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Travels in the Other Place: Pursuing the Self in Eight Acts
About the Book
'I HAD LONG ADVOCATED TRAVEL OUTSIDE ONE'S COMFORT ZONE IN MY WRITINGS. NOW I WOULD WALK THE TALK.'
From her bookish childhood in 1980s India to her 2022 shock cancer diagnosis in Spain, Pallavi Aiyar has been a lifelong wayfarer. Journeying through decades, languages and continents, she has gathered a kaleidoscope of lenses through which to view the terrain without, and the self within.
Travels in the Other Place is an original and insightful collection of personal essays that takes a deep dive into themes of identity and belonging across varied landscapes, both physical and metaphorical. Blending memoir, philosophy and travel writing, these are eight discrete encounters with the author at different ages, in different locations.
A witty and humane meditation that excavates the personal-illness, passports, parenting, even hair-to reveal sharp universal truths about navigating life in a globalised, yet fractured, world.
About the Author
Pallavi Aiyar is a territorially polygamous foreign correspondent, columnist and author. She has spent over two decades reporting from China, Belgium, Japan, Indonesia and Spain. She is the author of eight books. Pallavi writes a weekly newsletter on global travel and culture on The Global Jigsaw. She is currently based in Beijing, China.
'I HAD LONG ADVOCATED TRAVEL OUTSIDE ONE'S COMFORT ZONE IN MY WRITINGS. NOW I WOULD WALK THE TALK.'
From her bookish childhood in 1980s India to her 2022 shock cancer diagnosis in Spain, Pallavi Aiyar has been a lifelong wayfarer. Journeying through decades, languages and continents, she has gathered a kaleidoscope of lenses through which to view the terrain without, and the self within.
Travels in the Other Place is an original and insightful collection of personal essays that takes a deep dive into themes of identity and belonging across varied landscapes, both physical and metaphorical. Blending memoir, philosophy and travel writing, these are eight discrete encounters with the author at different ages, in different locations.
A witty and humane meditation that excavates the personal-illness, passports, parenting, even hair-to reveal sharp universal truths about navigating life in a globalised, yet fractured, world.
About the Author
Pallavi Aiyar is a territorially polygamous foreign correspondent, columnist and author. She has spent over two decades reporting from China, Belgium, Japan, Indonesia and Spain. She is the author of eight books. Pallavi writes a weekly newsletter on global travel and culture on The Global Jigsaw. She is currently based in Beijing, China.
- GenresTravel
228 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 15, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 7, 2026
Travels in the Other Place by Pallavi Aiyar is a reflective and quietly powerful book that stays with you long . It is not a typical travel narrative focused on destinations or adventures, but a thoughtful exploration of life through movement, memory, and self-discovery. The author’s journey across countries and decades feels deeply personal, yet it connects easily with the reader’s own questions about identity and belonging.
What makes this book stand out is the way Pallavi Aiyar blends memoir with philosophy and lived experience. Each essay captures a different phase of her life, shaped by language, culture, illness, and change. Whether she is writing about passports, parenting, or confronting cancer, her voice remains honest, sharp, and compassionate. There is a quiet strength in her storytelling that never seeks sympathy but invites reflection.
The writing is elegant and insightful, often witty, yet grounded in emotional depth. The book gently reminds us that the most important journeys are not always visible on a map. Instead, they happen within us, shaped by time, resilience, and awareness.
Travels in the Other Place is a meaningful read for anyone who enjoys books that make you pause, think, and see life through a wider, more thoughtful lens.
What makes this book stand out is the way Pallavi Aiyar blends memoir with philosophy and lived experience. Each essay captures a different phase of her life, shaped by language, culture, illness, and change. Whether she is writing about passports, parenting, or confronting cancer, her voice remains honest, sharp, and compassionate. There is a quiet strength in her storytelling that never seeks sympathy but invites reflection.
The writing is elegant and insightful, often witty, yet grounded in emotional depth. The book gently reminds us that the most important journeys are not always visible on a map. Instead, they happen within us, shaped by time, resilience, and awareness.
Travels in the Other Place is a meaningful read for anyone who enjoys books that make you pause, think, and see life through a wider, more thoughtful lens.
June 21, 2026
Ms Aiyar is top-of-the-pops when it comes to sheer craft. Her writing strides the fine line between easy fiction and high literature - intricately carved sentences but short enough that one doesn't get lost in them; a vocabulary two notches short of Shashi Tharoor's that teaches you new words but doesn't need you to reach for a dictionary twice every page, and; cleverly structured narratives that demand attention but don't exhaust you.
But what I liked even more about this book was how it uses "travel" as a metaphor for going into all sorts of places - geographies, languages, parenting, and illness among others. I've found this works really well for me - using travel as a way to think about life transitions and and how to best cope with them (Travels with Epicurus is my favourite example of that). And this book does that quite well.
All that said, by the last couple of essays took I found myself somewhat fatigued. The idea of "everything is travel" became a tad bit forced and an oversimplification. There's also some - I don't know to really describe it, but I'd hazard self-consciousness in the writing - that left me wanting for something less polished by the end.
Overall, a strong read. I'm definitely going to pick up more of her work.
But what I liked even more about this book was how it uses "travel" as a metaphor for going into all sorts of places - geographies, languages, parenting, and illness among others. I've found this works really well for me - using travel as a way to think about life transitions and and how to best cope with them (Travels with Epicurus is my favourite example of that). And this book does that quite well.
All that said, by the last couple of essays took I found myself somewhat fatigued. The idea of "everything is travel" became a tad bit forced and an oversimplification. There's also some - I don't know to really describe it, but I'd hazard self-consciousness in the writing - that left me wanting for something less polished by the end.
Overall, a strong read. I'm definitely going to pick up more of her work.
January 22, 2026
I loved this rich and powerful collection of essays that explores both external and internal "journeys." Unlike your typical travelogue that focuses solely on places, this book is a profound excavation of both the world and the self, and how the two are intertwined. I was so captivated by Aiyar's insight, empathy, magnanimity of spirit, and optimism.
Readers can expect to easily relate to this book, which is as educational as it is enjoyable. Aiyar brilliantly explores the globe with a dizzying array of lenses and invites the reader to examine the subjectivity of their own perspectives on the world.
The writing is keen and lucid, the storytelling is captivating, the information is fascinating, making it a book difficult to put down.
Readers can expect to easily relate to this book, which is as educational as it is enjoyable. Aiyar brilliantly explores the globe with a dizzying array of lenses and invites the reader to examine the subjectivity of their own perspectives on the world.
The writing is keen and lucid, the storytelling is captivating, the information is fascinating, making it a book difficult to put down.
July 24, 2026
If you enjoy travel writing that is intelligent, self-aware, and sprinkled with wit, this is an easy recommendation. I finished it feeling as though I'd travelled through places and through different stages of the author's life alongside her. I'm definitely going to pick up more of Pallavi Aiyar's books.
April 1, 2026
Candid, reflective and observant all at once. Pallavi talks about her illness, travels and grieving in an easy and nice style. But is a dakshana a bribe, or a ritual?
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews