Bangalore Metro

                                                          BANGALORE METRO

Bangalore metro is simple, ordinary and one of the best modes of transport in Bangalore city. I rode the metro and enjoyed the journey. I found it very cute and simple. The metro stations too are nice, spacious and clean. The Bangalore metro is very well planned just like the Delhi metro.  I found the metro very quick and the fastest means of getting around the city.

The best thing that I liked about the Bangalore metro was that there was a metro station which went through a mall. That means we just walk into the mall as soon as we alight from the train and take the staircase.  And there, we are inside the mall. It is a great engineering marvel! The metro train ride too, was very smooth. I reached my destination in 10-15 min which otherwise could have taken half an hour by road. Also, during peak hours, overcrowding is managed well and efficiently. The trains are on time and are very well kept. Even foreigners give a very positive feedback about the Bangalore metro. I just  love the Bangalore metro!

Kharghar hills, Navi Mumbai

                                                              KHARGHAR HILLS, NAVI MUMBAI

The beauty of Kharghar hills in Navi Mumbai can be seen in the above and below pictures. I came here for a tree plantation drive when I was in college and clearly remember, I was awestruck after seeing this place. The lush greenery, the valleys , the trees and the view of the city from the hills left me wondering whether I was seeing a dream or I was in reality. It is such a beautiful place that I still fall short of adjectives for describing its awesomeness! I have always been a nature lover and this was the ideal and perfect place for me.

Luckily, it was the rainy season, so the hills were fully covered with greenary and the weather was so cool and pleasant. I felt fortunate that while living in such an urbanised city, such spots were still present, preserved and well kept. Kharghar hills looked even better than the hill stations! I clicked many photos and posted them on social networking sites. The view of the waterfalls was the best thing to see at Kharghar hills. I enjoyed every bit, every moment at this place. It is a superb spot for trekking. 

I was just amazed after coming here. When I saw the hills, the only words that came out of my mouth were 'Wow'! Till then, I had seen such places only in movies, TV serials or magazines. So when I really saw the Kharghar hills, I could not believe that it was reality. It was like a dream come true. I felt that I was on top of the world! It is really an incredibly beautiful place which you must surely visit atleast once in your lifetime. After that day, my life changed. Life became beautiful! I became a very positive person since I knew that my life had got a purpose and that purpose was to keep coming to such awesome places which will always make me happy! So , I shall always hop to Kharghar to see the hills and make good memories.

                                                    PALM BEACH ROAD, NAVI MUMBAI

Palm Beach road is nothing less than a stairway to heaven!  When I once went for a ride by my scooter on this road, I realised what true happiness is. Palm Beach road is a 10 km long road which runs between Belapur and Vashi via Seawoods, Nerul and Sanpada in Navi Mumbai.  It is a beautiful, broad and well constructed road which contains residential buildings, cafes and various other establishments on one side and trees, mangroves and lush greenery on the other. 

It is a wonderful road to ride your vehicle or go for a long drive. In simple terms, it can be called as the 'Marine Drive' of Navi Mumbai. I rode on this road between Nerul and Vashi after I finished college. And trust me, it was the perfect way to end my day! Since the road is very broad, I did not get stuck in traffic jams and I could ride my bike freely . It began to feel as if I was riding my bike in a video game! I could see the entire view of  Navi Mumbai city from this road itself. It was an amazing feeling! It was like a dream. All the stress of the day's work went away like a miracle. Luckily, it was evening time when I rode here  and saw the sunset. That made my day! Youngsters especially flock to this road. There is always a cool breeze due to the presence of various trees which is very soothing to the mind. 

A ride on this road can be a perfect stress buster. The road is very well maintained and clean. That one ride on this road changed my outlook of life forever. It gave me a very positive feeling!

                                                         GATEWAY OF INDIA, MUMBAI

Since childhood, I have been a lover of Gateway of India and the iconic Taj Mahal hotel in front of it. I have visited this place so many times, still I do not get bored of it.  I always enjoy the cool breeze and the lovely view of the Arabian sea here. It is such a beautiful sight to see!! This is one of the most favourite landmarks of Mumbai. 

