Bombay Trip -2020 ; The most nostalgic holiday of my life!

'Bombay..' This word still gives me goosebumps. It may sound like an exaggeration to some, but for the ones who have known me closely or been following me on my instagram or have watched my Bombay Vlog - you all know how I always spoke about my wish to visit and even try and relocate to Bombay.  

You can see my vlog here : https://youtu.be/CSuwUlHtOIw

For the Bombay I had in my mind - it wasn't a city for me. It was a mood. A mood board. A theme. It was 75% of the stuff I absorbed from Bollywood through my childhood years... Into much later. It was that Bombay monsoon rain Ranbir Kapoor talks about in Wake Up Sid, the vibe that the movie Talaash captured so beautifully through the visuals and the music, the streets where Sameer, Akash and Siddharth from Dil Chahta Hai were reminiscing through their college years. 

For years and years, through my college years... into my 20s. i tried very hard to visit Bombay, but somehow or the other, plans kept failing. So much that much after I had my flight tickets booked, I was in disbelief as this plan seemed to darn good to be true. i didn't tell most people that i was all set to live through one of my biggest dreams, i didn't want to risk jinxing it. 

I smiled so much this day, my jaw was aching.. No kidding!

16th of January, 2020.

I am putting this date on record, probably also getting a snap of me at the airport - all set to take off, printed and framed. Never am i forgetting this day.. this is that very special date my boyfriend, Sandeep and I landed into Bombay at 11pm. I couldn't hold back my tears when the pilot announced we were hovering over Bombay and were all set to land. 

all set to take off ... 

The first night ... 

A lil drama was needed.. considering the level at which I was soaking in this experience, every emotion at this moment was a 20 on 10 for me anyway... So a lil drama, we got. 

Right from the airport we took an autorickshaw to the hotel we had our bookings in.. The hotel gave us a room that looked nothing like the one we had booked online, it was dingy and stinky! We got a refund on the spot (luckily) and left the place. 

Fast forward to 1:30am. Sandeep and I are standing at Pali Hill with 4 huge bags of luggage.. and no place to stay. Both were both confused, I was a little panicky, but too tired to really do anything much. To pacify us, Sandeep brought some chicken rolls (as an after thought i realize now.. those chicken rolls are so different from the Delhi chicken rolls.. they are loaded with chicken chunks that taste like malabari chicken, with lots of kaddi pataa).

At this moment, for some reason, Sandeep was feeling funny. funny about what, I am yet to ask him.. But yes, he gobbled up the roll and started laughing at the fact that all the damn hotels are fully booked due to some exhibition and the Tata Mumbai Marathon.

I all of a sudden I remember Sandeep quoting ' Yaar, pehli raat jaake na, Bandstand ke foot path pe reh lenge.. Sahi hai na. kya mazedaar experience hoga' - (We can stay at the Bandstand footpath the first night, it would be quite a memorable experience) ... And now that joke is turning into a reality, and I am sweating buckets.. 

Fast forward to 2:30am - We finally get a hotel room in Andheri. We take an auto-rickshaw there and crash for the day. 

In these last 3 hours of landing - i have already learned a few things about the city. 

1. There is a general sense of safety even at 2am. This city really never sleeps. Girls are wearing shorts.. And I am finding myself staring at them (no judgements please, I was really taken aback) and my paranoia (being a Delhi girl, and not even feeling safe outside the house at 8pm) is beginning to ease out a little. 

2. The auto ricks are damn reasonable. Some of the rides cost lesser than what I get an anda bread for at a thela in Delhi.

 3. Auto rick Bhaiyas (oops, my bad.. Bhau. i meant bhau.. or Boss. No thanks, I ll try and stick to Bhau) ACTUALLY gives back the exact change?! whatt?! ... Ok, i am going to take some time to get used to this one. everyone's giving back exact change. 

