Destination Wedding Party at Eriyadu Island Resort, Maldives

Seal with a kiss with BoduBeru Dance group
Photography Courtesy: Stories by Joseph Radhik

Lucky or Blessed?

Haven’t you dreamt about being invited to a destination wedding party, and if I say the destination wedding party is an International Destination then you call yourself lucky, and if that International Destination is Maldives, then O’Boy you are blessed. So this blog is about witnessing the wedding party of my friend Rashmi, a sweet Indian Marathi Mulgi (Girl) and her beau James, a smart handsome Australian Boy which took place at Eriyadu Island Resort in Maldives.

HONG KONG – MUMBAI – MALDIVES.

With the last minute decision of attending the wedding party and not cancelling it, made my trip a bit hectic. It was time to pack my bags in Hong Kong and start a long journey from Hong Kong – Mumbai – Sri Lanka – Maldives, calling for last minute shopping at HK airport to look beach friendly (Ray Ban, Tommy Hilfiger, Zara, Nautica, US Polo to the rescue).
Step 2 – Needed a Haircut to look good, so I rushed to my Hairstylist ZEEBA and JAIPAL from WHY NOT BY ZEEBA salon making them miss their movie, after which at home I had just 1 hour to unpack, repack take a shower eat some food and rush back to the airport for my next flight. And there I was ready to board my flight to see the beautiful couple made in heaven get married on earth. I must tell you I was already dead tired and needed sleep badly so that I can enjoy my time at Rashmi’s wedding the next day, and the time to interact with other friends of rashmi in the flight failed because I was sleeping the whole time on the flight. Nevertheless met them all at the arrival hall and immediately knew I am gonna have one hell of an awesome trip.

Maldives

The Maldives, officially The Republic of Maldives, is a small island nation in South Asia, located in the Arabian Sea of the Indian Ocean. It lies southwest of Sri Lanka and India, about 1,000 kilometres from the Asian continent and is a spread over of 200 Islands with over 132 resorts to enjoy.
We were booked at one such Island Resort called Eriyadu.

Bird’s eye view of Eriyadu Island
Photo Courtesy – Stories By Joseph Radhik

Day 1

Airport to Hotel Journey

Male Airport to ERIYADU Island Resort one has to take the speed boat which takes around 45 mins to reach.

Bird’s eye view of Eriyadu Island Resort
Photo Courtesy: Asad Ibrahim

Hotel and It’s Location

Eriyadu Island Resort is a simple, beautiful and secluded hotel resort on an island of tropical beauty situated in North Malé Atoll. The hotel is the only one on the island, reflecting its surroundings of bamboo and tropical palm trees.
Eriyadu is one of the few remaining islands that remains true to the Maldivian entity.
Eriyadu has 76 Rooms divided in two categories – Beach Rooms and Deluxe Beach Rooms(Villas). Eriyadu has two bars, one restaurant, swimming pool, spa, own coral reef diving areas, small shop, water sports activities and gaming area.
Eriyadu is close to white sandy beaches, while the lagoon is home to a natural coral reef that can be explored by snorkeling or diving with the hotel’s professional dive center. Its central location is very close to 35 of the best dive sites of the North as well as the South Male Atoll, providing a prime location for divers.
My stay at Eriyadu was one of the most simple yet beautiful coral reef beach facing villas I have ever stayed at.

Panaromic View of the Beach and Maldivian Sea of Eriyadu Resort Island

A little Resting, Reading Area
Photo Courtesy: Eriyadu Instagram Page

Maldivian Hospitality adds up to Indian Tradition

At the Deck, we were warmly welcomed by the hotel staff along with the bride and groom. This is the Indian Tradition wherein we ourselves welcome the Guests even though they are the centre of attraction. The staff was giving the information about their beautiful property and island while we were walking towards the reception which is a little walk from the boat deck.
While waiting at the reception for our room keys we were greeted with the much needed nice cold welcome drinks, which was specially made by their chef to hydrate us, as the weather was little hot.
The reception area was huge and it had simplicity with open wide spaces with many seating areas for the guest to relax and enjoy till they finished their check in formalities.
And soon my room was dedicated to me and a humble local bell boy was sent along for my assistance to reach my room.

Rooms

As mentioned this not a small island, so one can get confused the first day if you are not guided, from next day you will feel at home. We were all booked in the Deluxe Beach Rooms and My Room was quiet a walk from the Lobby Area and i had to cross through the beautiful trees and surroundings and i could really feel myself in the beauty of nature.
While walking I took all the information i could about the property and its facilities from the staff.
All of Rashmi’s guests had their own beach front villas so that they can have the direct access to the beach from their rooms.
The Deluxe Beach Rooms is a Villa wherein two rooms adjoining to each other are created. The Villa has a small Balcony space for you to chill relax have your drink and read the book looking at the view of god’s perfection.
Once in the Room it’s a huge nice set up with two chairs on the left, a king size bed, television, wardrobe and mini bar on the right.
The room decor matches the tropical paradise keeping it light white colour with matching brown furniture.
After this comes the beauty of the room actually the bathroom – The bathroom is half the size of the room and had its own entry exit door. It had a Bathtub, a open shower area, toilet and lovely washbasin. All of this made me have a wish to stay here forever and never go back.

Room Interior
Picture Courtesy: Eriyadu Facebook Page

*Room Balcony view*
*Picture Courtesy: Eriyadu Facebook Page*

The Wedding Party

Now time to even talk about the reason I was in Maldives, Wedding Party of the beautiful couple Rashmi and James.
Rashmi is a sweet cute little happy go lucky girl from Mumbai who is a fellow libran like me, she is full of energy having the most cute and adorable smile, is a fitness freak and a motivator.
James on the other hand is a most humble human being I have met, his simplicity is charming , and with his Australian accent you would just wanna keep listening to him. This two had met in the year 2009 and it was love at first sight for James, and they both knew since then that one day they would tie a knot to start a beautiful family.
The Wedding Party was on the same day and had very minimal ritual as the entire focus was to actually enjoy the party with beach, dancing, drinking and adventure sports.

The Bride and The Groom – Wedding Dress and Makeup

As per Rashmi clothes weren’t the main attraction the wedding, though I think this statement was restricted to James and she chose to wear a golden gown created by herself and the ocean blue gown was created by Aneesh Agarwaal and James was fairly casual and perfectly dressed for the beach orange shirt with white trousers. With her the only people who were colour coordinated were the Bridesmaids wearing lovely blue dresses in different styles. Rashmi’s makeup and hair was done by Maheleqa Mohseni who is also her close friend so it was all the more special for her.

