Hua Hin · Gulf of Thailand
Yes, believe it or not, Hinge actually works. Antara's accidental radius of 100 miles somehow put Akshay's profile in front of her. Despite how nervous Akshay was on the first date, he somehow still pulled it off.
Love was measured in miles — and the rising toll charges on the San Mateo Bridge. Akshay would make the drive from Tracy to Foster City almost every day to make her laugh and see her smile, but of course in exchange for her chimmichuri tacos. It was clear from the beginning that no distance was too far ... or perhaps Akshay simply just wanted a reason to drive his Corvette.
After months of long distance, we finally moved in together in San Francisco, where it soon became our favorite home base. From movie nights to cooking, we loved creating a space together and being around each other (except for all the mess Akshay makes). The biggest disagreement of all? Whether our first piece of furniture should be a ping pong table or couch.
Antara introduced Akshay to the joy of traveling. He loved exploring the world with her, except for the her itineraries that starts at 5:00 AM to see some cathedral. She handles the meticulous planning, while Akshay takes full responsibility for food.
Then came Chikoo, easily one of the best decisions we've ever made. Whether he's going to work with Akshay everyday, interrupting Antara's yoga sessions, or begging for food (mainly to Akshay), he has become the center of our little family. The funny part? Chikoo and Akshay are so similar that Antara constantly mixes up their names. To be fair, they both love attention, follow her around, and know exactly how to annoy her.
Despite every clue in the book, Antara remained completely oblivious as Akshay planned the perfect proposal at Crissy Field. San Francisco is our home and we wouldn't have done it anywhere else. With friends and family around to celebrate, it was the perfect day to mark the beginning of a new chapter.
Our newest chapter brought us across the country to New York City. Antara landed her dream job, Chikoo upgraded to a building with dog park amenities, and Akshay somehow found himself within walking distance of pickleball courts. Life doesn't get better than this. New York has been a strong contender as our favorite city, but nothing can replace our love for San Francisco.
The best chapter is still being written, and we cannot wait to celebrate the beginning of it with all of our favorite people next year.
