@rgumental @dvisor

Excerpts from a conversation with a person who works as a cleaning staff in Dubai. Actual conversation happened in Hindi.  Me: So how do you save money in India? Him: I transfer money to my uncle’s bank account. He takes it and gives it to my father. He keeps it. Me: So, a person keeps the all the money of earning members in your family? Him: Yeah, and he lends out money at 2% interest to our immediate & extended family members & friends when someone needs it Me: (My finance mind starts to work) Well, why don’t you open an NRE account? You get 4% interest tax free on savings account and 7.5% on fixed deposit (Thank God, I didn't advise Stocks & Mutual Funds) Him: Banking doesn’t work for us Sir. Our financial needs are different Me: Can you explain? Him: Sometimes for my daughter’s school fees, I need some money urgently. Maybe for some agricultural expenses, I may have some unanticipated need. If I go to banks, they ask for many paperw...

Let me start with a caveat. We could not even cover one-third of Cyprus. The country, even though it looks to be a tiny island in Mediterranean, has a lot to offer for more than a week. We were there just for 4 days including the travel dates. We landed at Larnaca on a Wednesday morning. Took our rental car and drove straight to our wonderful hotel @ Latchi  .. The cross country drive from South East of Island to the Western side took about 4+ hours ( 170 odd KM ).  Cyprus represents a unique fusion of Greek, Turkish & Continental European cultures. Its cuisine is distinctively Mediterranean. Not just fish & squid, but the European influenced beef & pork as well.  You drive on the left side of the road ( i.e, British system ) . Cypriot beach areas are of two-three distinct kinds . If you are a party-hopper , would suggest you to look for options near Aiya Napa   . Cities like Larnaca & Limassol offer good beaches, but often crowded as p...