Biddu

OT Your most memorable journey/music tour
Biddu It would have to be my hitchhiking trip through the Middle East (en route to England) in the mid-60s &mdash back in the days when the region was nothing more than a paradise of sand. I had no money, yet in the four months that I spent walking through those parched lands, I didn&rsquot spend more than a week sleeping by the roadside or under the awnings of shops. The locals were incredibly hospitable. They had never seen a dude in jeans, cowboy hat, boots and a guitar. I could have been from Mars for all they knew. But they were warm and open. Besides, when you&rsquore young, you have no fear, no &lsquobaggage&rsquo to hold you back.

OT Any travel faux pas
Biddu I left India (for my backpacking trip) without a map of the Middle East

OT And &lsquoextraordinary&rsquo experiences
Biddu There are several. But if I had to pick one, it would have to be the time I spent with a bunch of bandits in Iraq. I kept wondering why they were saying, &ldquoBand-Aid, Band-Aid&rdquo, until I realised &mdash long after they were gone &mdash that they were referring to themselves I&rsquove chronicled it all in my autobiography Made In India (HarperCollins Publishers India).

OT Spain is home for you now. What makes it special
Biddu Both the weather and the people remind me of India. The infrastructure, however, is akin to anywhere but India. I live in Marbella, which has 320 days of sunshine. Plus I live on the beach, so it&rsquos pretty close to heaven.

OT Your favourite destination in India
Biddu Goa. It has great food and an excellent vibe. I often recommend it to tourists as a soft landing before heading out to explore the rest of India. Also, I like Bombay. It has buzz and is pretty cosmopolitan. Okay, it&rsquos dirty as hell but then you have to take the good with the bad.

OT You grew up in Bangalore. Has the city changed remarkably
Biddu Just do the math &mdash there were seven hundred thousand people compared to the eight million now No wonder it&rsquos even more chaotic than a beehive. There&rsquos no planning, no infrastructure, no rules anymore. It&rsquos at the mercy of politicians.

OT One place you are still looking forward to visiting
Biddu Bali. I&rsquom intrigued by the softer version of Hinduism they practise. And it&rsquos cheaper than going on a holiday in India.

OT Which is your favourite foodie pit stop
Biddu Goa is my favourite food destination, especially for Mediterranean and Pacific Rim fare.

OT Five things you always carry with you
Biddu Money, mobile, biscuits for kids on the streets, an identity card and a picture of my wife, as my memory isn&rsquot what it used to be.

OT Which city is your next book (a novel) set in
Biddu Darjeeling and Calcutta. It&rsquos a whirl of romance, bigotry, murder, mysticism and adventure.