Mumbai Mania

Before I talk about Mumbai, you must know that I am a huge Bollywood aficionado. I grew up watching Hindi movies and for me Tabloid stories meant Bollywood gossip. And to get in to the Mumbai sentiments for this blog, I watched "Wake Up Sid". It is a movie that is shot centered around Mumbai and ends with how a new girl in the city falls in love with Mumbai.

Mumbai is the most populous city in the world. It is the commercial center of India, located on the west of the country. When I say Mumbai is the heartbeat of India, I actually mean it with all belief. You can feel the pulsating energy and rush of progression in every corner of the city. There is the rustic, metallic Mumbai becoming alive every morning in the Mumbai Railway. There is the skyscrapers of modern day Mumbai with people rushing to work, thunder in their heart, dreams in their eyes. There is the laid back colonial architecture of the South Mumbai and Marine awaits to welcome you with its sea. Mumbai- it has a story for everyone. 

The earliest trace of habitation in Mumbai can be traced back to the Marathi fishing community- still the most dominant community there. Mumbai, previously known as Bombay, was a group of 7 islands- Bombay Island, Parel, Mazagaon, Mahim, Colaba, Worli, and Old Woman's Island (also known as Little Colaba).The islands were incorporated into the Maurya Empire under Emperor Ashoka of Magadha in the third century BCE. The empire's patronage made the islands a centre of Hindu and Buddhist religion and culture. Mumbai experienced reigns of the Islamic Empire, followed by the Portuguese and ultimately the British Empire. A series of refurbishments and battles later, the city was officially deemed as the capital of the state of Maharashtra.

The name Mumbai is an eponym, derived from the name of a local Goddess called Mumbadevi.

I was in Mumbai for a week. For work and leisure and I covered the basics of a first time traveler, only to discover Mumbai is much, much more. Most of the city's character lies in the South. Malabar Hill is the highest point in Mumbai and it's one of the most expensive neighbourhoods in the world (compare with Manhattan). Must go places in the South of Mumbai-

• Colaba Causeway: The best street market with the most amazing cafes and restaurants (specially the Parsi ones)
• Marine Drive- you have watched it a thousand times in the Bollywood movies but it's magical up front
• Leopold's Cafe or Cafe Mondegar
• Gateway of India- The view is majestic with Hotel Taj behind you
• Walk across during low tide to Haji Ali at Worli, stand at the place that used to be the point for the boats to leave the Haj Pilgrimage. I missed it because of high tide
• Chumbak and Bombay Stores- for the nuances of Mumbai quirkiness 

Nightlife in Mumbai:

Girls, Mumbai is one the most safest cities in India, so go out there and party. I did not venture in to night clubs but I hung out at some of the most chilled places around Bandra (where most of the movie stars live). Alcohol is reasonably priced and available at most hours of the day and I loved this quaint place called Doolally. It's a casual bar with the most delicious hand-fries and one of the few places that allow your pet. My recommendation there? The Mango Cider is to die for. 

I was lucky enough to not have to live in hotels but accommodation ranges from moderate to expensive in good hotels. Plane fare is expensive if you direct flight from Dhaka to Mumbai but goes significantly down if you come via Kolkata or Delhi. Transportation is the easiest with Ola/Uber and it's quite reasonable compared to Uber in Dhaka. The metro is still not commonly used because it has only one line right now. 

The biggest mall in Mumbai now is Infiniti but I liked smaller malls like Oberoi. Most malls have outlets of luxury brands like Gucci, Mont Blanc etc. I am more of a local brand shopper and enjoyed my time at Oberoi Mall. 

Try the street food at Colaba and midnight snacks next to wherever you are staying. Food cannot get better than Mumbai but have no hopes to eat beef as it is not available in most of the places. 

Take a walk across Juhu Beach or a drive across Bandra-Worli Sea Link, this city has adventures oozing from its concrete and architecture. And I am definitely going back again. 

Dillydally in Delhi

Dillydally in Delhi

So many places in India but I chose Delhi and everyone was highly skeptic. Reasons being- the heat and the recent rape incidents. But believe me, travelling is about trusting your instincts because when you are in a new city all by yourself, there is no one but you and your senses so learn to trust them the most if you want to be a solo traveler like me.