I love to feed food to the pigeons here. This place is no less than heaven! Whenever I get free time, I visit this place. Seeing this place makes me feel like there is always  hope in life. All my stress and tension goes away when I see the Gateway of India and the beautiful Arabian sea beside it. It feels like however life would be, there is always a way out. This place is very peaceful. It is away from the city's noise and pollution. Whenever I go to South Mumbai, I always make it a point to come and spend some time here. You will always get to see a huge diversity of people, cultures and surroundings here. There will always be photographers pestering you to take photos and the chaiwallas  attempting to make maximum profit by selling their yummy chais . I love to drink the milkshakes here at a popular stall which sells delicious juices and eatables from all cultures and nations. 

The only bad memory about this place was when Pakistani terrorists attacked this hotel and destroyed every bit of it on 26 November 2008. Still, this place has so much of positivity that despite whatever happens it gives the message that  life will go on and we need to move on in life. I am so proud to be a Mumbaikar and feel happier that I got a chance to visit this great monument and the entire area of it. I never go empty- handed or hungry after visiting the Gateway of India.

                                                          SINGAPORE METRO

If you are looking for a clean, well kept, presentable and punctual metro system, then there is no other system better than the Singapore Metro. I was so amazed with the metro in Singapore that I just couldn't stop thinking about it , even for a second. The metro trains as well as stations are so unique and clean that I literally fell in love with it. 

I just loved the trains which looked so new, swanky and fresh from the start to the end of the day. They were just too awesome to look at. Also, the people too are very co-operative and behave in a very civilised manner even during rush hours. The underground and elevated metro stations were so beautiful and modern. I rode the metro from Newton to Little India station. And believe me, it was a journey to remember. Even just looking at the metro train and stations made me feel so good. Then, the ride in the metro was like a jackpot or lottery. Even the underground metro stations looked so dazzling that I first  thought that I was in a 5 star hotel more than a metro station. What I loved above Singapore and its metro system is that the people are so clean and so, were the surroundings. There was not even a slightest litter or dust in the metro stations.

The Singapore metro just won my heart and respect. And most importantly, it was so quick and time saving. I wished I got to explore the entire metro lines but I had to go to other places for sightseeing. At the end of the day when I remembered my ride in the metro, I was just like , 'Wow'!!

                                                             MUMBAI MONORAIL

Like the metro, I love the monorails too for their sleek design, air-conditioned coaches and the monorail stations. Yesterday, I rode the Mumbai monorail from Chembur to Jacob Circle (Mahalaxmi) and it was fun. It felt as if I was riding a roller-coaster or a toy train in an amusement park. The total ride took around 40 minutes and those 40 minutes were one of the happiest moments of my life. I could see the entire view of Mumbai city, the roads below, the high rise skyscrapers and factories from the monorail

The advantage of monorail is that it runs on a single track, so it occupies less space and can be built in the most congested roads and narrow lanes. Metro is comparatively heavy, so running it in a city like Mumbai is extremely challenging as there is a lot of lack of space in the city. The monorail stations were too cute. It really felt as if I am in USA, Japan or Singapore. Thankfully, the monorail was not crowded, so I could sit comfortably with ease. It was air-conditioned so I enjoyed every moment of the ride without facing the ruthless heat of the sun. There was so much of diversity of life, people and surroundings along the entire 20km route from Chembur to Mahalaxmi. I saw the high rise offices and towers in Lower Parel and Dadar, factories and tall residential skyscrapers in Wadala and the typical congested and busy roads of Mumbai in Chembur. The best scene of the ride was when the monorail rode over the Lalbaug flyover and railway tracks at Wadala. That was such a fantastic sight!! Seeing the chaos on the road from the monorail  was one of the most joyful pleasures in life.  This trip became more like an educational trip then a joyride. I got to learn so much in this 40 minutes monorail ride.

I felt that the monorail was faster than the metro because of its small size. The metro is comparatively bigger in size and heavier so it has to follow a certain speed limit. I was very happy that I took a ride in the monorail. I enjoyed it to the fullest. At the end of the day, I found some thing to cheer up. 

                                                            CHANGI AIRPORT, SINGAPORE.

I visited Singapore with my family during the summer vacation. I simply fell in love with the airport popularly known as the Changi airport. It was a perfect example of architectural and engineering marvel!

