This was a wonderful space to hang out in and share our thoughts! But now we've all moved on and simply left our memories behind :-) ...

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Ye Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan (Ishita)

This was a tough choice. I’m quite passionate about both music and traveling besides blogging of course:p (why else would I have 5 blogs!). But my taste in music can be gauged by the kind of music seen and heard in all my blogs and so I will blog on the topic “My favorite Holiday”. Here again I have a long list but Rajiv’s already shared the Goa experience, used the best pics in his post and posted links to all the posts I've done on Goa/Khajjiar/Chail!!!

I’d love to write about my trips in the North East, Sikkim, Bhutan but that was years ago and I don’t remember details and have just some memories…not enough to make a post out of. So I’ll share what I had written about my first trip to Mumbai. I admit I’m cheating here coz this part of the post from my blog
“ishita’s main space” dated 29th Dec 2005 written a month after I made the trip! It’s rather long sooooooo please please let this be my one exception to the rules in place!! *pretty please with maple syrup :)))* Editing the post would take away the fun of it…kya kare?!

“Ever since I got back from Mumbai (my first trip ever there)…a lot of people ask me about my impression of Mumbai and I do end up talking a lot about it!! I guess the city does leave a lasting impression…ummm…good and bad both. Part of the reason why I didn’t write about my trip to Mumbai earlier was coz I was making up my mind about whether I liked the place or not! And to put down the negative aspects would mean another serious fight with Suchi (my best friend!)…she completely loves the city…!!!

My first impression of Mumbai is it’s crowded…so sooo sooooo crowded!! Everywhere u go there are people…people…and more people. It’s overwhelming to say the least. Yes I know the statistics…and I know people who live in the city love it despite the sheer number of people on the streets. The second thing that struck me is that unlike Delhi localities didn’t seem quite defined. Couldn’t figure out when one ended and the other began…the whole city looks the same?! Ummm…though u can’t miss the difference between what one in Mumbai calls town and suburbs! And yeah new Bombay….hmmm!

Then there was the horrific experience of the local train! Less said the better…though I know when I talk about it; it amuses people around me a whole lot. I’d just quote my cousin on this “You asked for it!!” (Coz I kept cribbing ek baar toh jaana chahiye!)…. it was truly scary and I’m sure I’m never going to get on one of them ever again! But I do feel mighty brave for attempting to be on one during peak hours! Esp. since I’m the type who never gets on to a bus in Delhi…well not since I finished college anyway!! And for all the people who told me that “trains are crowded in Mumbai but men are decent”…..now I know for a fact u never went on a train ever (for the women) and for the guys…you’d never know!!

There was this funny experience with ATM’s…every time we looked for a particular bank ATM we’d never seem to find it and when we did finally and got the desired amount out, we’d see ATM’s of the same bank in every damn place!!!!

I think my “most fun” moment was when I was cribbing away about not seeing a single movie personality…or for that matter a TV personality…ya ya…u may say u don’t give a shit but I know u expect to at least see them in a normal state somewhere in the city! Well one night, Suchi, Rajiv and I were having ice creams at naturals…I forget the name of the place…hill road I think…and ohh yes I must say... another big positive the ice cream there is yummmm:-) (Though I’ve always maintained…mother dairy ice creams are the best!! But then I’ve always been very pro dilli!)… Anyway back to what I was saying. So I cribbed and R says ishi turn around… ??? "

**To know which celebrity I saw...plz get to the link given below and read up. The post is way to long :)... Leave your comments here btw and not there :P … easier for me to reply!”**

http://ishipishi.blogspot.com/2005/12/mumbai-trip-finally.html

Watch a youtube user's perspective of mumbai in the video below ....

25 comments:

  1. I love London, I love Vienna.. but somehow Mumbai always scares me. But hope to visit the place someday.

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  2. a ha..
    "mumbai meri jaan"

    being a part of this place i simply LUBBBBBBBBBBBBB it even after all the crib i do about this place..

    travelling whoaaa !! dont ask ... I wrote a post on the same!! he he

    n i guess ur last trip to mumbai was also awesome ;) ahem ahem ...

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  3. whooaaa... trains... ishi... dont u ever do that again!... only we mumbaikars know how to handle the crowds...

    n next time ur here... im gonna take u around... wat say?? :)))

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  4. That was an interesting post.:) Got to know mumbai. For one thing, i really do wonder much abt the crowds. Is it reall that bad??

    *gulps

    ~Jewel

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  5. interesting post...
    i've heard so that mumbai rocks... never came close enough to feel it though...

    been there just once in my lifetime; that too for a day... precisely to get visa stamping... or else would have skipped that one too :)

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  6. interesting post...
    i've heard so that mumbai rocks... never came close enough to feel it though...

    been there just once in my lifetime; that too for a day... precisely to get visa stamping... or else would have skipped that one too :)

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  7. Hi ishi ...how are you ?

