Nazneen Haque Mimi's Travel Journal

What makes travelogues intriguing still? Why do people still make an effort to read when complementing images alone can take one through a journey into the unknown— the chaos of a city; the sublimity of wilderness?

Photography does make it possible to capture and share, but stories do more. An able wordsmith can narrate the cacophony of a Sunday Market, the serenity of a desolate beach, the olfactory punch of street food, the language barrier and the feeling of alienation it often generates, the sense of belonging with the first realisation that we are not too different!

Travel stories of a modern age are different from what we had read before. They are now an amalgamation of visual treats, coupled with old-school flavours — a deconstruction of the worlds seen with a reconstruction by the author.

And this alone makes Mimi's Glimpses of Asia unique.

The readers of Star Lifestyle are no strangers to the works of Nazneen Haque Mimi. For over a decade, she has been the heart of Lifestyle's Home Decor segment, with occasional treats of her retreats into the heart of cultures around the world.

Mimi is different from other writers who contribute to the Travel section of the other lifestyle magazines. She sees the world not solely from the perspective of a traveller but also a designer. Nazneen Haque Mimi is on a perennial search of newer concepts for home decor, yet her writings are not a simple reflection of her professional pursuits. As a wandering globetrotter, she has the capacity to frame images in the mind, and put them in words. Not an easy feat by any means!

Why chose Asia when she has been to more distant lands? There are no definite answers to be found in this regard. She has also included some of her escapades within Bangladesh, and some even within the city. Maybe to introduce her readers to the cultural phenomenon that is Asia; possibly to highlight that we are Asian in every sense.

The cultures she speaks of are as close to us as they are alien. We gave as freely as we have absorbed and the whole Asian experience as we know it shall remain incomplete without covering this geographic location.

The book contains travelogues on countries like Laos, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Korea, Malaysia, India, Nepal, and of course, Bangladesh. Most of these countries have had a colonial past, the remnants of which are still noticeably clear in the lives of their citizens.

Formerly a student of social sciences, today Mimi is an accomplished interior designer, and columnist. Needless to say, Mimi's wanderlust, her eagerness to absorb elements and to incorporate them into her work has been central to her accomplishments and with all certainty, she is one of the most sought after interior designer in the country.

'Glimpses of Asia' simply reaffirms Mimi's attitude towards the world around her. Nazneen Haque Mimi is a global citizen, and as all readers will certainly appreciate that the book can make them taste the spice of it all.

Essential —

The Travel Journal: GLIMPSES OF Asia by Nazneen Haque Mimi is published by Journeyman Books. It is priced at Tk 1500 (US$ 60). For more information, please contact:

Journeyman, 10/6 Eastern Plaza, Sonargaon Road, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh. Or e-mail journeyman.interiors@gmail.com

Photo courtesy: Nazneen Haque Mimi