A Few Clicks To Remember 

Hello my fabulous readers. When I was enthusiastic, I had a habit of clicking pictures of everything. Whether it was a party, outings or just a casual meet, I never forget to click pics. Some people disliked this, because I had a habit of clicking their pictures without their permission. Obviously, It was bad because sometimes, the picture portrayed some different situation, some different story. But I never shared such pics with anyone, but yes I have shared the rest of the pics. I even blackmailed my friends with those pics. In a joking way, of course.

Golf Course, Ambey Valley, Lonavala @MakeTimeForThingsYouLove

Not only that, I was very fond of the newly launched mobile with a high tech camera. Long back, I had even bought one. I still have that mobile in working condition. But because of rising technology and the internet, I had to buy a new phone because of this 4G-5G support. Yes, but this time, I didn’t buy it with my money. and also, by that time, I started losing my interest in technology.

Masala Papad, Indian side / time pass dish, Jai Hind restaurant, Lower parel , Mumbai @MakeTimeForThingYouLove

Over time, I started losing interest in capturing moments too. Now-a-days, I am too lazy to click pics. Also, I find it boring to pose for someone, to be in a pic. Whether it is clouds, or shades of lights on water, even some print on bedsheets, I had clicked all. Whether food, my new haircut, or some xyz statue, I didn’t leave any stone to capture it. By the way, I have clicked  pics of stone too. People said, enjoy the moment, don’t waste it by clicking pics. True, But memories do come back when we see photos. As such, I don’t remember some places that I had visited a long time back. But when I see the pics, I recollect all the places. Thanks to google, for giving us notification of photos memories. We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise it’s gone.

Shades of lights, Haji Ali, Mumbai @MakeTimeForThingsYouLove

When I see my old pics of some vacation, I sometimes laugh. Because the way I dress  was funny. But sometimes, I also see the accessories I had worn that time. The nails, nail paint, the hairband, not so messy hair, the shoes, the watch, etc. and sometimes shocking because I really don’t know where these accessories are? Because some dresses I still wear. And Because, I had visited this place too.

Sea lion show, Jungle Safari, Bangkok @MakeTimeForThingsYouLove

I am not at all a professional photographer. I don’t have a DSLR. I had one digital camera. and I carried it once in the Mumbai rains. RIP. My digital camera, you will be missed, always. I had always clicked snaps from my mobile. When Nokia was ruling, I had this awesome phone. Don’t remember the model number, but it was a flap mobile. The camera quality and also the zoom quality was awesome. But I don’t know how I lost it. But now with this latest mobile, I don’t know what’s wrong with this. The camera quality is good at start, but when you update the software, it loses all its quality, even some features. So it happened with my latest mobile too. Now, the camera quality is not so good.

Clicked from my Nokia phone, Mahalaxmi temple, Goa. @MakeTimeForThingsYouLove

So what’s great in clicking pics? When a professional photographer clicks your photos, he or she makes sure that you feel good, look good and special in that photograph. All your emotions come out, when you see your own inner image. But when a roadside photographer, like me, clicks your photos, You will either be laughing or you will find the devil inside you. But on a serious note, after a few years, you will feel great that you have not clicked, but you have captured the memories. You have arrested the memories.

Munnar, Kerala @MakeTimeForThingsYouLove

Have a great day.. Keep clicking photos. 

Shared / sharing some photos here, clicked by me.

Kalathil Lake Resort, Kumarakom, Kerala @MakeTimeForThingsYouLove
Nariman Point Sky Line, Mumbai @MakeTimeForThingsYouLove
Diwali Festival 2012, Mumbai @MakeTimeForThingsYouLove

** all images are captured by me. Please do not use the images without my permission **

My Anecdote – International Trip

Me and my hubby like to travel a lot. But this journey came to rest, after the baby. I was very fussy and scared to travel with my baby. What if my baby got sick? What if she doesn’t get proper food? All such questions made me not want to travel. My hubby was always on the positive side. His only response was, “I earn well right now, Let’s travel, Let’s check. If something goes wrong then we will travel back. Such a trip will not come again in our life”. And that trip was none other than Maldives.

