'Travel' and 'Friends' make the best of duo. Exploring new places and capturing incredible moments on the way develops the closest bond forever. The golden moments that we spend with friends while travelling are fine tuned that actually make our hearts beat in rhythm. The friends who love to travel with me are some of the most affectionate friends I could possibly ever ask for.
Lucky me that I got an invite from my bestie Babita few months back to accompany her for a not-so-long trip to Mumbai. I swear, such unplanned trips can give me a high any time ;) I was excited n happy as a clan ...... no wonder that it was my repeated rings on her doorbell next morning that woke my bestie up....And then started our undeniably fun-filled train journey... The journey actually liberated our minds off things for the little while when we were enjoying exclusive goodies in the train that we usually don’t get elsewhere.
Searching for a well-connected accommodation in the city had not been a task as the city offered us wide choices of affordable hotels in Mumbai. We chose to stay at three-star rated Astoria Hotel to enjoy the cool sea breeze of the Arabian Sea and amicable cordiality.
Lucky me that I got an invite from my bestie Babita few months back to accompany her for a not-so-long trip to Mumbai. I swear, such unplanned trips can give me a high any time ;) I was excited n happy as a clan ...... no wonder that it was my repeated rings on her doorbell next morning that woke my bestie up....And then started our undeniably fun-filled train journey... The journey actually liberated our minds off things for the little while when we were enjoying exclusive goodies in the train that we usually don’t get elsewhere.
Searching for a well-connected accommodation in the city had not been a task as the city offered us wide choices of affordable hotels in Mumbai. We chose to stay at three-star rated Astoria Hotel to enjoy the cool sea breeze of the Arabian Sea and amicable cordiality.
We spent our first evening admiring the brilliant view of Marine drive. Sharing light chit-chat while relishing yummy snacky dishes had been surprisingly relaxing. The view of long 4km promenade shining with lights in the night proved why it is referred as Queen's Necklace.
Though I'm not a big fan of Cricket, but the most notable Wankhede cricket stadium is a must-visit. The Wankhede stadium has been the playground for famous Mumbai cricketers like Vijay Merchant, Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar. The stadium has been home to some of the greatest cricketers to have played for the country and obviously has its own fair share of unforgettable memories attached to it.
No Bollywood fan can afford missing a glimpse of Mannat, our very own heartthrob SRK's house. Just like crazy SRK fans, I couldn't scribble any colourful messages on the walls of his house, but could manage to get few pictures clicked at the gate of this six storey high bungalow of Baadshah ;)
The sun rose another day with our introduction to serenity when we stepped-in at The Global Vipassana Pagoda, one of the largest stone monuments in Asia. The monument honours Gautama Buddha, explains his Teaching and expresses gratitude to Myanmar for preserving Vipassana Meditation. The genuine relics of the Buddha are enshrined here. The pristine beauty of the place felt deeply therapeutic to the soul and seemed nothing less than an extension of Heavens on Earth. A sense of sheer pride filled our heart to witness such a beacon of Peace and Harmony in the heritage treasury of our country.
Our trip could not have any better conclusion than this self-realization of wholesome human qualities at Pagoda. We returned home possessing a clearer conscience that could now acknowledge compassion more readily. I genuinely would treasure the memorable moments I accumulated at Mumbai and on my way back home, the only thing that I could sing in my heart was--
Have you ever visited the City of Dream? What's your favourite destination there? Do share your experience with us :)