This place is so stunning and beautiful that it doesn't look like an airport! It looks no less than an amusement park or a palace!! It is one among the best airports in the world with no dearth of anything. What I loved the most about Changi airport is that it is so clean ! Kudos to the people of Singapore for maintaining it so well! The air-conditioning  inside the airport made me feel as if I was in paradise! Another thing that I liked about this place was the sky train( monorail) which connected every nook and corner of the airport and it looked just too beautiful. I  wished I got to ride in that skytrain but could not take out time to ride it because I would miss my flight. The people were very friendly and co-operative. We also had some amazing food at the airport . I just wished I could get to visit this place again and again. 

I thanked God that I got to travel to such a beautiful place. This vacation was the best vacation of my life! I have visited many places but Changi airport just stole my heart. It was the best of all!

                                                              BANDRA FORT

This is one of my favourite places to visit in Mumbai. I simply love the view of the Arabian sea from sitting on the rocks of the Bandra fort. It is an excellent tourist place. This place generates a lot of positive vibes. When I saw this fort for the first time, I was amazed and realised how beautiful this life is! It gave me hope and joy. 

This fort was built by the Portuguese. It is a perfect example of  architectural marvel. I saw the Bandra-Worli sea link from here and trust me, the view was stunning. It looked very close to the Bandra fort and it felt as if I could just jump and get onto  the sea link. I also saw the beautiful view of the bandstand promenade  and the entire view of Mumbai city from here. The cool breeze of the sea just made me feel as if I was in heaven. I clicked a lot of pictures and even posted them on social media.

 I had a cup of tea and some sandwiches while enjoying the beauty of this place. Sipping a delicious cup of tea in the cool and pleasant weather  along the sea shore was  exactly the thing I was looking for to start a day well. There were many people who had come here to explore the place. I was so happy after I visited the Bandra fort that I just didn't want to leave that place. The atmosphere was so lively.  Visiting this place is a boon and a gift altogether. I was so much at ease here and felt so homely. I wished that I had a house here from which I could get to see the beautiful view of the sea from my balcony or window. That would be perfect! I feel so lucky to have such a place in Mumbai which  I can keep visiting frequently. I felt proud to be a Mumbaikar after seeing this amazing place!

                                                        MULUND - THE PRINCE OF THE SUBURBS
Mulund is rightly called as the Prince of the Suburbs for a reason. I am very proud to be a citizen of Mulund which has a rich diversity in all forms of life. Mulund is one of the few areas in Mumbai where nature and greenery has been conserved inspite of the rapid urbanisation and migration. I still remember, when I was in Junior kg,  our picnic was at Johnson and Johnson garden. Nothing would be cuter than that! Johnson and johnson garden is such a beautiful place lined with trees and lush greenery. I have spent my childhood here . 

Who can forget Nirmal Lifestyle and R mall!! They are the pride of Mulund! I used to go to this two places for shopping, dining out and meeting friends and family almost every month. Another beautiful and popular place in Mulund , which I feel  is the area of Cypress near Yogi hills. The garden there, the view of the hills and the fresh air refresh me always. Cypress has become a very famous area in Mulund, where people come to explore, eat and spend time with  family and friends. Devidayal road is another spot which I love the most. This whole road is lined up with trees on both sides, which makes it such a wonderful sight to see!! I come here for walks and eating as this place consists of many new and cool cafes and restaurants. 

And do you know what's the best thing about Mulund? It's none other than delicious street food!! I never miss a chance to eat the famous masala vada pav opposite the  Kalidas auditorium. There are so many khau gallis in Mulund near the station or the market or  the Sarvodya nagar khau galli. The best part is , we can get to hog on any type of food here, may it be Indian, Chinese, American or Italian. McDonalds has always been my top priority to have a great meal. Another great part which I feel about Mulund is that people from all religions, castes and backgrounds live here. We can so many varieties and diversities in lifestyle, people and surroundings. This suburb of Mumbai has flourished in development in all sectors such as residential, commercial, tourism, industrial and education. Nothing could be better  than that!!  I just love the streets of Mulund. They are full of life, chaos and the hustle and  bustle of course. What I love about this place is that I get to see something new or different everyday on the streets. 

 

The only problem about Mulund which I hate is the overcrowding and air pollution.  There are too many vehicles on the road and thus, breathing the vehicular emissions has become a nightmare. The open spaces are being destroyed to make buildings and roads. The footpaths are dug up leaving no space to walk .  We should rectify these problems and bring a solution so that we can live happier. My advice is use public transport, don't litter the streets and do not cause harm to the environment and nature. All I can say is that I am very lucky and privileged to be a Mulundkar and I would do everything to bring its charm!!