Bride and Groom
Photo Courtesy: Abhijit Kohle

Rashmi enjoying her cake
Photo Courtesy: Stories by Joseph Radhik

Rashmi and James
Stories by Joseph Radhik

Wedding Party Photography Team

Rashmi had a parade of good photographers as guests to cover her wedding party and make it memorable for lifetime in pictures – Abhijit Kolhe and Pushkaraj Shirke.
But no bride would be happy with friends clicking you alone so she hired a top team of professional photographers from India – Stories by Joseph Radhik with his team Raj Mohapatra and Shivali Chopra (stories team are famously known to shoot Anushka Sharma – Virat Kohli, Priyanka Chopra – Nick Jonas, Samantha – Chaitanya and many other celebrity weddings) and videography was done by Asad Ibrahim from Maldives.

The Rituals
Photo Courtesy: Abhijit Kohle

This shot is again a bird eye view, but with the bride and the groom
*Photo Courtesy – Stories By Joseph Radhik*

Time with the Bride and Groom
Photo Courtesy: Asad Ibrahim

The Wedding Party Venue and Decor

The Wedding Venue was on the beach front of the Island and they had set up a small beautiful tent for the vows. The theme was orange, navy blue and gold. The marquee structure was mix of red and orange with flowers, the seating chairs were all in white and bouquet of orange flowers on the pathway with yellow petals on the sand to give it a fell of the yellow carpet for the bride and groom’s walk towards the marquee for exchanging the vows . It looked so surreal and beautiful, as by the time this two would get married the sun would change its colours giving the most beautiful moment of life.

Beautiful Decor
Photo Courtesy: Asad Ibrahim

When two Photographers are clicking the entry of the Bride and Groom one photobombs always, this guy in mine and I must be in his

The Vows

Both the bride and groom had personalised vows which they exchanged in few minutes and locked it with a kiss.

Bride and Groom
Photography Courtesy : Abhijit Kohle

Rituals and Fun
Photo Courtesy : Stories by Joseph Radhik

One with the bride
*Photo Courtesy : Stories by Joseph Radhik*

Bride with the Bridesmaids
*Photo Courtesy : Stories by Joseph Radhik*

Post Vow Celebrations

Soon after the vows were exchanged we all danced to the local maldivian music and instrument BoduBeru Dance.
(BoduBeru Dance dates back to the 11th Century and is the traditional dance of Maldives, Performed by a group, it consists of one lead singer and lots of drums apart from variety of thumping instruments. The pace of the music and dance gradually picks up, and usually at the end of it the spectators would be dancing along with the group. The songs and dance styles are similar to the ones found in East and South West Africa giving rise to speculation that these might have been introduced to this tiny island nation by sailors from the African continent.)
They were singing songs in local language but with the music we understood those were Indian Songs dubbed in their language.
The night was getting younger, then came in an uncle on his little guitar singing songs and invited us to sing along, and in few minutes I took over the mic to sing, though not a great singer I guess I did keep the entertainment alive.
Heading from here we went for a lovely dinner, got ourselves changed to Party all night with the DJ of Eriyadu. Continuing we all were inside the pool taking this party to another level.
As we said destination wedding parties are never ending, but I had to call it a night at 1am, a little early then others as i had a dream photoshoot planned with Asad starting at 3 am. You can read “A Night with the Shooting Star” and “The Maldivian Sunrise.” to know about the shoot.

Time for BoduBeru Dance with the Bride
Photo Courtesy: Abhijit Kohle

With the Band
Photo Courtesy: Stories by Joseph Radhik

All smiles
Photo Courtesy: Stories by Joseph Radhik

Me singing with Pushkraj
Captured beautifully by : Stories by Joseph Radhik

When Shooting Star decides to appear in your picture
Photo Courtesy: Asad Ibrahim

Beautiful Sunrise sitting on the Deck
Photo Courtesy: Asad Ibrahim

When the sun shines brighter
Photo Courtesy: Asad Ibrahim

Day 2

Back to the Rooms

So after finishing the shoot at 6.30 am in the morning, it was time to go to sleep as the agenda for the whole day was to explore the island nothing else.
So I slept like a baby for few hours in the most comfortable bed.
The rooms are well-appointed with modern conveniences and a trendy islander decorative theme that promotes a peaceful atmosphere.
And as it was exploration time it was even time to enjoy the bathtub and read a book. I guess i have never been so relaxed the way i was in Eriyadu and in this bathtub, as it was just me and myself.
The bathroom space is so huge it’s almost the size of a hotel room in many hotels in India. So this time it was time to relax in the bathtub and read a book.

Food and Drinks

Being on an Island means you are restricted to the food made in the restaurant in the island only, but if it is Eriyadu Island then it’s like having a blast. You have a huge variety of food. So our stay had all meals included, so we were enjoying Breakfast, Lunch, High Tea and Dinner menu at the hotel restaurant itself. I am always worried being a vegetarian but to my relief they even had a huge variety of vegetarian food in the menu. There was a huge fruit section with a collection of exotic tropical fruits like Dragon Fruit, Passion Fruit, etc.
Other than this, Eriyadu had two Resto – Bars and all of the guests enjoyed unlimited alcohol and other drinks.
So overall we were having a blast living on an island.
You don’t need anything else than a lifestyle of that of a Maldivian Holiday.

My MontBlanc Aviators enjoying the company of Budwiser
at the Resto Bar Deck

It’s Dinner Time
Picture Courtesy: Eriyadu Resort Facebook Page

Live Counters
*Picture Courtesy: Eriyadu Resort Facebook Page*

Enjoy a round of Billiards while sipping beer connected to the Resto Bar

Scuba Diving with Euro Divers

Eriyadu is the perfect island for your scuba diving.
Euro-Divers at Eriyadu offers a full range of PADI diving courses, there are activates for all levels, from snorkeling to new divers and up to experienced level.
This was my first time scuba diving and i was very very excited. Euro Divers suggested to enjoy the house reef around Eriyadu which is simply breathtaking and offers a nice variety of marine life with over 350 different species of fish. So I decided to explore the house reef with a dive buddy. The house reef exploration took nearly three hours with some training session in the beginning.
I can’t express in words how I felt because it is not to be told but to be experienced yourself.
And to make this dive a memorable one Pushkraj clicked my images with his GoPro.
We did go deep inside the water till we could visibly see the water and i was swimming with the fishes, for the first time made me realise there is such a beautiful life underwater and its their home, and we are making it dirty, but throwing our trash inside.
The coral reef, the fishes, the plants, I could feel being away from this body and suddenly being a fish with them.
I request that once in life one should surely swim underwater and experience their life.
We also had the opportunity to swim with nurse sharks. It was a surreal experience.