Humayun's tomb

Delhi- how can I begin writing about a story that has been etched with history, politics and culture for almost forever. Alongside Jerusalem and Varanasi, Delhi is one of the oldest cities of civilization, time and time again subject to invasion, destruction and rising against colonization. History says this city was built, destroyed and rebuilt somewhere between 7-11 times with the recent one being the brainchild of Sir Edwin Lutyen, the British architect. You will come across this name in hoardings all across Delhi. Just to point out here, New Delhi and Delhi are separate. New Delhi is part of Delhi which comprises of many other districts- North Delhi, West Delhi, East Delhi, South Delhi, South West Delhi and Central Delhi. Delhi is like a flat pancake with Jamuna river dividing the social class and urban development. When the Delhiites say someone is from the other side of Jamuna, they are usually calling them FOBs- Fresh off the boat! My trip was mostly limited to North, West, South and South West Delhi. Due to the recent heated beef of over beef-eating, we had to avoid Old Delhi. Red Fort, I will come back for you some other time.

Hauz Khas Village

Now to the budget issues, I spent a total of BDT 70.000/- in this trip including shopping.
Airfare (DHK-KOL-DELHI return airfare): 24,000/-
Hotel (Treebo Southwest Dwarka): 15,000= 12,000/- (4 nights) + 3000/- (1 night in Kolkata)
Rest for food, transportation and shopping.

Shopping:

• Janpath at Delhi is like a Bangladeshi's miniature version of Gawsia but really good stuff
• Con naught Place is the place you want to go to for mid-scale and upscale brands with discount offers. I went at a fabulous time where Adidas, Vans, Tommy Hilfiger stores had up to 50% discounts
• The DLF Malls are located next to each other- Emporio (the most expensive one), Promenade (midscale) and Ambience (more or less affordable)

 Food and drinks:

What I enjoyed  most about Delhi was the food- be it North Indian or South Indian and also, it is as cheap as cheap can be! 

Starting from the street food to the expensive restaurants, Delhi is a spice aficionado's paradise. I particularly enjoyed the Aloo Chaat on a rainy day, the Paneer Tikka at Kake Da Dhaba and the South Indian Thali at Saravana Bhaban which is the biggest South Indian Chain in the world. For the alcohol lovers, catch you poison at the beer cafes! India has almost 20 local beer brands and I could not just get enough for them. Also enjoyed the  weird concoctions at SodaBottleOpenerWala- yes please try this! 

Singapore: too perfect to be true!

Singapore: too perfect to be true!

A picture perfect city with not so happy people: Singapore is the hub of the east and only Hong Kong can compete against the infrastructure of this city. It's organised, regimental and reflects the true spirit of a nation desperate to rise and shine in just four decades.

My visit to Singapore was a brief 4 day experience that was a business tour. I was sent to attend the 3-day workshop on LafargeHolcim Awards on Sustainable Construction. Accommodation and plane fare are as follows:

Ticket= 42,000/- (Biman Bangladesh)
Accommodation with breakfast= 58,000/- (14,500/- per night at Holiday Inn, Atrium, Outram Road)

Yes, it's a pretty expensive city but the experience is absolutely worth it.

Singapore is a small, beautiful island that is now completely focused on building a green country. You will find green anywhere and everywhere. In fact, they have moved from a “Garden City” to a “City in a Garden”- which is the motto of greening the urban landscape.

To begin with, Changi Airport is towards the South West of the country and a taxi ride from there to the happening South of Singapore will take about SGD 20/-

Two places I recommend for everyone (specially solo travellers) is the walk down from Clark Quay towards Esplanade Park. My pictures will do no justice to it. The air is fresh and energetic, people are jogging around or drinking beer at the many bars by the river.

Check out the pictures on the left. I had the most amazing strawberry Pina Colada at this river-side Italian cafe called Supply and Demand.

A messy affair with crabs!

One of my favourite eating experiences was at this collection of restaurants called Dempsey Hill which poses restaurants of various cuisines. We chose Jumbo Seafood and boy, oh boy! What an experience.

Oh those buns and crab!

The 3-day experience was a lot more learning too and I will be sharing another piece about the Sustainable Architectural projects of the country!

Bangkok: Girls, don't take it slow, take it solo!

Bangkok: Girls, don't take it slow, take it solo!

Going solo!

I got married in early February and quit my current job a month later to move to a new and completely different job. My life was all about transitions. Overwhelming transitions. Life changing moments that was happy, sad and everything in between. I had applied for Thailand visa a couple of weeks back and I got it but initially had no plans to go. In the beginning of March, things got too much to bear. Nothing happened in particular but everything was confusing and I needed to get away from everything. EVERYTHING. In an impulse, I took the decision of a solo trip to Bangkok. Budget was tight right after the wedding so it had to be a budget trip. Tickets were reserved, hotel rooms booked and I was ready with just a backpack with 4 sets of clothes and thunder in my heart.

This is to all the ladies out there. Its never too late or early to travel. Go take that trip you have always craved for to a country you are comfortable. I chose Bangkok because I felt it was safe for me to walk alone in the streets wearing any type of clothes. 

