Simplifying Travel

Mumbai: A Very Special Experience

Weary of the daily grind, I longed to take off for a rejuvenating holiday. Mumbai, India was my first choice because I wanted to meet my friend there and also experience the pace and thrill of the cosmopolitan city.

I reached the Victoria Terminus at Mumbai very early one morning. This was the first time I was travelling alone and I was filled with a delicious sense of freedom. The rain that welcomed me in Mumbai only added to my pleasure.

I had arranged to stay with my friend at Bandra, and then stay at a cheap hostel for a few days in town. We were delighted to meet after a long time and decided to head for the hills of Lonavala without wasting a moment. The overcast sky and the refreshingly cool breeze urged us forward.

Our stay at the tiny hill station was brief but memorable. It rained relentlessly but our enthusiasm was unhampered. We got drenched and yet, we explored every nook and crag of the place, which looked only lovelier in the rains.

Back in Mumbai, I went shopping at grand malls and small local markets. I visited places like the celebrated Elephanta Caves, Nariman Point, Chowpatty Beach, Juhu Beach, and Essel World, an amusement park. I bought delicacies like vada pav, pani puri, and pav bhaji from humble street vendors and savored them with great pleasure.

Mumbai assailed all my senses and I was kept occupied the whole day. I watched the Arabian Sea till late at night and then found restaurants that served mouthwatering Kolhapuri Chicken or spicy kebabs. I lay down on the beach reading for hours and then walked under the stars, enjoying a chocolate ice cream. The rain was my constant companion. It made the city gleam and throb with romance.

I look back on my trip to Mumbai with a keen sense of nostalgia. I wish for a chance to return there and hope that my next visit will prove to be as thrilling and wonderful as my last one.

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