                                                               DELHI METRO VS MUMBAI METRO

Since childhood, I have always loved metro trains for their sleek design, their high speed and the elevated and the swanky metro stations. Metro trains are like a fantasy for me.  I still remember, the first time I travelled by the metro was in Delhi. I enjoyed the ride so much that I started pestering everyone to take me to the metro again and my family members started thinking that I have gone mad. Delhi metro is nothing but just a marvel. Seeing the view of the traffic on the road below, the high rise buildings from the super air-conditioned coaches was just like a fairytale and a dream come true for me. Wow, what a view that was!!

The Delhi metro is smaller in size than the Mumbai metro. Mumbai metro coaches are broader and they consist of 6 coaches unlike the Delhi metro which comprises of 4 coaches. I found the Delhi metro much faster than the Mumbai metro. Since Mumbai is densely populated, the Mumbai metro coaches are much broader to accomodate the crowd but are slower because of its huge size. I simply love the cable-strayed metro bridge over Western Express highway in Andheri, Mumbai. Metro trains look so classy. Whenever I take the metro, I feel as though I am on a roller-coaster in an amusement park. Even though I am tired of the daily work, a ride in the metro makes me stress free, relaxed and gives me joy. 

Delhi and Mumbai, both having an amazing metro system. The Delhi metro stations are simply amazing and are a true example of an engineering marvel. Seeing the metro and riding it at night is just so cool! One can see the view of the whole city with lights lit up. Watching the metro from the road  itself is so wonderful. I am very happy and feel fortunate that I got to travel by the metro of these two charming cities. I am a 25 year old grown up man now, but still that childish thrill of travelling by the metro above the city's chaos is still present in me. It is simply one of the best and most convenient modes of transport , especially in cities such as Mumbai and Delhi.

                                                          GIRGAUM CHOWPATTY, MUMBAI

Girgaum chowpatty is one of my favourite places to visit in Mumbai, after Marine Drive. It is a small and a cute beach but attracts lots of tourists. I simply love the pav bhaji here. Since childhood, I have been coming to this beach and it has always given me joy. The view of the  sunset here is just too breathe taking. I have come here many times because I find this beach too cute.

Playing with the sea waves, taking pictures, having milkshakes is my favourite past time here. Girgaum chowpatty is just next to Marine Drive. People of all age groups, castes, religions and communities come here to enjoy . I remember I had come here once after my 12 standard board exams with my cousin sister and we clicked nearly 100 photographs of ourselves and the beach. According to me, this is the best place to relax after a day's hard work. I also like this place because it is a great combination of all cultures and people. Girgaum chowpatty is very close to Wilson college and Charni road station. I even like the architecture of the buildings here as they represent a proper mix of British, Portuguese and Indian culture.

Recently , I visited this beach on 31st December and it was the best decision I had ever taken . The new year vibes, the lighting, the superb climate made the stay here more memorable. I will never give up visiting this place as this is one of those places where I feel myself and alive.

                                                               MARINE DRIVE, MUMBAI

Marine drive for me is not just a place, its an emotion and a feeling altogether. I feel very lucky and blessed that I have a place like this in Mumbai. It makes me feel proud to be a Mumbaikar. The waves clashing with the rocks on the shore, the cool breeze of the sea and the diversity of people and the surroundings here make me feel complete and alive. Be it day or night,  Marines is such a beautiful place to see. 

The last time I visited Marines was on 31 December, 2022 and it was an enjoyable experience. The weather was cool, the entire stretch of the road and the promenade was decorated with lights to welcome the new year 2023 and there were people from all castes, communities and backgrounds here. According to me, this was the best 31st December outing of all my life. I came here with my mom, clicked photos and enjoyed the festive and celebrative vibe of the place. The cup of chai that I had while sitting on the promenade beside the shore was just too good. The entire area was in a jolly mode. There was also a lot of security there as it was the 31st of December and law and order had to be taken care of. 

We arrived at Marine Drive exactly after sunset. We were a bit sad that we missed the sunset but the lights of the buildings, roads and vehicles brought back our joy. We felt we had taken the right decision of coming here, that too on new year's eve. The entire place was lit. It was such a beautiful atmosphere. I was truely happy!! What a wonderful place to celebrate new year!!