When I was planning my trip I bought Lonely Planet’s Europe on a Shoestring. I must say that it has been immensely helpful in picking the right destinations to stay and visit.
On our trip, documented on this blog, we used to get lost in any new city or rather look about blankly figuring out which direction should we head. Luckily at this time Lonely Planet's Europe on a shoestring came to our rescue. It helped us find the tourism offices with ease and also pointed us in the right directions to our hotels and lanes we had to explore.
A little bulky for a backpacker, but very helpful. Do refer to this guide if you want explore the European cities without burning a hole in your pocket.
It was time to go! Our bags packed we rode the tube for the last time to Heathrow Airport. Thankfully Ryan came to drop us. I was sad to go but excited to be at an airport. Simply because it takes me to newer places. And Heathrow airport is mighty and beautiful. A lot of people might not think so, but I loved it. It's no way flashy like the Dubai Airport but a mighty one it is.
Stepping off the Tube, we walk into the airport. I say bye to my cousin Ryan and thank him for sheltering us while in London and also for feeding us with amazing dishes. But I have to leave, reality is calling me back.
Damn I am overweight in luggage. Lucky the Turkish Airlines official let me go without paying a pound. Did I say, I gave her my widest smiles?
After some duty free shopping which involved picking up brandy for my papa, some chocolates for my mama and brother, all we had to do was wait to take off. Not soon we come to know our flights beeen delayed. Holy shit! I have connecting flights all the way to Goa. London - Turkey, with a stop over for 3 hours at Istanbul. Our flights delayed again at Istanbul. That gives me a bracket of less than 2 hours to make it from the International airport to the domestic one in Mumbai, from the initial 7 hours. In Mumbai I had to request security to cut line as I had to hurry to catch my connecting flight to Goa.
So preoccupied I was here, that I failed to see Bonnie, then my bestest friend and now my husband, waiting to welcome me back. Tanaya spotted him and I was so glad to see him come. We then raced our way to the domestic airport, where you can say Jet Airways was practically holding the flight to Goa for me. I was whisked away in a special van to the aircraft and got a lot of dirty stares from passengers for delaying them. Not my fault I say.
In Goa, my Mama and Papa were there to welcome me. How happy was I to see them. Hugs all around. So many questions. And my Mom still aghast that I went half the world across alone. :) Anyway there was a homecoming party. My extended family was there to know where I went, what I did and how I achieved this dream of mine. The end of it, everyone was envious. I can only look back and think WOW!
I am sitting at the Mumbai International airport, immigration checks all done. And I am super excited as one can be. It is my first solo trip to Europe, without family, just me and my girlfriend Tan. It was my dream to roam the streets of Europe and today I am on the way to doing just that. Still got an hour and half to leave this country, so till then bear with me.
Well the evening started with a relaxed goodbye-have-a-blast-dinner at Six Degrees. For those of you who don’t know where that is, it’s at the Leela’s in Mumbai. Freaking expensive (thank God I dint have to pay for it :P), but I so enjoyed this time spent together, considering I would be away for the next 35 days without anybody stalking me :).
We then made our way to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai and then it was all goodbyes.
From here on it’s the usual shit the make you go through. And there are damn huge mosquitoes in the airport! Looks like they are making the most of sucking on my brown skin.
Ok cool its time for my flight, Turkish Airlines here I come. Bye bye Mumbai!
I have no memories of my journey across the skies. I was out as cockroach, or Tan says.
Istanbul Airport, Turkey, 11.15 am Turkish Time
(Applause)Tan sets afoot on foreign soil for the first time & … she felt cold! For all of you wondering Tan is, well she is my colleague at work and a good friend and a person who had the misfortune to be my travelling partner.
I for a matter of fact, couldn’t care less. I wanted to spot the Turkish GP circuit from the skies, which I think I did. My head is hurting as hell. I am super hungry. And amazingly I am homesick! And trapped for the next 6 hours at Istanbul International Airport.
So with nothing better to do, we eat. I just spent some 12-11E on food!!! Everything is expensive and its not even day 1. But I am lovin’ it! And here are some lines I came up with while drowning down my lunch.
So many faces
So many different nationalities
Yet we come together in one place
Everybody has a place to go
Everybody has to destination they must reach
And then there’s me
Who wants to see
David, the Monalisa & the Sistine Chapel
as far as my eyes will allow me to see
The next few hours were spent in a blur, sitting opposite the duty-free shop and watching everyone go bye.
Ta-ta Istanbul it’s time for my connecting flight to Rome :)
Rome, Italy, 9.15 pm Italy time
We finally made our way. After getting lost a million times at the terminal! From Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport to Roma Termini, surprisingly we made our way unscratched. Finding our hotel was a task but we did it. Got help from a hot Italian guy and life was beautiful :)
Later in the evening once I freshened up and all, Tan and I sat in a bar. Not a bar bar per se just a hangout joint. Anyway since we were lost finding our hotel, I got to see Rome and the living quarters side of it.