Other than this Euro Divers even offer other water sports activities:
Stand up paddleboarding – sup
Kayak
Catamaran sailing
Windsurfing
Jet ski rides
Banana & fun tube rides
Waterski, monoski, wakeboard & kneeboard

Euro Divers office
Photo Courtesy: Eriyadu Facebook Page

It’s Scuba Time
Photo Courtesy: Pushkaraj Shirke

Lets go deeper
Photo Courtesy: Pushkaraj Shirke

Sunset Cruise

On certain days of the week, Eriyadu organises cruise rides to see the beautiful sunset from a sunset point. So was lucky to be on the island on this day. Our tour was a 60 minute ride, where we enjoyed the sunset dancing on lovely music along with snacks and drinks.

Day 3

Coral Reef Snorkeling

It was again time to enter the Maldivian Sea. We took the snorkeling gear from Euro Divers office as they were complimentary to us.
It was me, Rashmi and James on this one. They were clicking some pictures with Asad and its team, and yes they did get some lovely shots.

The Bougain Spa

After the hectic schedule from my travel, to attending the wedding, to missing my sleep to shoot, and then going for scuba did ask for some nice spa and massage time.
The Bougain Spa at Eriyadu Island Resort & Spa brings together the rich heritage of international wellness philosophies to offer guest some of the chosen signature therapies and unique therapeutic experience that relax and rejuvenate.
So one hour of spa made me feel amazing and totally refreshed and a totally new me.

Time to Say Goodbye

The saddest part of the journey arrived when I had to say Goodbye to this Island and the time I spent here, but taking back some beautiful memories which would last forever with some amazing TravelPostCards.
On Day 3rd most of the guests had to say goodbye, but the bride and groom further enjoyed another 3 nights at this same island with their close family

Beautiful Travel Postcards from Maldives — Time to say Goodbye but Until Next Time Maldives

If you looking at a trip to Maldives then without any hesitation and doubts book:
Eriyadu Island Resort
North Male’ Atoll Kaafu Atoll, 08210, Maldives
Tel: +960 664-4487
website: http://www.eriyadumaldives.com

To contact all the above photographers, designers and make up artist who made this whole event and this blog become reality:
Abhijit Kolhe (Photographer)
Instagram handle: the.wanderingfox
http://www.abhijitkolhe.com/the-wandering-fox
Asad (Photographer)
Instagram handle: asad.photo
http://www.asad.photo
Joseph Radhik (Photographer)
Instagram handle: storiesbyjosephradhik
http://www.stories.josephradhik.com
Pushkaraj Shirke (Photographer)
Instagram handle: credosian
http://www.psfofficial.com
Aneesh Agarwaal (Designer)
Instagram handle: aneeshagarwaalofficial
Maheleqa Mohseni (Makeup Artist of Rashmi)
Instagram handle: makeupbymaheleqa
Zeeba Mortezai (My Hairstylist)
Instagram handle: whynot_byzeeba

Hear Yourself at Inner Temple, Goa.

Inner Temple.
picture courtesy: Inner Temple Page, Facebook

Choosing the Hotel – A Surprise actually

Goa needs no introduction, though i have already given a little history about Goa in my other blog – Bollywood Style, Photobombing Goa.
This Villa was selected by my best friend Amanda and her husband Sean as a part of their Post Wedding or Buddymoon celebrations for three nights.
Hence wasn’t aware about where i was staying or how is it gonna be? It was like a blind date with the villa property.

Airport to Hotel Journey

I landed at 7pm in the evening and had 3 of my friends waiting for me at the airport and headed straight to the address given in Moira. It took us about an hour and a half to reach our destination. so by the time we reached the inner temple it was already 9.30pm.

The Villa

Wow was the expression i had when we reached, Walking through the gate i see this hidden gem which was a massive extraordinary luxurious homestay in a restored Portuguese Villa, what more could I have asked for in Goa?
I walked through the lush gardens with brown tiling straight towards the villa, and boy could feel the fragrance of the flowers and edible herbs been locally grown inside the villa premises. I could even sight an indoor pool which was lit and was calling me inside, though it was time to first greet my Hosts, the newly wedded couple.
Sean took me around to show the place, and with each passing minute this property was making me fall in love with it.

The first site of the Inner Temple Villa
*photo courtesy: Inner Temple Page, Facebook*

The Beautiful Villa
*photo courtesy: Inner Temple Page, Facebook*

Seating Area
*photo courtesy: Inner Temple Page, Facebook*

Morning Sight of the Villa
photo courtesy: Inner Temple Page, Facebook

Inner Temple
Clicked at 6am in the morning just when i was about to leave this beautiful villa

Living Room

This was one of those Old Portuguese Villa which had a ceiling height of more than 20 feet. The Villa was designed so beautifully with the whole area wisely utilised for the comfort. The Villa starts with a Veranda, a seating place for the guests, with the dining space and kitchen adjoining it. Inside the villa you walk into one massive living room which is not less than 3000 sqft. In the centre a huge seating sofa is seated for all the guests to enjoy their time. On both sides of the living room there are two fully stacked bookshelves. This living room is the perfect place to meditate and have your spiritual being awaken. They have a Shelf where the Nataraja – Lord Shiva in cosmic ecstatic dancing form, there were three frames Goddess Durga on the wall behind, a beautiful thought because Lord Shiva is incomplete without Goddess Durga and vice versa . And the owners decorate it with beautiful flowers and fragrant candles and scented sticks. They have different music instruments like Tabla and Tribal Dholki kept for the guests to go into a Musical mode of leading a happy life.
This is one of the bestest place to do yoga sessions and or ayurvedic retreats.
There is one more huge common bathroom attached to it.
Suddenly i felt peaceful seeing such a lovely environment.

massive living room
*photo courtesy: Inner Temple Page, Facebook*

whether the Shiva or Nataraja or Durga this house really has some awesome paintings of them and makes me feel alive

The perfect sight of Nataraja with Goddess Durga and the musical instruments kept below

making my memorable travelpostcard at the best place of the villa

the bathroom door was also painted in green to match the decor

love the mosaic tiles used in the bathroom with huge mirrors

Rooms

The villa houses three thematic bedrooms –
1. The gorgeous blue Kamini – named after the Orange jessamine flower which grows abundantly in the villa garden.
2. The earthy yellow, white and brown Champa – is inspired by the beautiful frangipani flowers. With direct access to the verandah, this room is perfect for early morning birds to enjoy the sunrise.
both on the ground floor and
3. Sachchidananda on the upper floor; done-up in warm hues of red, orange and coral, complete with a walk-in closet and a lovely balcony, where one can sip a morning cuppa while watching its white drapes billow in the breeze.
Common to all three are mesmerising mosaic flooring and window-seat enclosures.