I limited my travel budget to BDT 60,000 but I spent a total of BDT 70,000. I am sharing the details of the entire trip so that you can take tips and plan your solo trip accordingly.

Duration: 4 days 3 nights

Total Cost of trip: BDT 70,000/-

Includes:

Return air tickets (Regent Airways)

3 Night Accommodation with breakfast (Hotel Manhattan, near Asok BTS)

Eating out at various restaurants and cafes of Bangkok (mid range and high range)

Transportation and shopping!

The first adventure I took was taking the BTS to my hotel destinatation rather than a regular taxi ride from Suvarnabhumi Airport. The Skytrain (BTS) and underground (MRT) rail systems connect the main shopping, entertainment and business areas of the city, while river taxis and express boats can be used to explore many historic sites and attractions at the riverside. Taxis are cheap and appear on virtually every corner at almost any time. Tuk-tuks, once a big Bangkok attraction, are slowly disappearing in favour of more comfortable transport, but are still worth a ride at least once. 

The Skytrain gives you amazing views of the urban Bangkok with skyscrapers, temple tops and lush green parks in the middle of the concrete jungle. It also gives you the chance to look around and observe the locals of Bangkok- the funk, the swag and the rush to head to work. 

I split my time of 3 days into visiting places where usually Bangladeshis do not go to. We tend to stick around the Sukhumvhit, Nana and Asok BTS stations. These places are great for shopping and night life and I made sure my hotel was around these places. But I chose to visit places out of someone's regular Bangkok tour. 

Cafe hopping was my first priority and these are the cafes I checked out without any regrets!
- Chu Chocolate Cafe (Exchange Tower)
- The Bookshop Cafe
- The Irish Pub
- Be My Guest
- 24 Owls

The Commons

Take the BTS to Thong Lo/Lor and walk around the posh streets and eat at your heart's (wallet's desire). A must check-out at Thong Lo is The Commons and let me share a glimpse of that place here. The Commons is a community mall dedicated to wholesome and healthy living- check it out to get a feel of what exactly it is. 

Two other amazing places that I visited was the Auto Vintage where a personal collector displays an array of his vintage cars- Mercs, BMW, Cadillac, Mustang. You name it, you got it! It is also a 20 mins drive from On Nut BTS. Another place you would love to visit if you are an Arsenal Team fan is the Arsenal Soccer School. The people are amazingly friendly there and you can watch the kids play!

My favourite shopping spots? Central! Any branch of Central Plaza/World has amazing collection of rare things. They are not as cheap as MBK or Fortune World but definitely worth the money. Electronics is quite reasonable there as I bought my GoPro for THB 7900 (BDT 20,000 approx) from there. 

Also, check out the night market- Ratachad Train Market behind Esplanade Square! Amazing place for vintage buys and street food and drinks. A more posh type of market and getaway along the river is the Asiatique Waterfront where you have rides for the kids and amazing shops! I bought cool watches, phone covers and an Ukelele from there. To go to Asiatique Waterfront, get off at Saphan Taksin BTS and follow the directions to the bay!

I managed to visit almost 20 places in 3 days and I skipped the temples as I am not much into religious history. But don't miss out on them on a solo trip.

My appetite intake was limited to McDonalds and A&W but I did try the Irish Pub and Hooters but I am not big on risky food and it was easy on my wallet too. But I suggest you explore 7/11 and their goodies. I love their microwave goodies and Breezers and local packed snacks!

Last advice, stay hydrated and let people back home know your whereabouts at least every two hours!

Cheers, ladies!

PS: I also took a walk along Cowboy Soi- the red light district of Bangkok. No one harasses you or bothers you if you look like a tourist. In fact, I had a chat with a female stripper and bought her a beer! :D 

Maldives- a concoction of blue and green!

Maldives- a concoction of blue and green!

A country gifted with the abundance of blue lagoons, white sand and marine treasure, Maldives lies silently at the southwest of India and Sri Lanka.

Fun Facts:

•  It is the smallest country in Asia (by area and population)
•  It is a 100% Muslim Sunni country
•   Everything purchased is subject to 10% service tax and 6% government service tax (GST)

We availed a package costing us BDT 90,000/- per pax ($1155 approx)

Package included:

•  Return Air Tickets Dhaka-Male-Dhaka
• 1 night accommodation at Hulhumale (Velima Beach) with breakfast

•  2 night accommodation at Fun Island Resort (Bodufinolhu Island) with breakfast + lunch + dinner
•  All airport transfers 

We travelled to Maldives for my honeymoon and our duration of stay was 4 days 3 nights. We went to Maldives from Bangladesh in Maldivian Airlines where there was a stopover at Chennai for an hour. Flight duration was roughly around 5 and half hours. Flights land at Male International Airport which is located on the island called Hulhule. If you have booked a resort, someone from the resort will stand at the arrival gates with your name but in many cases, you will not find anyone. As it happened to us, the best way to go about is to go to the counter of the resort at the airport or report at the information desk.

