HYD-GOI-HYD-DXB

If you're reading this, it's because you were nice enough to say, "Welcome back! How was your trip?"

Back in December when I went home for the holidays, my dad was explaining his upcoming trip to India. I am usually quick to decline on joining family trips across the world that don't fall during the holidays, but Dad really sold this one. He kept going- "and we are going to Goa for Prem's 60th birthday party... and you can go to the wedding in Dubai with Heera and Deepu..." Shoot, ok Pappa.

My aunt, Heera, in Hyderabad, is an exceptional host. She never fails to text me before I arrive to see what I want to do when I get there. I think this time all I said was "chicken pakodas and dinner at Falaknuma Palace." I arrived in Hyderabad on Sunday, and by Monday I was eating chicken pakodas made by our cook, Manni, (who is more of a chef, if you ask me). Tuesday afternoon my cousins and I went to High Tea at the Taj Falaknuma Palace. The family doesn't care for it much, but I like it there. We had a really wonderful time.

From Wednesday to Friday in Hyderabad all we did was eat and hang out with family. I really enjoy myself some meetha paan, so I probably over-did that a little bit.

Friday afternoon we all left for Goa. All of us. On the same flight. By the time we checked into the hotel, the sun was setting. All the birthday party attendees congregated for high tea by the beach. The highlight of this part for me was seeing my cousin Avi's kids after a very long time. His daughter, Gia, seemed to have grown easily by one foot since the last time I saw her. She did not seem to have a problem with me stalking her  and taking photos of her.


 
We all went for a walk as the sun was setting. I was pretty overwhelmed with excitement. It's not every day that you get to enjoy a beach front and your closest family members at the same time.

I maintained the same level of excitement for the next two days in Goa. Each morning I went for a run on the beach, both days I ate all my meals with my parents, cousins, aunts, and uncles, and at night I watched my uncle Prem's friends roast him for his 60th birthday. It was quite the party.
 
We were sad to leave Goa. My parents went straight to Delhi from there, and I would miss them on their way back to Chicago. The next day in Hyderabad was spent getting ready to go to Dubai. I was leaving for JFK straight from there, so I had a lot of packing to do. 



I was the first to reach our room at the Atlantis Resort. The first couple days in Dubai were filled with wedding events. After the wedding there was a "casual" party at the father of the goom's- my uncle Ishu's house. It was very, very nice. There was good food, good music, good company. The most hilarious part was the polaroid camera. We had some fun taking silly pictures and putting them up on the wall. It's hilarious, because I might be a Rupani, but almost no one there knows me. I'm sure enough people referred to me from then on as- "the random girl who wore a white tank top and looked like a deer in the headlights in the polaroid pictures."




 






I might also be referred to as "the other Sonal". I was named after the sister of the groom, Sonal Rupani. Don't get me started on how I feel about this (don't even get me started!). Even more likely- I will not be referred to at all. Sonal is another exceptional host, as I soon found out. The Rupanis really know how to throw parties.

The next day my cousin Deepti and I enjoyed the water park at the resort. That evening was the wedding reception. I discovered that there was a Nobu restaurant in our hotel, so I went there with my cousin Pannu for a pre-game drink. I got a Japanese Gimlet. It was delicious, but it cost me 80 dirhams, which is about $22, which is ridiculous.

The next day we moved out of the Atlantis resort and into the Fairmont, which is about 5 minutes away. I'm not going to say that I didn't love experiencing my Mary-Kate & Ashley, Holiday In The Sun, childhood dream of staying in an Atlantis Resort, but the Fairmont is something special. We were lucky enough to stay in a penthouse suite, which had an amazing view of Dubai's skyline. I'm a sucker for skylines.

The next couple days in Dubai we spent catching up with my family's friends. They all live in lovely homes. One had a really beatiful view of a marina close to Jumeirah Beach Road. We walked along the boardwalk here- it is full of cool restaurants and shops. I was pleased to see a Shake Shack and a Sephora. We ate at a place called Operation Falafel....... so good.

 

On our last night we went to the top of the Burj Khalifa. After having sat in the back of an SUV the whole day, I had some pretty bad motion sickness, but it didn't stop me from loving the view. It was the perfect activity for our last day in Dubai.


Thanks for reading!