The Gorgeous Blue Kamini

The boys were allocated the room – Kamini, which is on the left side of the living room area. And its interior and decor is perfect for boys as its Blue in Colour. The Doors are wooden and restored and kept it to its old feel. When you enter the rooms, you feel like you entering your own home, it never felt like someone else’s.
To the right was a nicely lit and a massive bathroom which had a seating facility, a fan for comfort during summers, A shower and a toilet area along with the luxurious green blue washbasin with artistic mirror on the wall. The walls were painted in white with the addition of blue, green and white mosaic tiles. The toiletries provided were of a Indian herbal brand Neev.
Once you cross the bathroom door thats where the closet for clothes are made.
Passing through it you arrive to the first bedroom space with a huge king size bed with two side tables, one another table with night lamp.
There is a little dressing table with mirror in white which is truly antique.
The room even had an French Window Seat Enclosures outfitted with comfortable cushions to enjoy daydreaming with the beauty of the nature while enjoying your read and drinks.
The ceilings had Turkish Lights which looked so beautiful.
The bedding and linens used were for the highest comfort and it was perfect for the back.

The Amenities in the Room were:-
Fan
Air Conditioning
Iron
Non-feather pillow
Charging Socket near the bed
Trash cans
Ironing Facilities
Bottle of Water
Attached Bathroom

that’s what i call bedroom
*photo courtesy: Inner Temple Page, Facebook*

the best place to daydream while reading a book
*photo courtesy: Inner Temple Page, Facebook*

paintings are filled in the walls of the villa

simply perfect
*photo courtesy: Inner Temple Page, Facebook*

there is a seating area in the bathroom. thinking what is it used for?

Champa

comfy beds
*photo courtesy: Inner Temple Page, Facebook*

lovely bathroom
*photo courtesy: Inner Temple Page, Facebook*

Sachchidananda

the room
*photo courtesy: Inner Temple Page, Facebook*

The Kitchen, Dining Area and Food

They had open kitchen area concept and made the whole place look quite huge and large, We were told the villa owners are known for their hospitality and trust me nothing was trouble for them. We were provided with free breakfast which included a vast range of Seasonal fruits, cereals and eggs. For the vegetarians there was Poha and Dosas.
The Dining Table set up was lovely and the plates and food serving bowls made out of clay reminded of being raw and living with the nature.
On one of the days they treated us to a Goan spread for lunch with local favourites like Sol Kadhi, Fried Fish, Goan Rice, Prawn Curry, Chicken Xacuti, Egg Curry, Mixed Vegetables, Yellow Lentils, Potato Bhajias and Juices.
Throughout the day the support staff were there to help us with Tea, Coffee or any other requirements which we had.

the kitchen
*photo courtesy: Inner Temple Page, Facebook*

the dining table
*photo courtesy: Inner Temple Page, Facebook*

after a long night in goa, good breakfast is a must

that’s lots of eggs, no just perfect for 12 people

the yummiest goan food with the chef’s who cooked it

The Swimming Pool

The Blue huge swimming pool was the highlight of the Villa as it is known for its Pool and is also named as the Best Private Pool Villa in Goa.
The Pool even has the machine to activate wave pool.
The good part is they maintain it and all 12 of us fitted well in the pool together and we had a lot of pool games to make our trip memorable.

views from the pool
*photo courtesy: Inner Temple Page, Facebook*

enjoying my time in the best private pool villa in goa

the beautiful sun and the awesome pool what a combination

Other Activities and Facilities

On Demand Spa:-
A massage is a perfect addition to a Goa holiday and offers and opportunity to relax and unwind. One can enjoy 5 star spa service in the villa to enhance a more exclusive and intimate spa experience.
Ayurveda Services:-
Heal yourself through traditional ayurvedic massage and ancient south Indian herbal therapies.
Yoga Retreats & Workshops:-
The living room is converted into a Yoga and Meditation studio for private classes and workshops. Yoga is the best way to re energise yourself and can be experienced during a long stay. The living room is the centre of energy of this villa and the best place to know your inner temple too.
Games:-
Engage yourself and with your friends in different board game, puzzles and pool table which are made accessible to the guests.
Tv Area with projectors & Ipod Dock Speakers:-
Enjoy a cosy movie with the loved ones or a Friends Season with your friends for memorable time. Or during the night what better then being a DJ yourself and playing some music with Ipod Dock and Speakers.
Wifi Services:-
To Stay connected wifi services are free.
Hidden Areas of the Villa:-
There are many more seating areas which are in and around the villa within the campus so open the doors roam around a little bit, check out the lovely ingrown flowers and herbs, see the various statues kept as decor, feel the oxygen in the morning and make memorable Travelpostcards.

the lush green surroundings of the villa

Good Vibes at Inner Temple Goa
Tshirt from Heavy Metal Fashion,
get yours at http://www.heavymetalfashion.in

There are so many places to sit relax and spend time with yourself

antique mirrors and drawers are all around the place

“i am old but i can still handle your weight” is what this old rustic bench telling me

he reminded us to meditate and her ourselves

Few Other Popular Goan Landmarks which you can visit during your stay are:-
Anjuna Flea Market
Chapora Fort
River Cruise
Bridge Panji
Parra The Coconut Tree Road
Fort Aguada
The Broken Church
Fontainhas
Basilica of Born Jesus
Andron Restaurant
Mapusa Market
Whispering Cafe
Gunpowder Restaurant
Ciao Bella Restaurant
Antares Restaurant
You can ask the owners to organise transport for you to go to any of your preferred destinations.

Find your Inner Self and Inner Temple

If you are travelling to Goa this place is undoubtedly the best place to stay and experience ourselves.
The Villa is owned and managed by Mandira.
Chantal the caretaker and she is always on her toes to make your visit memorable.
The staff consisting of Babu, Shiva and Renuka are awesome and at all times are at your assistance.
If you wish to find your inner self contact:
The Inner Temple
House no. 851, Near Moira Club Moira, Goa 403507, India
Website: https://www.theinnertemple.in/

*Goodbyes are never easy for me n my travel buddy Carriall*

*Me and my travel buddy Carriall* leaving with beautiful memories from the Inner Temple
Get one for yourself from http://www.carriall.com

Bollywood Style Photobombing Goa.

Through the lens of Vaibhav Ghate.

A 3 Hour Tour of Goa.

Welcome to Goa, The Smallest State of India which is known for its Highly Influential Rich History with Portuguese Culture and Habitat as they ruled Goa for 450 years. The local language spoken here is Konkani.
But what we love about Goa is its Beaches, Shacks, Street Shopping, Local Feni, Cheap Drinks and the Sea Food which would surely challenge the taste buds.
It’s the Social Media Paradise to get many photographs at the beach.
With that comes the Best Nightlife in the Country.
Now you going to read is what you can do after doing all the above and in those 3 to 5 hours between your Hotel check out and your Flight check in.
Let’s take you around Some Historical Places of Goa, Bollywood Style. Why Bollywood Style, because these were the locations used by our Beloved Star’s Shahrukh Khan, Ajay Devgan, Ranveer Singh, Rohit Shetty, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt, Sara Ali Khan and others for their movie shoot.