Maldives, a place, if visited once, you will visit again and again. Yes, I will visit again. Clean beaches, water sports, fishes near the shore, baby sharks. Yes, I saw a baby shark near the shore. My daughter was  excited when we told her that we were going to such a place where there are only beaches and fish around.  She was damn happy. But while taking flight from Mumbai, she became restless and didn’t want to stand in immigration line. She shouted, screamed, she was out of control. I gave her mobile, her fav books, even lollipops. But she was very bored standing in the queue. Thanks to Mumbaikars, who told us to go ahead. My daughter was calm after that. I set her free in the airport. She ran, she slept on the floor, everything she did, she wanted to do. But she thought she had reached Maldives and then shouted that she wanted to go to the beach. We made her trip more interesting, told her about the plane, the air hostess etc. Luckily she slept in flight. and upon reaching Maldives, she again yelp and didn’t want to stand in queue for a visa. Luckily My husband was quick in this and soon we got visas and were out of the airport. 

She was happy travelling on a speed boat. We reached this small island called “Maafushi”. A recommend place. Though this island is very small, you will get all the sports activity at reasonable rates. My daughter was on cloud nine looking at all those fishes around her legs. She was not ready to do hotel check-in. I told my husband to do all the procedures and me and my daughter sat on the beach. Though the end to end journey was long, I was very hungry and  I had a headache too. I badly wanted tea. But my daughter was in some other world. She didn’t come out of the beach until it was dark. Finally, my daughter did a hotel check-in. Now she was tired and hungry. Since I was with my kid, I was typical Indian mom with lots of food in my bags. I have kept all these healthy / unhealthy snacks for her. Finally, we were in a restaurant to have our dinner. Since I am Indian, I love Indian food a lot. i.e. masalas and spicy. On the other hand, My daughter wants blend food. On the food side, we didn’t enjoy that much. Even in the non-veg part, I didn’t enjoy it. But that’s the culture, that’s the food and we can’t do anything about it.

After 2 days of our Maafushi trip, we went to this island, called, “Paradise Island ”. This is a private island with its own restaurants, its own beach and its own watersports. But this island was more expensive than Maafushi. Even food was expensive. But here, we got to see Baby shark, Sting gray, and almost all the fishes, near the shore. We even took a 1 night stay in a water villa. My daughter had blast feeding sting gray. She enjoyed it a lot. More than me, more than my husband.

I thought My baby would be hungry in Maldives. Yes, she was but she was enjoying her trip more than hunger. She didn’t fuzz about food. She was happy playing on clean beaches. After reaching Mumbai, we landed at my mom’s house and my mom had prepared chicken curry. Looking at that, my daughter shouted, “No No. No. No chicken. Only dal rice. Only Dal Rice’. Even my child had enough non-veg food – haha!

One thing I learned from this trip, though we mothers are scared of travelling with kids, but we should take a chance at least. If not far, then at least nearby. In this way, you will be clear whether to make a long trip or not. and also we mothers need a break. Though for mothers, it’s just a change of place and nothing else, yet there is some relaxation and fun around. At least, you don’t have to make food every now and then..

Travelling with kid is fun.  You will come to know what your kids like. Whether plane or car or train. You will come to know whether your kid like to adjust in other environment and also food. Not only that, your bags will be get reduced in every trip. Even in case of food,  you will keep only required once. “Travel” the word itself says to “proceed” from one stage to another. “Travel” the word itself says to “move on”. “Travel” the word itself says to “progress”.

So keep traveling. keep exploring the place along with kids.

P.S. The Original Content was published by me on Momspresso site. Do have a look here . This is not paid promotion nor paid content. This is purely my story and I had travelled to Maldives in December 2019, before the pandemic. My daughter was 4 yrs old then.