    What ever ppl say about mumbia, the ppl(toooooo many ) you see ppl, ppl, ppl n ppl n ppl everywr, and off course Traffic the pottying ppl everywr,

    But mumbai rocks !!! Mumbai is a place wr we can find, explore and see everything !!

    Take care ;))

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  8. my first "date" with mumbai was when I boarded the ladies compartment of a bombay local. Unknowingly of course :) The female fraternity was up in arms. Luckily, i escaped unhurt. Adventure, in the hindsight ;)

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  9. whoever takes those trains goes thru some adventure there good and bad both. And as far as the film stars r concerned it might be just a coincidence that u cudn't find them frequently...i hv grown up there and hv seen almost everybody and spoken to a lot of them in their normal state i mean not shooting incl that yuuucccckkkky SRK jogging near my house in the mid 90s. U still need to make one more trip there coz u havent yet seen some of the best places there.

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  10. @ john:)...it's scary alrite!! If I didn't have uttsy to show me around, I'd be at my relative's plc sitting and watchin TV wid puks :P but I have to admit, there's sumthin abt that city...u end up either luvin it...or hatin it...not much grey area inbetween! :)

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  11. @ uttsy:)... yeah ur CITY! :)) I read ur post abt travelin! he he :P ab toh i can imagine d haalat of d local trains in the heat and humidity! phew...

    my last trip to mumbai will always be special :) and m lukin forward to the next :))

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  12. @ messy (neha!) :)... Oh I did it again alrite but this time i had uttsy showin me how to :P and she did a splendid job :)) ... pity tho i missed meeting up with u! But yes there's always next time and sure plz do take me around!! I'd luv to see the city ... it's sights and sounds wid ya :) thanks ... :)

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  13. @ amy:)... thank @ interesting post! I luv my posts on my vacations the best :) ... and yes the city is very crowded. So is Delhi but in certain areas! Mumbai apart from the crowd and the long commuting hours, is a city bustling with activity and there's always so much to do and see :) ... u shud go visit and yeah wid uttsy u'll be in safe hands! :))

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  14. @ dj :) ... ahaa u must stay in d city to feel it :) and preferably have someone from the city show u around ... it's quite an experience! and thanks @ interesting post :)

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  15. @ poo :) ... hey :) m doing fine thanks :)!

    lol yeah u can't ignore that abt mumbai @ ppl and traffic and pollution!

    And yes the city rocks! when delhi is silent by 12 am , there's a traffic jam on the roads of mumbai at 1 am :P ... !!

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  16. @ jitendra:) ... kya baat kar rahe ho?! U got into the ladies compartment and survived :O!! U're on lucky guy!! :P :D I hear the second class ladies compartment is the worst during peak hours... it's total chaos and hell!

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  17. @ rajbir:) ... next time I am in mumbai plz take me around and definitely a plc where i can see the stars (the filmy variety of course!) ... and SRK too :P! But most importantly, show me all the reasons why mumbai is special to you! It's always best to see the city through the eyes and experiences of someone who's lived there all thru out! :)

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  18. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  19. I have never been to India. Mumbai sounds great and ur post sort of made me feel that I MUST visiti Mumbai somehow :). I have heard that Mumbai is where most Indian celebrities live. I wonder if they walk ard :) like how u saw one celebrity hehe.

    Before going to Mumbai I wanna go to Delhi. And u know why na ;-)


    Keshi.

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  20. ***ab toh i can imagine d haalat of d local trains in the heat and humidity! phew...


    imagine na hi karo tho acha hai ..lol


    BTW u made me RAJU guide?? oopss abhi main ladki so it will be Rajni guide??

    Baaap re... lollz

    koi bhi yaha aye mujhe dhhonte mat aana :p
    lol
    kidding

    ishi u r most welcome :)

    hugzzz

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  21. @ keshi:) .. sure u musstttt make it here...soon! I know for sure that I will make to australia sumday:)! and yeah m yet to see a bigtime celebrity in mumbai :p ... better luck next time ... i hope!!! :)

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  22. @ uttsy :) .. meri rajni guide! :P

    next time m gonna just be wid u na .. na idhar dekhungi na udhar widout ur wish :P ! he he ...

    thanks sweetie @ "ishi u r most welcome :)" :))

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  23. amazing pics, Amazing India!!!... will definitely visit Mumbai when i come over.... just thinkin' of it, makes me more excited!!pheww!!

    ... lovely post sweetie and i'm back ^_^ hope i'm not late this time hehe... catchin up w/ u guys muaahh!!

    hugss**

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  24. @ kathy:)... why just mumbai?! u must make it to delhi!!! :) and come stay wid us:)

    gud to have u back!

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  25. Good Post! achcha toh tum likhti hi ho but i fully agree with what John has said and i quote "Mumbai always scares me"...bahut hi darawni jagah hai...

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