My Stay was at The Inner Temple, Moira in North Goa during this trip, a complete other blog is coming soon about this property.
So we planned our list for the 3 Hour photoshoot tourist locations in North Goa and they were:
1. Parra, The Coconut Tree Road.
2. Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount.
3. Church of St. Augustine, the famous broken church.
4. Fontainhas, Panjim.
The whole shoot area was within the radius of 20 kms and 2 to 3 kms from each other so that we don’t waste our time on travel and we focus more on our shoot.

Carriall my perfect travel partner, which is the First Smart Luggage in India and It is Super Stylish, Super Sleek and Super Smart, It has an inbuilt Weighing Machine, inbuilt Power Bank and Clever Compartments make it super cool.

PARRA (THE COCONUT TREE ROAD)

Pack your carriall bags, place it in the car and ask the driver to take you directly to Parra, famously known as the Coconut Tree Road with lovely plantation on both sides of the narrow roads with a view of St. Anne’s Church. Step down of your car, walk through the beautiful stretch and Feel Yourself Come Alive.

*Spending some time in Tranquility at Parra*

*Evergreen Pose of Shahrukh Khan,*
*at the Shoot Location of his film*
*Dear Zindagi*

This is the same spot where the famous cycling scene of Alia Bhatt and Shahrukh Khan was filmed for the Movie Dear Zindagi.
The Song Main Rahoon Ya Na Rahoon staring Esha Gupta and Emraan Hashmi was also shot here.

2. THE CHAPEL OF OUR LADY OF THE MOUNT

Next Stop is drive to The Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount in Velha or Old Goa. The Church was built in 1510 by Alfonso De Albuquerque and has Plain Whitewashed Walls. One can even spot 7 other Churches in the vicinity with the Surrounding mountains making it the most beautiful picturesque location.

This place is known for its Famous Comedy Scene between Mithun Chakraborty, Ratna Pathak and Kareena Kapoor Khan from the movie Golmaal 3.

3. CHURCH OF ST. AUGUSTINE (THE BROKEN CHURCH)

Drive your way now to Church of St. Augustine which was completed in 1602 but was abandoned in 1835 and due to it being neglected the church started collapsing in 1842 and by 1938 major parts of the Church Collapsed. Today it is a World Heritage Site.

The Famous 1965 Suspense Movie Thriller “GUMNAAM” Movie Song Gumnaam Hain Koi was shot here.

Even Felt Myself in the 1960’s Black and White Era

Even Rohit Shetty and Ajay Devgan came together to shoot the song Saathiya from their famous Singham Franchise at this very place.

4. FONTAINHAS – THE GATEWAY TO PORTUGUESE LEGACY

Last Stop of our journey is to Fontainhas and my favourite place in the city.
Fontainhas is where you see the Portuguese culture alive even today. It’s situated in Panjim, the capital of Goa. Fontainhas is even known as the Latin Quarter of the city.
The best way to explore is to be on foot, walking through the narrow cobbled streets while checking out the colonial architecture painted in pastels and fluorescent colours.
Be amazed seeing the 100-year-old little cute dotting Cafe’s and Bakeries and Enjoy the Taste of the Fresh Plum Cakes and other delicacies. Founded by Antonio Joao De Sequeira this UNESCO heritage site still has its beauty intact, that’s because all the houses and cottages in Fontainhas are painted every year after the rains, A Rule Laid by the Portuguese and followed till date.

Perfect TravelPostcard Picture for Social Media
at the Blue House

Don’t Miss out this house for lovely pictures

Now the exciting part, that this area is where multiple movies like Singham and Simmba were shot, so you would get a bunch of Bollywood Referenced pictures for yourself which you can post on Social Media.

5. HATWATI

Fontainhas even met my friend Hatwati inspired from Bagwati from Bollywood movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Here she’s a Hat wearing Rayban and prefers clicking pictures besides me.

6. MY LITTLE BOLLYWOOD MOVIE SCENE

I got enticed to a Portuguese house which looked abandoned having a Beautiful Face of a Princess carved on the walls of the structure. While shooting, suddenly my talented photographer friend Vaibhav started talking in Konkani language to someone.
To which I realised he was speaking to a lady looking out of the window from above who must be the caretaker of the house. She granted us to shoot inside her place. The rustic wooden door was open and had a squeaky sound and we climbed the semi broken wooden stairs to go to the rooms. Reaching the room, we both had our mind blown away, as the interior was totally rustic, old, with broken and falling ceiling along with broken furniture and non working shutter door television box set which were used between 1940’s and 1980’s. The walls spoke about its existence of more than 50 years with its charm coming from the Portuguese Legacy. So there I had my perfect Bollywood Travelpostcards Photograph clicked inside a house which had every movie masala to it from Horror Movie Sound to Classical Movie Set-up with the Latest Camera Gadget GoPro for Shoot.

The House from the Outside
The Beautiful Face of the Queen with it

The emotions inside this beautiful house was amazing

I Felt like reliving a life from the Past

Friends use your time wisely and make some more TravelPostcards in Goa other than just the beach and swimming pool pictures.

Board your flight with a smile as you just created your little Bollywood memory.
Thank you for reading out this blog, hope you have a nice time checking out Goa.
if you wish to get yourself such awesome pictures in Goa and many more contact :
Vaibhav Ghate (you can contact him on Instagram and Facebook or drop him an email on dop.vaibhavghate@gmail.com)

Ploen Ruedee – Heart of Chiang Mai Night Market

Ploen Ruedee Night Market

Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is a small town in Thailand, but it is one place where one can very easily have a long stay instead of short visits. During this trip i met up with some nationals who have been living in this little town from more than 3 to 6 months.
Chiang Mai has a lot to offer from Temples inside the old city to Doi Suthep, to Elephant Sanctuaries, to Yee Peng or Songkran festivals.
Other than these there is lots to do in the old city from cafe hopping, eating street food, or conversing with monks or window shopping in the night markets for local thailand made items.

Clicked this while leaving the place which gives the street side view

Ploen Ruedee

When we talk about the Night Market in Chiang Mai, then definitely the search on any websites would take you to one destination – Ploen Ruedee Night Market.
Ploen Ruedee is a bustling market which has brought the best of Chiang Mai’s food and beverage vendors together along with quality entertainment under one starry night sky.
For me Ploen Ruedee was one vibrant night market with the colours, the ambience, the interiors and the sound of the crowd enjoying the live entertainment and live singing at the place.