Nashik – The Wine Capital Of India

I always say this line, Why travel the world when you have everything in India. I’m not against exploring the world. Obviously, aboard has its own scenic beauty and its own culture. But I feel you should explore “your” country first. I have visited only two destination. One is Thailand, of course that is the cheapest destination for me and the second one is Maldives. You can’t go swimming at any other beach if you have swim at Maldives beaches. Maldives has crystal clear water. But I can’t go to the Maldives every time. When I need a break, I can opt for Goa or any Konkan region. So this time, there was a short break and lockdown was also eased. And since, by god’s grace, I am fully vaccinated, we were welcome by all. And this time we were welcomed by the largest producer of grapes, Nashik.

Nashik, falls under Maharashtra and has mixed climate. The best season is from December to February. As it is winter there and also it’s the time for harvesting the grapes. Nashik is the only place in India where Wine is constructed. If you live in the same state, buying Wine in traveling is not an issue. But still why visit Nashik? We can get wine anywhere in Mumbai. Why is it so special in Nashik? 

As I said, Nashik is famous for grape cultivation. and hence there are many small restaurants inside that grape farm. One such restaurant is “Grape Embassy & Zatka Misal”. Located in fields of grapes, this place has a very positive vibe. Though, we didn’t go in grape season, and hence we missed that bunch of grapes hanging around. But Still, the feeling of eating under the grape farm was stupendous. In this restaurant, you get only “Misal Pav” (you can check the details of this dish here). But believe me, it was delectable Misal Pav. Like I said earlier, there were positive vibes and that positive vibes were reflecting in the food as well.  Apart from this, they have created a mini park with a kind-of toy train. Kids enjoyed every bit of it. Now; who doesn’t like to take selfies and photos in such places. Yes, they have created that space too. Have a look at this restaurant here. Now, There are few more such restaurants. One is just opposite to Sula Vineyards.


Grape Embassy & Zatka Misal, Image Courtesy @MakeTimeForThingsYouLove

The next destination spot is the MTDC Boating Club. Boating !! Uhh Boring, Right? So were my views too. But Believe me, if you don’t want to go boating, then this place has a neat and clean restaurant inside the club and has an almost 180 degree view of the sea. You have to pay an entry fee to enter their premises. But we had booked a boat ride from BookMyShow.com and hence our entry fee was waived off. Before visiting this place, do check BookMyShow.com for the offers or else it will be a little expensive. Do avoid going on weekends, because the rates are double at that time. They have other water sports too like Banana Ride, Jet Ski, Flying Fish and Boat Ride (normal and luxurious). If you don’t want the boat ride then pay the entry fee, buy yourself a cup of tea or coffee, and enjoy your evening with the scenic beauty.


MTDC Boat Club, Image Courtesy @MakeTimeForThingsYouLove

Nashik, and  you didn’t go to Sula Vineyards? Oh well, waste of money. But now, there is one more. Not as big as Sula Vineyards, but yes, you can enjoy wine tour and wine tasting there as well. This place is called “York” and it is ahead of the Sula Vineyard. In this tour, they will explain how wine is made, what’s the difference between the wines, etc. But now, this place is now under Sula. Sula has a huge crowd. Yes, of course for wine tasting and clicking pics. But to avoid that crowd, you can opt for York and then go to Sula for a photo session and for some munching. Obviously, the look around in Sula is much better than in York. In both Sula n York, you have an entry fee, but it gets redeemed if you eat in their restaurant.


Sula Vineyards, Image Courtesy @MakeTimeForThingsYouLove

Apart from this, Nashik has various holy places. One of the places is Triveni Sangam. Where three rivers meet. This is the place where the famous Kumbh Mela takes place every 12 years.


York, Image Courtesy @MakeTimeForThingsYouLove

Nashik is highly recommended for Family trips. Don’t be shy to take your elders to Sula n York, they will enjoy the place. So, pack your bags and get-set-go.