DAY ONE
Mumbai to Tbilisi: Hum Aapke Hain Cold!
You know that feeling when a trip finally begins? That mix of excitement, mild panic, and the eternal question: passport kahan rakha tha?
Well, that’s exactly how our Day One kicked off.
Prelude: Kahani Airport Wali
I’m usually excited about new journeys, but this time excitement was politely waiting its turn while apprehension was running the entire show. With Indigo cancelling flights like they were clearing old inventory, I genuinely wasn’t sure if this was a vacation or just a very expensive airport visit.
Even on the way to the airport, I carried the confidence of a man who might fly… or might return home with life lessons instead of luggage tags. My wife had already entered “silent judgment mode.” My daughter, however, was busy rehearsing airport poses — because if the trip doesn’t start on Instagram, did it even start?
We checked in our baggage, boarded the flight, and I only relaxed once the wheels left the ground. That sigh wasn’t relief, it was closure.
Thank God. Akhir mein nikal hi gaye.
At that point, I trusted the pilot more than the airline’s app.
Boarding the Flight: Udta Aashish
The flight from Mumbai was pretty uneventful in the best possible way. No last-minute sprints, no gate changes, no frantic announcements.
Just a peaceful boarding, a surprisingly decent seat, and the usual sights:
– people struggling with overhead bins
– someone insisting “yeh mera seat hai”
– and the airplane food politely reminding us that taste is optional at 30,000 ft
I dozed, woke, dozed again, stared at clouds like a philosopher, and before we knew it, the captain announced our descent.
And then…
Tbilisi.
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Tbilisi |
Touchdown Tbilisi: Swagat Nahi Karoge Hamara?
The aircraft door opened.
Mumbai heat behind us.
And ahead of us… Welcome gift”, 4-degree cold slapping us straight on the face. My wife looked at me as if I personally arranged this weather. My daughter, on the other hand, was already posing for pictures because apparently freezing temperatures are the perfect filter.
One step outside and we knew we were not prepared. Jackets? Ha! Woh toh suitcase mein the… cozy, warm, and zipped — unlike us, who were freezing like leftover ice cubes.
We looked at each other with numb noses and declared:
“Bas. Aaj ka day one yahin khatam. Body ne NOTA choose kar liya.”
From Airport to Hotel: Khoobsurti Ka Kya Karein?
Once outside, we were met by our minivan driver, the strong, silent, no-expression type. No small talk, no dramatic welcomes. Just quiet efficiency. In one swift move, he collected our luggage, loaded it neatly into the van, and before we could even process the cold properly, we were already on our way to the hotel.
But before we could conk off completely, our cab was ready to take off....
And THAT’S when the magic happened.
You may like this :
https://www.lifeofaash.com/mumbai-to-guhaghar-road-trip-konkan-calling-part-1/
The drive from Tbilisi Airport is like flipping through a picture book — wide roads, gentle hills, lit-up buildings, and that calm European vibe that makes you automatically say, “Yaar… shift ho jaaye kya?”
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| Old Charm |
The city looked stunning in the cold weather, a mix of old-world charm and modern curves. Even through half-sleepy eyes, we were like, “Wow… look at that. Aur woh bhi. Aur yeh bhi!”
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| Modern Curves |
Cab Commando was driving smoothly, Georgian music softly playing, and we were just soaking in the atmosphere… while shivering, of course — because Day One’s official theme was: Thand se karenge sabka swagat!
At the Hotel:To Be or Not To Be... A Tourist
Once we reached the hotel and dumped our bags, we stood in the room contemplating the big question of the day:
“To be or not to be… a tourist today?”
(With full apologies to Shakespeare.)
The plan was to head out and explore the city straight away — streets, squares, cafés, the works.
But the temperature outside had other ideas.
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| Three Hamlets of Shakespeare (Literally Shaking) |
We were caught between two moods:
– The enthusiastic traveller whispering: “Let’s go! Let’s explore!”
– The shivering human screaming: “NOPE.”
So there we were, standing dramatically by the window like budget Hamlets, gazing at the chilly streets and debating our fate.
Gazing at the chilly streets and debating our fate
Verdict: Pending. Because Cold.
Finally, our bodies started shutting down like overworked laptops.
We decided to take a short break.
A very short break.
Which may or may not have turned into a long nap.
We rested a bit and then stepped out to explore the local area, because when we travel, rule number one is to wander without a plan and take pictures at every possible corner.
And oh boy, did we click pictures.
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| Posing at Telephone booth |
At traffic lights, telephone booths, near lamp posts, outside shops, with random statues, with shadows, with reflections… half the time even we didn’t know what we were photographing. My daughter kept saying, “Papa, last one,” and five seconds later we were doing another pose. My wife gave up counting after photo number 73.
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| Softy ice cream in cold ...Ek alag maza |
We grabbed a softy ice cream (yes, in the cold, because we love challenging our own survival instincts), did some window shopping, and wandered into a local church. The atmosphere inside was so mystical, for a moment, I felt like I had walked straight into a Dan Brown novel. I half expected someone to hand me an ancient scroll and whisper, “You are the chosen one.”
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| Mystical Church |
As evening fell, the temperature dropped even more, and our enthusiasm began to shiver along with our hands. So, we decided to call it a day, but not before picking up a nice bottle of Georgian wine to enjoy with dinner. A little warmth for the soul never hurt anyone.
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| A little warmth for the soul never hurt anyone. |
Tomorrow, we’re off for the Tbilisi city tour.
Stay tuned the adventure continues, along with more pictures, more banter, and more moments that’ll probably end up in future family teasing sessions.
