Resources

Apps & Tools

• Obsidian.md — My language hub. Notes, vocab, and sentence breakdowns all live here.
• Spaced Repetition Plugin — st3v3nmw/obsidian-spaced-repetition. Simple flashcards, same vault. No switching apps.
• Google Translate — Not perfect, but good enough for quick checks and pronunciation hints.

Books

• Hindi Script Hacking by Judith Meyer & Naresh Sharma — A gentle and visual way to learn Devanagari.
• Get Started in Hindi by Dr. Rupert Snell — Practical grammar and phrases without the classroom stiffness.

Tips from Experience

• Describe your day. Out loud or in notes. Active recall beats passive review.
• Learn what you actually say. Focus on words from your real life, not textbook scenarios.
• Embrace mistakes. You’ll sound silly — that’s how you know you’re learning.
• Prepare for moments that matter. Meeting family, a festival, a trip — anchor your study to life events.

Languages & Frameworks

• Astro — For clean, content-first sites that don’t overcomplicate the stack.
• Tailwind CSS — My way of taming CSS chaos. Great for building small design systems fast.
• TypeScript — Future-proofing through types. Catch mistakes before catching these hands.

Tools

• Claude Code — Plan mode + Q&A is a huge lifesaver for scaffolding and refactors.
• Obsidian — Not just notes — quick architecture sketches, ideas, and code snippets.
• Gemini / ChatGPT — Useful for pattern recall, planning, and debate, but the docs still win for depth.

Learning Resources

• Staff Engineer by Will Larson — What “senior” actually means when coordination becomes the job.
• Designing Data-Intensive Applications by Martin Kleppmann — The systems book that’s worth revisiting every few years.

Philosophy

• Build frequently. Don’t wait for the perfect plan — iteration beats imagination.
• Read the docs. AI helps, but understanding comes from source and developer intent, not summaries.
• Use boring tech. Proven tools mean fewer surprises (Astro here is my exception — for learning).
• Separate spaces. At work I architect. At home I tinker. Both keep me sharp in different ways.

Planning

• ChatGPT — Great for rough itineraries and discovering local quirks before you go.
• TripAdvisor — Still useful for “things to do” and reading between the lines of reviews.

On the Road

• Google Maps (Offline Mode) — Download areas before you lose signal. A quiet lifesaver.

Gear

• Battery Pack — For when your phone dies mid-train or mid-hike.
• Small Backpack — Carry what you need, forget the rest.
• Sunscreen & Microfiber Towel — Compact, useful, and easy to forget.
• Kindle — Worth its weight (or lack thereof). Nothing better for slow mornings and long rides.

Philosophy

• Pack less than you think. Except underwear — bring plenty.
• Leave room for small joys. I pick up magnets; they fit anywhere.
• Buy intentionally. One meaningful item beats ten souvenirs.
• Learn a few phrases. Locals appreciate the effort, no matter the accent.
• Stay longer in fewer places. Two weeks per region usually feels right — enough to settle in, not enough to stagnate.

Apps & Tools

• Obsidian - Note-taking tool based on Markdown. Works well for me since it’s easy to publish Markdown online.
• Zettelkasten - A system for drafting quick thoughts and ideas while learning or exploring the world.

Books

• Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman - A sobering tale of spending your time wisely.

Tips from Experience

• Keep it simple, sanakee (सनकी)
• Don’t work on the process too much. I often find myself spending a tremendous time working on the system as I do with the system.