The biggest takeaway from the three decades of journey is that

Happiness can be found in the simplicity around us.

Contents :

• Dhaka - Moscow - Kiev (DAC - SVO – KBP)
• Kiev – Moscow – Tbilisi (IEV – VKO – TBS)
• Trip to Tbilisi – Georgia
• Kiev to Berlin
• Kiev – Riga – Moscow – London (IEV – RIX – VKO – LHR)
• London – Amsterdam – Kiev
• Dhaka – Delhi – Kiev (DAC – DEL – KBP)
• Kiev – Saint Petersburg (IEV – LED)
• Kiev to Prague (KBP – PRG)
• Dhaka – New York (DAC – JFK)
• Rochester – Toronto
• Toronto – Washington DC (YYZ – IAD)
• Washington DC – Toronto (IAD - YYZ)
• Toronto to Winnipeg (YYZ – WPG)
• Winnipeg to Toronto (WPG – YYZ)
• Vancouver to Sydney (YVR – SYD)
• Brandon to Minneapolis
• Toronto to Barcelona (TOR – BCN)
• Toronto – New Delhi (YYZ – DEL)
• Winnipeg to Edmonton (WPG – YEG)
• Mumbai to Bangalore (BOM – BLR)
• Toronto – Paris (YYZ – CDG)
• Toronto – Florence (YYZ – FLR)
• Toronto to London (YYZ – LHR)
• Toronto to Cancun and Paris (YYZ – CUN – CDG)
• Toronto to Lyon and Varadero (YYZ – LYS – VRA)
• Toronto to Copenhagen to Tallinn and Paris (YYZ – CPH – TLL – CDG)

Epilogue :

It’s been a few months since I lighted that last cigar in Paris. Shortly after our return from France I started a new job at another Ontario-based college as an executive, and a severe global pandemic shook the world within the first 100 days of my employment. Many countries, including Canada, began to fight a multitude of crises: health, economic, and social crises. Consequently, air travel was banned, and the tourism, hospitality, and airline industries began to experience a deep recession. About a year later, in 2021, several vaccines were globally commercialized and brought hope for many travel-lovers like me. While I eagerly await the lighting of my next cigar in a new place, I take the time to remember the top ten life lessons I learned through three decades of journeys:

1. Happiness can be found in the simplicity around us.
2. Risk and reward go hand in hand.
3. If you must fight (hit back) against discrimination or an insult, the best way is to get an education and strive for success. Turn anger into motivation for success and prove the hateful people wrong.
4. Never underestimate how powerful a consistent branding and offering can really be (this has been true since the medieval era).
5. Live within your means, and don’t live off savings; they will end.
6. Take time to savour food, wine, and your surroundings.
7. Do what is right for you; it’s your life.
8. Don’t stop dreaming, Dream Big!
9. It is ok to fail; it will make you stronger.
10. Always keep the big picture in mind.

A fter 50 years of life, 10s of addresses across seven countries, 15 years of marriage with 2 kids, lots of laughter, countless memories through these journeys across 45 countries and three continents, I believe the best is yet to come. I have yet to complete my bucket list, and I’m looking forward to the next three decades…