Hello There!
Welcome to Aheli Wanders—where food, travel, and reading meet in a deliciously chaotic adventure. I started this blog back in 2007 as a study abroad journal and somehow, it’s still going—part travelogue, part life ramble, part “here’s what I ate and why it was amazing.”
About Me
I’m Aheli— systems nerd and unapologetically Type A human based in Providence, Rhode Island. I’ve lived in four countries, traveled to 35+, and have a well-documented habit of planning entire trips around what I want to eat. I don’t cook as much as I assemble things on cheese boards, but I will cross a city on foot for the perfect croissant.
Professionally, I’ve spent most of my life making complicated things easier. I’ve worked in global policy, sat in UN Security Council meetings, and now serve as a Chief Product Officer in the tech world—basically the translator between engineering, sales, and chaos. Whether it’s in work or real estate or travel, I love bringing order to messiness and helping people move forward with clarity.
This blog is where I share the joy in all of it—the unexpected travel moments, the perfect bites, the books that kept me up too late, and the systems that keep my life (mostly) on track. It’s not polished. It’s not perfectly on theme. But it’s real, a little ridiculous, and entirely mine.
What You’ll FIND HERE:
- Travel guides and food-filled itineraries
- Honest (and occasionally ridiculous) stories from the road
- Book recommendations I actually love
- Infrequent recipes inspired by places I’ve loved
- Tips for organizing the chaos—whether it’s a trip, a meal, or life in general
This blog isn’t polished. It’s not perfectly on theme. But it’s real, a little ridiculous, and entirely mine.
SOME QUICK FAQs
Q: Current Location:
A: Providence, Rhode Island by way of Brooklyn, Manhattan, MA, Edinburgh, Bryn Mawr, Zermatt, Edinburgh and Connecticut.
Q: Favorite Spot:
By fireplace with a good murder mystery and a good cup of tea/scotch…or the middle of a empty dance-floor rocking out to really bad pop music.
Q: Why do you travel so much?:
My parents loved to travel, and since I was the only child, I got dragged along for the ride. I haven’t stopped since.
Q: What exactly do you do for work?
My dad and I started a company together. I’d like to think I’m the “Smokey the bear” of preventing data center servers from overheating and data center fires starting. In my previous life, I worked for a UN think tank. This makes me both a #supernerd and an awesome dinner companion.
Q: What has been your favorite place to travel to?
Internationally: Recently, we spent a month in CDMX (Ciudad de Mexico) and it was one of the most incredibly beautiful and relaxing places to be. I could picture living there full-time. That said, South Africa (particularly Durban), Kolkata and Edinburgh will always have a strong place in my heart.
Stateside: New England — duh, and Charleston, SC.
Q: What do you do for fun?
I love to eat. There is something lovely about herding my friends/family into a single space, sharing some delicious food and sharing stories/debating/being ridiculous. Luckily I’m surrounded by people who love to do the same thing.
Q: What is your ideal night?
Rooftop dinner party. Six courses, twelve wine pairings, potluck style with my friends and family. Add a beach and/or lakeview and I’m golden. And maybe a zebra or a llama for some entertainment.
Q: Why write a blog?
I started this blog in early 2007 to document and travels while living abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland. Somehow this morphed into a pseudo “travel slash lifestyle slash I took photos of foods and shiny objects before #instagram hash tags became cool and I’m not sure what to do with them” blog.
Q: Where exactly have you traveled?
For the record, I have lived (for more than 3 months continuously) in the Scotland, Switzerland, and the US. I also go to India every year, so that has to count for something…beside frequent flier miles.
Africa: South Africa, Swaziland
Asia: Japan, Maldives, India, Singapore, Russia, Thailand
Europe: Austria, Belgium, Catalonia, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Northern Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Wales
North America: Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Dominican Republic, Mexico, United States
South America: Brazil, Paraguay, Columbia, Peru
Other: New Zealand