4. I understand way more Marathi than I had imagined (fun fact about me, I spent a huge chunk of my childhood in a Marathi household, where Aai Papa were my favourite people in the world.. and at one point of time i renamed myself to Meeow Sharma Belapurkar)



The next day we finally checked into a simple, comfortable Airbnb in Khar West. Life started feeling a bit normal at this point. The last few hours had been so dramatic, leaving me feeling like a homeless person, that I could sleep for a full day. But I didn't want to sleep at all, I wanted to see as much as possible. 

Our second AirBnb in Bandra

.. At Kanakia Paris in Bandra Kurla Complex

So, we headed out straight to Bandstand. 

And I fulfilled my weird dream - of eating Channa jor garam outside Shah Rukh Khan's house - Mannat (no judgements please. I wanted to do this ever since I watched Kuch kuch hota hai). It was as though the 5 year old me all of a sudden woke up - and I wanted to do all those weird things I otherwise have not given myself as approval on through my grown up life! So that's what we did. Channa jor garam, vada pao and chocolate icecream at Bandstand.

Little I did I know that I was going to make this into a routine thing - I did exactly this on most of the days we were in Bandra, Khar.

30 rupees ki basic chocolate ice cream - that tasted just so yummy - for the sheer fact that I really was at Bandstand! Such a dream come true... 

Corn Chaat and Chai at the Bandstand at midnight

Next, Juhu Beach

I had no idea I was going to experience one of the most surreal days of my life. First we went to Juhu Beach to do what one has to has to do there - gorge on the chaats (street-food) and have Nariyal Paani - ask the guy to give you one with the Malaai (fresh coconut water) and Kaala Khatta.

Pav Bhaji at Juhu Beach

Kaala Khatta - that made my lips and tongue burgundy for the next 5 hours! 

walked around with this burgundy pout through the rest of the day..

Cheese Sev Puri - definitely a one time try - just for the fact that I have never seen or eaten something like this in Delhi.

The cutie and the Bombay Sandwich - i personally felt the sandwich is
pretty over rated - most of the other items were way better. 

Next... 

I visited my mom's childhood home and half my fantasy of Bombay started making sense - I literally visited a place I had dreamt of so many times. I would get this very Bombayish dream on repeat since my childhood - with all the coastal trees and sea breeze, the red double decker buses, the calm afternoons, the chirping of the sparrows, the middle class homes, a lady in some house preparing tiffin, I think parts of the movie LunchBox had catered to that dream of mine  - we entered the colony and i felt like i had entered my dream. I may never be able to explain that feeling in words.. But a part of me felt so much at peace. 

From there we walked to Sun N Sand hotel for our evening coffee by the sea.. This part of the beach was so much cleaner, and the sunset was just so dreamy, no snaps can do justice to it. And a few extra point to this location - for the free entertainment we got - the TikTok-ers, posing, dancing, making the signature SRK pose.

Also, did I mention, both of us got addicted to the Mcdonalds menu and the McCafe here in Bombay? We made it out routine thing each afternoon. It's so different from the Mcdonalds here in Delhi. 

McCafe, pleaseee come to Delhi soon.. 

.. the drive to South Bombay.. To our next Airbnb in Colaba

4 Days later we took up another Airbnb in Colaba to be able to explore South Bombay over the next few days.. 

We found one of the prettiest Airbnb's in town - so old school, just the perfect to match the vibe of South Bombay

The view from the room's balcony..

As one drives through the iconic Bandra Worli Sealink - from the North to the South - it's a whole new world that you enter. In terms of the Architecture (a blend of Gothic, Victorian, Art Deco, Indo-Saracenic and contemporary), the widths of the road, the switch from the Auto-ricks to the Kaali Peeli (black and white Fiat Taxis - SoBo (South Bombay) is a vibe on it's own!

..the forever lively and bustling - SoBo street.

The famous Taj Mahal Palace Hotel - on seeing this magnificent structure, perched tall and proud - facing the sea - it looked surreal, and my head was buzzing with disbelief, that here I was  - at the very spot I have seen a zillion times on Instagram each time I searched for the hashtag Bombay. 