Food

The first thing that comes into our minds, when you at the Night Market is to eat all the delicious local street food. To my Horror which happens almost in every Asian Country is that i don’t get Vegetarian Food, but luckily to my delight i did get some Potato Wedges and Noodles.
But for the Non Vegetarians there are Trendy food trucks with cute pop-up stalls and classic vendors to sell a great variety of food from some of the city’s best restaurants and chefs. Wander from stall to stall and sample an authentic pad Thai or bite into a juicy burger; grab a grilled stick of meat or dig into a big bowl of curry, the choices are endless and varied. Tables, chairs, even hale bales dot the grounds so you can sit down with a group of friends and share a selection of Pleon Ruedee’s best which changes everyday, or simply grab a bite at a bar counter with a cold drink.
I decided to take a drink in hand and enjoy the live music.

I love VW vans and when i see it as a Bar i love it more

Live Music and Entertainment

The reason i entered into Ploen Ruedee Market was to hear the live music, and trust me it took me to my older days, not that i am too old but still if i have to say to hear the songs to whose lyrics i remember and i can dance or sing along to.
The girl on the mike was a complete rockstar, her voice was soulful and the guy on the guitar and singing along made me remind of Sting himself as they were singing my favourite track – Desert Rose
After collecting more knowledge from the stall owners i came to know that each night visitors are greeted with traditional Lanna music and dance, as performers showcase the best of Lanna culture (this i missed but there is always a next time.)
And those looking for something more contemporary can dance the night away with some great local bands such as Gimmy, Tomorrow Never Late, Soul Time and Doggy which happens at the main stage area where i was listening to the lovely songs.

We all love to enjoy by clicking the moments

A night market for all

Ploen Ruedee is a safe market. So whether you are travelling alone or with family this is one no hanky panky place. This means that it meets all the convenience and hygiene standards expected from international visitors. The bathrooms are large, clean, plentiful and free with a cleaning person on standby at all times. The market also provides a children’s zone where children can play in safety.

love the interiors, i don’t know why that expression though

Sum up

Ambience – 10/10
Food – 10/10
Cleanliness – 10/10
Prices – Bit Higher than the other Night Markets but still worth it so – 8/10
Accessibility – 10/10
Drink Options – 9/10

Ploen Ruedee Night Market
Chang Klan Rd., A.Mueng
Open Mon – Sat (Closed Sundays)
Timings – 18.00 – 24.00

Stay like the Cypriot King at Aquamare, Paphos, Cyprus

Choosing the Hotel

The most important decision to make during a trip is to select the perfect hotel, and that to when you are traveling to the sparkling mediterranean.
My trip was to Paphos, a city on the southwest coast of the Island of Cyprus. This city is inhabited since Neolithic times, it has several sites relating to the cult of goddess Aphrodite, whose mythical birthplace was at Old Paphos (Kouklia). New Paphos is the modern city that incorporates the harbor, and the ancient ruins of tombs, fortresses, theaters and villas at Paphos Archaeological Park.
And after some research i ended up choosing Aquamare Beach Hotel & Spa which sits in the spectacular backdrop of the sparkling Mediterranean. it’s well situated in the quieter areas of the island wherein one enjoys the tranquility of a wonderful beachfront setting.

Aphrodite Rock or the birthplace of Goddess Aphrodite
(This Magical picture was clicked by Marios Menelaou)

The sight of a modern technology with a pinch of tradition. This is how AQUAMARE looks like

Airport to the Hotel Journey

I landed in Larnaca Airport, Cyprus wherein I was Received by Panagiotis and it took around 1 hour 45 mins to reach the hotel.
The closest airport to the Hotel is Paphos City Airport and which is 15 mins drive from the Hotel.

Beautiful roads on my journey to Larnaca to Paphos

Aphrodite Rock’s glimpse on my journey to Paphos from Larnaca

This is what i felt like waiting for my room keys, A KING
Picture Clicked by – Marios Menelaou

Their Lobby was like a Darbaar of a KING
Captured by – Marios Menelaou

Hotel and it’s Location

I was very happy and proud to select this property. I couldn’t get my eyes away from the whole set up of this Hotel, which is very carefully decorated with its super comfy antique look and styled chairs and sofas to its elegantly presented restaurants and bars situated at basement level, to spas and modern equipped gym with indoor pool as well as an outdoor pool. Going to the guest rooms which are up to the 6th floor takes style to the next level.
The rooms at the Aquamare Hotel are in keeping with those of a beachside property, large, a total of 147. Of those, there are 126 standard twin/double rooms, 19 family suites and 2 Royal Executive Suites. Each room is equipped with bath and shower, bathroom toiletries which are changed daily, hairdryer, tea & coffee making facilities, electronic safety box, air-conditioning, satellite TV & radio, a mini bar (filled on request) and a little balcony with table and chairs. Some of the standard rooms are interconnecting which is the option we always choose as there are six of us. The suites have the luxury addition of bathrobes and slippers. The hotel also has specially adapted rooms for disabled guests which is a real advantage.
The icing over the cake, it’s on the beach side so you just are living a lifestyle life on the beach.
Aquamare is located at a close proximity of Paphos Harbour, around 3km to the City Centre, and around half an hour journey from the Aphrodite Rock. The Sea Caves and the Shipwreck are around 30 to 40 mins drive from the Hotel which is equally a must see.
The Sunset Point of Paphos is also just a 5 mins walk from the Hotel and you just have to walk through the Beachfront.
The hotel is close enough to a Hospital which during an emergency is also a positive point.

The pool view with the backdrop of the mediterranean sea

Sunset Point of Cyprus which is just at a walking distance

The closest church which is at the backdrop of the sunset point, but this one is just at sunrise

I always end up remembering baywatch when i see the watchtower

Hotel’s signature statement

AQUAMARE is an apt name to select when you are in the mediterranean, because you are the Water of the Sea, and because of which the sea exists, this is the most beautiful Four Star Hotel property designed, constructed and created. The Architecture was well planned wherein they placed the property around its pool garden and massive terraces which took the advantage of the beautiful views from the property for the guests.
Even the interior of the Hotel is placed keeping in mind the beach and sea, and hence the elegant decor of the guest rooms and common areas have its resemblances and even the artifacts stored give the essence of the ocean with its nautical theme.

view from the sea front during the sunrise

Beautiful Sunrise view, just 5 mins walk from Aquamare

Cypriot Hospitality

So after this long journey from my house in Mumbai, India to Aquamare Beach Hotel & Spa was a long one, as it was via Mumbai Traffic to Airport to a short layover in Bahrain Airport as there are no direct flights, then landing in Larnaca Airport and the drive to the hotel in Paphos.
So the requirement was Sleep, and no check in hassles, and that’s where Aquamare Management won my heart, My room keys were ready, just had to wait for few minutes for the people ahead of me to receive their keys, while waiting i was kept hydrated and refreshed with lovely local welcome drinks,
When i had booked they already had my documents so they said, they would take the original for a copy later, as they would prefer me going to the room and resting for a while. I have a habit to quiz if my room is the best room with a great view and they simply said you would be happy with the little surprise at the end of the room.

