Sourcing and Vacationing in India

Thafseera and I started doing shows about three years ago. 2022 was packed with shows. In 2023 we dropped a few shows as it was really getting in the way of peaceful life. We are having serious discussions as to what shows to do in 2024 and what shows to drop. While we are debating that, here is some things from our trip to India and France last month. (I will keep the France trip for the next week)

We found June free from any shows. Since this was a great opportunity of thirty plus days in a stretch without any commitments, we thought why not go to India. For us, trip to India has two benefits. Firstly, that is where we both are from, and we still have a house in India. Secondly, we have lots of Rocks and Crystals coming from India. A trip to India thus gives us the chance to visit our family (eat local food 😊) , our manufacturing partners and meet new vendors.

Kerala is the state we are from. This is the southern tip of India. This is the only place (as much as I know) where the literacy is 100%. It is green everywhere and very peaceful to live. To the west of my house in Alappuzha (previously Alleppey – the English name) is 5 minutes’ walk to the Arabian Sea shore. We have a beautiful beach there. To the east, for a walk of 30 minutes, we can get to the back waters and the House Boats. The House boats bring a lot of visitors from the rest of India and from outside of India. Here are some images of the houseboats and the trip I took on them. One of my suppliers enjoyed the trip. These boats are air-conditioned with bedrooms, bathrooms, conference rooms and dining rooms. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are also cooked and served fresh.

If any of you want information on my town and the house boats, please feel free to contact me. If You are considering a vacation, let me tell you, you will love it. 

Warning ! The Food can be very spicy ! 😊

Now let me talk about the business segment of my trip. India manufacturers a lot of rocks and crystal products. They are scattered in the north and south of India. I could take trains to all these places. Railway in India is well developed. Millions of people travel by train each and every day. I did take a few train trips. But for me, since the time was limited, I flew to many places. Buying in India is fun. But you must be careful not to get scammed. That is a universal principle to follow no matter which country you are in. Since I speak the local language, it makes it easy. I do not buy just from anyone. Just like I always want a solid friendly relation with my customers like you, I do the same with my suppliers. Nature of people, how trustworthy they are et… means a lot for me when I decide to add a business to my list of suppliers.

A huge number of Gem Trees are already made, and they are in the packing stage. I have placed a huge order for Tumbled Stones, Balls and Points. They are in the initial stages of production. 

Here are some images that shows the typical buying process in India.

Rustic Reclaimed Wooden Furniture

There is a reason why I wanted to add this here. Let me explain.

I owned and ran this business for a year or so prior to the Covid-19. Many of my rocks and crystal customers who came to my warehouse bought this wooden furniture. In fact if you have a brick and mortar store, this furniture compliments your display and you could also sell them.

We have received a full 40 FT container of this furniture. I am adding some images below so you can see the warehouse is packed with them. I handed over this business (Reborn Furnishings.com) to my son Nabeel. If you are interested in them, please come take a look at them. He does wholesale and retail. If you are interested in the whole container, we can also work a great deal for you.