Every third building is a treat to the eyes and your instagram feed here in SoBo! 

The different architectural eras and the history of this part of Bombay is truly visible in the vibe even today - and that is something I really fully allowed myself to soak into... 

We walked through the crowded streets, explored the local food joints, cafes, the markets.. There is a joy in loitering around here and not having 'a plan' for the day as well. To just observe.. the people, the lingo, the trees, the windows and arches on the buildings.. 

... off to shop at Colaba Causeway

Next.. At The Hanging Garden.. 

Another one of those very typical touristy spots. I have seen childhood snaps of Sandeep sitting on this very cemented shoe. And if you have visited Bombay as a child - chances are you have been here years back. I don't really know how many people visit this spot these days, but this place seems to have some nostalgia attached to it for me. 

What we ate through the trip :

We literally lived on prawns. Sandeep and I, both are massive Sea Food lovers. Everywhere we went we had the prawn curry or fish curry with rice or pav (bun). And ended each and every meal with Caramel Custard (I loveee this dessert ever since I was 5). You will find these at every local restaurant - the food is reasonable and delicious! We both like eating the local food when we are travelling, it's our way of soaking in the culture of that place. 

prawn curry with pav

caramel custard pudding

prawn curry with bhaat (rice)

Another every day staple was the iced coffee at Mcdonalds to fuel us for the day. The South Bombay heat and humidity was killer - especially since we were used to the Delhi winter weather - this was turning out brutal! So this treat was such a necessity to push us through the noons. 

I hope and pray McCafe opens in Delhi soon as well. They always had a one plus one offer going on - and i am a shameles sucker for BOGO offers! 

The fort area has a cluster of old Irani Bakeries - Kyani & Co, Yazdani Bakery, Sassanian Cafe to name a few. These are definitely worth a try if you

enjoy cakes, puddings, freshly baked bread..

The bread pudding with raisinsat Yazdani Bakery..

The famous Mawa Cake. It's heaven if you are craving comforting carbs. 

Bun Maska - brought back childhood school tiffin memories.. 

Apart from these in South Bombay - Cafe Mondegar and the Leopold Cafe are two places

you just cannot miss spotting if you are staying around Colaba. The desserts and coffee are yum there. 

Candies at Bandra is a place you will love if you enjoy a laid back ambience, good freshly roasted

coffee and some excellent mousses and cheesecakes! They have a large multi level sit out area

with trees and benches sprawling through.. 

baked lemon cheesecake

dark chocolate cheesecake

If you can stretch your budget and want to spend on a massive Thali Meal - I would highly
suggest the North Indian Thali at Taj Lands End. Each and every dish was distinctive and the
highlight was the Custard Apple kheer. Sadly, I ended up eating not even half of the Thali -
a regret I will live with for the rest of my life! :(

A five minute walk from the Bandstand is this hidden gem (which I would not have found if my very close friend Srishti had not brought us here)  - The Hearsch Bakery in Bandra.

Simple, delicious, old school, reasonable eating options - their chicken burgers, chicken lollipops and tiramisu is what I tried - and thoroughly loved it all! They had so many options in the desserts section, so many freshly baked breads and buns. It somehow reminded me of the burgers and sandwiches at the home birthday parties through our
childhood.

Hearsch Bakery in Bandra

Thanks Srishti, for this one!! We share this intense passion for food and giggles ever since we were 5 i think!

The chicken and cheese burger from Hearsch Bakery

Janta Bar in Bandra is another local, hidden spot for reasonable local food and local beer.

We visited this place for our dinners and gorged on fish curry and rice multiple times through the trip. An absolute treat!! And some local beer - London Pilsner.

Karachi Bakery - at Pali Hill - this isn't something that's solely available in Bombay, but since we were right next to it - we dropped by. Their biscuits are definitely something you should take back home. It's known for it's fruit biscuits and plum cake. 

Vada Pao - The Real Boss. 

of course you are going to need to have this daily if you plan to visit Bombay!


I do not understand people who do not understand vada pav.