I was totally fascinated with this mirror artifact something contemporary and awesome

Lobby ending towards the lift for the rooms

The room with a view

I got my keys, and i was informed my room number was 639, on the 6th floor which is the top floor of the hotel, it already made me super happy as i love staying at higher floors in any of the hotel. So it was a Superior Double Room with Sea View, and trust me all my tiredness due to the journey automatically turned into joy and freshness after seeing the view from my room. it really was a suprise.

room no 639 simply love the number its my favourite digit too

The room has a touch card key which is Four Star Property Standards

My time was paused seeing this gorgeous looking ship in the clear blue waters

The Room Amenities

The room was well equipped, the bed was really good, as i have a troubled back it was the most comfortable bed which provided a sound sleep. the Mattress, linen, pillows were all new, clean and hygienic, it showed how much the hotel management cared well for the guests.
Other than that Room had a small TV, A Refrigerator, Toiletries consisted of Shampoo, Conditioner and Shower Gel and they were good products. There is a hair dryer provided. Enough Charging points which are at a hand’s distance while you wanna be resting on the bed. There are two chairs and a little stool if you wanna sit and munch, The air conditioning is fantastic, just one has to remember that it is connected to the door of the balcony so if you don’t shut the balcony door then your Air Conditioning won’t work.
The hotel provides Coffee packets and Black Tea packets with sugar and milk. ( Here i would like a little extra some change as i am more of a Green Tea Person)
complimentary bottle of water is just provided once in the whole stay which should be even considered.
There is a huge wardrobe to keep all your clothes and luggage bags.
They even provide a Safety Lock for you to keep your belongings safe while you go outside your room.
There is a bathtub in the bathroom so after a good swim turn into a relaxing mode by sleeping and chilling inside the bathtub for few more minutes.

This is how it looks like just when you open the curtains

A sight which will leave you thirsty forever

The pic became awesome because of the backdrop and the Man clicking it
Awesomely captured by – Marios Menelaou

I am thinking was i inside the room more or outside???

Breakfast

My package included Breakfast.
Welcome to Kirke – the restaurant whose name derives from the Greek Goddess Kirke who apparently used to seduced the Sailors, I do not know about the Sailors now, nor about the Goddess but i know its a saying in India, you do achieve heaven when you get good food to fill your tummy and soul and Kirke did that for me.
This is where breakfast is served and looks out to the Mediterranean Sea, although it’s very busy as you would expect in the high season, there is a relaxing ambience. be there for breakfast early as 7am at the time of start to take full advantage of the serene and calm atmosphere. It’s at basement level of the hotel next to the Gym and the Indoor Pool.
Honestly speaking i was expecting a dull breakfast, as i am Vegetarian who does not consume fish and chicken and i usually do not find food for me, so i end up having breads and croissants.
But trust me i was in awe more then shocked to see so many vegetarian and vegan options in the Breakfast. And i honestly ate so so much. Breakfast is lavish, there are all manner of cereals, and dried fruits, bowls of unctuous chocolate and caramel and fragrant Greek honey to spread on your toast or bread of which there is a rich choice. There are croissants and other breakfast pastries as well as typical Greek pastries filled with cheese and spinach. The quality and the grade of the food is awesome and it shows that the guest should feel like a royal to be feeded with whatever they wish for.
Green Tea options were so amazing, but the best was to have Hot Chocolate and eat dates with freshly cut fruits.
I might end up going to this place just for their breakfast options.

You have a lot of food options to select from

All different types of breads and jam spreads

Other Restaurants & Bars.

Ambrosia restaurant is the hotel’s main dining area offering a rich and sumptuous buffet with a different theme every evening.
Aquamare has Two different bars which you can choose as per your liking:
1. Nektar Bar
2. Tavernaki Beach Bar

L’Aqua Spa

Aquamare has one of the finest spas in Paphos – L’Aqua Spa where guests can enjoy a host of luxury treatments including therapeutic and de-stressing massages and hydrotherapy treatments, a hammam, hair and beauty treatments using Elemis and Payot products as well as access to the indoor pool which is open to all guests. i felt i had the most relaxing time when i had my session. just the word “too good”.

Other Facilities

Aquamare even houses
1. One large Outdoor Pool with Jacuzzi
2. One children’s pool
3. One Indoor Pool which is heated between November – March
If the Man made pool doesn’t make you happy not to worry hop out and go to Gods Created Pool, as it is you are in the Most beautiful Mediterranean in the world. The hotel does supply beach towels which you collect in the morning from the spa with a specially allocated token which you collect at the end of the day. Towels can be changed several times during the day.
4. Aquamare has a fitness centre which is a Fully equipped Gym with the latest technology fitness equipment from “Techno Gym” with exercise machines, Kinesis, free weights, aerobics room, Jacuzzi, steam bath and two saunas.
5. Table Tennis Court
6. Tennis Court
7. Indoor and Outdoor Kids Club
Three Conference Rooms for Business Guests
1. Diana Conference Room located on the first floor and holds up to 200 delegates.
2. Artemis Conference Room also, located on the first floor and holds up to 300 delegates.
3. Pegasus Multifunction Room is located on the mezzanine floor, which can hold up to 200 delegates.

Home away from Home

If you are planning to travel to Paphos in Cyprus then you do not need to have second thoughts to visit this Hotel. I guess my trip to Cyprus wouldn’t be this awesome if i wouldn’t have stayed at Aquamare.
The Staff assisted me in going to places nearby and helped me in whatever i need from airport transfers to extra soft pillows to some more coffee sachets.
sometimes you feel home even after being not at home, and Aquamare is that for me.
Go and book your trip to Paphos now and your stay at:
Aquamare Beach Hotel & Spa
Poseidonos Ave, P.O.Box 62654
8066 Kato Paphos, Cyprus
email: info@aquamarehotel.com
Tel: 00357 26966000
website: http://www.aquamarehotel.com

If you want such amazing pictures like me when in Cyprus,
then contact:
Marios Menelaou
Instagram : menelaouphotography
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mmenelaouphotography/
A complete another blog is coming soon for the magic created with Marios

The Maldivian Sunrise

Wow, isn’t that your first expression. yes it should be cause that was my reaction too, to the beautiful colour of the sky. This is a morning shot wherein we began our photography of the sunrise at around 5.30 am.