Note 1: Tourist SIM cards are available at a minimum of $11 which is not worth it if you are here for less than 6 days (all resorts have Wi-Fi).

Day 1

Velima Beach Hotel (facing the sea)

Velima Beach car took us back to the hotel in Hulhumale and we headed out instantly towards the ferry terminal via bus. Hulhumale is an artificial island built to take off population pressure of the capital city, Male and is the only island connected to the airport via road. There is only one bus route in Hulhumale then ends at the ferry terminal. Ferry fare is MVR 5.5 per person and is available from 6am to 2.30am (download Male-Hulhumale ferry schedule here).

Sad part is that there is no night life in Male after 12am. Restaurants close down completely and we found nothing open at night. A couple of hotel restaurants were open but nothing else. So we just had dinner and Shisha at a restaurant called Aioli and the food was great! We returned home with the same route.

Note 2: Please carry the address of your hotel or remember the bus stop number which is nearest to your hotel so that the bus driver can drop you off seeing the address

Day 2 & 3 (Fun Island)

Hulhumale Beach

Our transfer to Fun Island was scheduled for 9am so we took the opportunity to go around Hulhumale and what a brilliant idea it was to wake up at 6am and visit Hulhumale beach which is as blue as the pictures look. The streets are a beautiful grey and green with neatly located grocery shops, tiny 4 storied guest houses, cafes and residential quarters. We rented a buddy bicycle (100 MVR for an hour) and rode around the city. Restaurant options are limited and local cuisine for breakfast is similar to ours- sandwiches, roshi (like our rotis) and omelets.  A two person meal will cost around 100 MVR. Go around the town to experience the quaint and peaceful city life of Hulhumale.

Buddy bike

Hulhumale

The speed boat ride from the airport to Fun Island was exactly 45 minutes and each resort has their speed boats which are quite well maintained.

Prepare your mind to be blown away with the first sight of these resort islands. I cannot type the word “blue” enough times to describe the image on my mind. Our island was a 3-star resort with no swimming or water villa and was considerably small in size. The rooms are quite clean and nice but there was no hand shower in our room so we used the lobby washrooms. In 3-star resorts there is no room service usually as dinner and drinks are served in the restaurant and bars respectively.

Beach Front Room

Chilling by the beach

Entrance to Fun Island

Activities on the island included:

• Island Hopping to any other resort island or local island- $150 per pax for entire day’s tour with lunch and water
• Dolphin Cruise- $24 per pax with 50% refund if no dolphin is sighted
• Sunset Cruise- $84 per couple with a complimentary cocktail
• Diving- $100 per pax with full gear
• Snorkeling- $11 per pax (rent of full gear set)
• Water sports- Yacht ride, Jet Ski, Canoeing, Banana float rides, surfing, stand-paddle etc (ranging from $15-$300)
• Swimming in the beach from sunrise till sunset
• Water Polo
• Fishing
• Food & beverage:
• Breakfast, dinner and lunch were included in our package but you have to purchase water and any other beverages
• Cocktails range from $6 to $20
• Soft drinks are $4 per 500ml bottle or can
• Water is $3.5 per 500ml (yes, try to carry your own)
• Note 3: Purchase snacks and alcohol from the airport or from Hulhumale/Male and bring to island. You would be able to save around $50

Snorkeling

Beach next to the room

Canoeing

Day 4

Our return flight was in the evening so we took this chance to explore Male which most tourists miss out on. We kept our luggage at the airport ($5 per bag) and headed to Male via ferry (MVR 10 per pax). 

Local Mosque

Dockyard

Male is an absolutely delightful city in daylight and the stony paved roads give the city a European feel. We walked around for 6 hours to get an experience of the city life.

Seagull Ice Cream corner (A must try)

Some parts of the city are a little shabby but do check out the beautiful mosques and little restaurants at every lane. Every road is filled with shops and there is no pattern of category- everything is found everywhere.

Artificial Beach

 Do remember that there is no public transport in Male except taxis. Walking was the only option.

Note 3: Shops remain closed for 15 minutes during prayer times. 

On an ending note, I highly recommend Maldives as the ultiimate honeymoon destination. A sweet evidence of it was this particular Indian couple and I could guess from their interaction that two strangers got married without knowing anything about each other. They entered the resort walking side by side and they left with us, holding hands and sharing shy glances. When two lovers are placed at a location with nothing but the nature around- love is bound to happen :)