So a little recap and let’s go back by few hours, so for those who have read my earlier blog “A Night with the Shooting Star” would be familiar with hush bush travel affair to reach to my friend Rashmi’s Destination Wedding at Eriyadu Island Resort in Maldives, and then my unplanned encounter with the photographer and talks over lunch with my wish to have a picture which describes Maldives when one looks at it. Sometimes it feels like he was a Genie who granted my wish and he gave me 3 best pictures like 3 wishes of the Genie.
1. Night Picture with the Shooting Star
2. Perfect Morning Sunrise
3. Underwater Photography along the baby sharks.
So we completed the night shots by around 4.45 am and i was happy and mesmerised with the pics of mine with the shooting star and thought its pack up to my shock Asad said we still have time for sunrise and a shoot to go, to which i look puzzled but by now i did not have any doubts about this man’s vision and calibre, and we both again went to the restaurant and started sipping few cups of coffee, and with that he described about the other islands and made me realise how much he loves Maldives and is aware of every Island, i actually envy him cause with his job profile he has covered all the resorts in Maldives and all the 200 islands of Maldives.
And there we were talking and he told me that he never edits pictures instead he prefers changing the colour patterns in the camera and give the perfect shot and Maldives always is so beautiful it makes every picture a TravelPostcard.

The Shot – And around 5.15am i could start seeing some light and that’s when Asad said let’s get back to work, and in the beginning we both stood together and he showed me the sky and the clouds and how they were changing colours at a rapid speed, and how he changes his settings and takes awesome pictures which don’t need any kind of work on it. Then i understood he was actually making a perfect frame and angle for that perfect TravelPostcard, and once he was satisfied and ready now it was time for me to enter.

And now it was my turn to make this my own TravelPostcards as it was incomplete without me. And i placed myself as an object and kept shifting to get multiple shots, as you know we are humans and we are always hungry for more. Below are those brilliant clicked non touched non edited non photoshop pictures clicked for me for my Maldivian Memory by Asad.
It’s Rightly said we meet some people for a reason and Asad Brother i met you so that you could show me the real Maldives, and as discussed we would do Island Hopping very soon and we will click many more pictures and spend awesome time which would then turn out into a story which i can share with all.
You can add Asad on Instagram: asad.photo and get yourself clicked when you there in Maldives.
And with every trip of mine my most Important Partner is My Travel Agency and Agent who is more like a family who handles all my ticketing and travel needs at any hour of the day, so if you wanna get your trips planned at good costs contact Mrs. Kajal Lodha on her email kajaltravelsolutions@gmail.com

Till Then please enjoy all these beautiful pictures which i call Maldivian TravelPostcards.

if you have liked this article then please follow and even read my other interesting blog “A Night with the Shooting Star.” https://travelpostcardsfrom.wordpress.com/2019/04/20/a-night-with-the-shooting-star/

A night with the shooting star

You know since childhood i have always heard about a shooting star, and how we should pray if we ever get a sight of the shooting star, and to confirm this theory it was also shown in many hollywood and bollywood movies. Remember the scene in Kuch Kuch Hota Hain where Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukherjee and Kajol all three witness a shooting star, and we were like wow they so lucky. so these things excited us being kids. actually it still does to me.

When you read my upcoming blogs, you will read that there is some interesting story or an interesting thing which occurred and those particular incidents made my whole trip memorable.

One such unforgettable trip of my life was my Trip to Maldives. so this was basically to attend the wedding or better called Destination Wedding of my friend Rashmi to her beau James, ya still unbelievable and sweet Little Marathi Indian Mulgi (girl) married a smart handsome Australian Boy. i always get excited seeing cross cultures getting married. ya so even though this was a pre planned all settled trip, due to business commitments in Hong Kong i was gonna be unable to attend the wedding, so two days prior to my arrival as courtesy sake i decided to send her a text saying sorry i wouldn’t be able to make it to which the reply came “if you don’t arrive to teri gharpe gus ke marungi (if you don’t arrive then i will come to your house and kill you.” and lol she could so i decided to take the trip. I called my travel agent and asked if we have any flights from Hong Kong to Maldives and she is like the only best way is to proceed as per plans and i should first land into Mumbai and then take my usual booked flight to Maldives to reach on time for the wedding.

Will share the whole awesome time at this wedding in my other blog, this i would keep it short to the title.

So i was busy asking the hotel staff and rashmi’s few friends to keep clicking me at places, and this was silently been seen by Asad who was the photographer who was hired by rashmi to do the wedding photography and videography. and to my good luck we sat for lunch at the same table and it was my first interaction with me and a good one. after few minutes of knowing each other and chatting he started off saying that “hey i was seeing you clicking so many multiple pics but still you ain’t satisfied why?” – to which i replied i aint yet got what i wanted. Asad – What do you want? Me- A picture which at one sight describes Maldives. Asad – For that you need to wake up in the night and shoot. Me – I am all good to go. Asad – If you are able to be sober after the wedding after party then wake me up at 2 am and then i would be help you achieve a shot of your lifetime. Me – ok wow locked deal.

Trust me guys i did not know what i was getting into, so i did not get high drinking as i wanted to shoot later in the night, and exactly after struggles of waking Asad at 2am i managed to get him out by 2.45 am and then we managed to reach to the beach in that darkness by 3am as we were shooting within the island. and when i was walking towards the beach it was an unforgettable scene, the beach is lit up with the moon light and there are stars so bright and shining. Asad – Look at the top Romeer, that is the milky way and that can be seen through naked eyes, i was simply mesmerised. Me – so what’s the plan tell me? Asad – To shoot you with this picturesque. I was excited to that Asad said we would have to wait for sometime as there are clouds and wont get a clear shot. and we had to wait till 4 am to get the clouds to get cleared. so we both decided to sip in coffee’s and that’s when i inquired more about the picture he is planning to take and then he showed me his old references and i was dancing that yes yes yes that’s what i want. And there we got the green signal from mother nature and the clouds left for the clean clear sky.

The SHOT – we positioned the chair close enough to the edge of the sea but not to close enough, and he dug up a place to put his one phone with the camera torch through which a light would create a shadow of my body and then he set his camera on hiss tripod and the show began with the clicks. at the end of those 10 mins, he called me and said Romeer you are very lucky, i said why? He said look for yourself and when i saw in the camera lens i could see the shooting star photobomb my picture and i couldn’t get more happier and hugged the man. And then we continued with few more shots and in the end got around 5 to 6 pictures which today are happily hanging on my walls. You don’t believe it? Neither did i in the beginning and said it might be an aeroplane, to which he said this is my country i know when it’s a shooting star and when it’s a plane, still the pictures would prove it to you that in one picture there is absolutely nothing, and from the second one you see the shooting star, and i was awestruck. please look at the pictures below and enjoy. so i believe it was a shooting star. my moment of memory in Maldives.

this is the proof of a shooting star photo bombing my picture. — The Shooting Star

Those were my perfect TRAVELPOSTCARDS from Maldives thanks to Asad. So guys if you are in Maldives and if you are looking at a photographer to give you a perfect memorable picture please contact Asad through his instagram handle : @asad.photo and his email : asad@thundi.com