As per our son Utthaan’s wish, Goa it was for the Dasara holidays ! Deciding to drive enroute Hubli wasn’t easy. We left Bangalore at 2:30 PM after his school and reached Hubli by 7 PM . Stayed in a hotel overnight and headed towards South Goa, the next day morning. It was 1:30 PM by the time we touched Caravela Beach Resort. Phew ! That was one stunning resort with lush greenery all around with a private beach and a luxurious restaurant. Just checked into the room and straight out to the restaurant for amazing lunch. Utthaan wasn’t well the entire trip with flu but still cooperated so well throughout smoothly. There were tons of activities for adults and kids but we couldn’t catch them up due to Utthaan’s bad health. Not even into the pool. Alas! Never the less, it was a relaxing trip.

    Butterfly Park was something that was in Bharath’s mind since the time we arrived so we decided to drive to the location, on the second day late afternoon. Reached there by 5:00PM and took a jeep to visit the beach which was a 15–20-minute drive. We had to trek down to reach the site and what a view that was ! Tiny yet cute little opening towards the beach. Couldn’t catch butterflies nor it was in the shape of one. “Aerial view of the beach looks like a butterfly “ said one of the fellow visitor. Must be. There was nothing much to do and hence we returned back in 15 minutes taking another jeep the to the parking spot chit chatting with other peers. Final thoughts-That was a waste of time & money ! Not again. Day 3 like the first day was totally blissful. We enjoyed the live music as well. Utthaan loved playing in the sand and collecting sea shells. Spending time with loved ones with just good food, music, beach walks & gazing around is what relaxation feels like. These 3 days was worth it ! Time to head back to Bangalore on Day 4 and that was a straight drive from Goa to our abode.

Yes , we did play volleyball too.

Play time

Butterfly beach

Sunset in Butterfly beach

Sunset in Caravela Beach

Starfish

View from the room

 

 

Day 1- 29^th Bangalore – Indore - Omkareshwar

Covering two of the Jyotirlingas in MP was at the back of my head and thus planned for a solo trip. Straight early morning flight from Bangalore to Indore. Hired a cab till Mandhata which is also known as Shivpuri, an island in the Narmada River near Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, India. The island's shape is said to resemble the word "Om" or "Omkar”. Reached by 4 PM the same day while I had my breakfast, the very famous poha on the way. I had booked a hotel for one night stay. Finding the hotel was a mess at the start. Finally managed to get a glimpse of it from the far. Rested for a while after the lunch. Freshened up and headed towards the Omkareshwar temple which was a km walk from the hotel. It took almost 2 hrs to complete the darshan of Omkareshwar. It was such a blissful and blessed evening. Both Omkareshwar and Mamaleshwar are the form of the same Jyotirlinga. Mamaleshwar iyotirlinga is on the south bank of the Narmada, and Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga sits on the Omkar Parvat towards the north bank of the Narmada.

Mythological Significance:

• Lord Shiva's Manifestation:

According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva manifested as Omkareshwar to defeat the Asuras (demons) after they had defeated the Devas (gods).

• Vindhya's Penance:

One legend says that Vindhya, the deity of the Vindhya mountains, performed intense penance to please Lord Shiva. Shiva appeared and calmed the mountain, establishing the sacred space of Omkareshwar. 

• King Mandhata's Devotion:

Another story revolves around King Mandhata, who was known for his piety and devotion to Lord Shiva. He performed penance and was granted the Jyotirlinga by Shiva. 

• The Narmada River's Devotion:

The Narmada River is said to have been deeply in love with Shiva and performed severe penance to be near him. Touched by her devotion, Shiva resided here as the Jyotirlinga, according to historified_in. 

The Mamleshwar Jyotirlinga temple in Omkareshwar is associated with a story of a sage, a demon, and a Kinnar girl. The sage, Bhrigu, married a Kinnar girl named Mamlesha, and to avoid any perceived impurity, he worshipped Shiva, who then manifested as the Mamleshwar Jyotirlinga. The Pandavas, during their exile, are also linked to the temple, having constructed the outer part and battling a demon in the area. 

Here's a more detailed look at the story:

• Sage Bhrigu and Mamlesha:

Sage Bhrigu, a revered figure, was captivated by the modesty of a Kinnar girl named Mamlesha. He married her, but to ensure the purity of the union, he performed penance to Mahakala Shiva. Shiva, pleased with his devotion, manifested as the Mamleshwar Jyotirlinga, and the village became known as Mamel. 

I also witnessed the very famous Narmada arti which takes place every day between 7:30 to 8:00 PM.

Day 2 – 30^th  Omkareshwar to Indore

As I had to check out from the hotel at 11:00 PM, I though of having a walk by the Narmada River bridge and it was fun shopping as well. Took a bus to Indore and reached Indore main bus depot at 2 PM. Reached Hotel Athrav through an auto finally after managing couple of calls to the hotel management for the route. Had a stroll during the evening and called off for the day.

Day 3 – 31^st Indore – Ujjain

Freshened up quite early in the morning by 5 AM and to my luck there was a bus already awaiting towards Ujjain. Reached Ujjain in an hour and walked for a while to reach the Mahakaleshwar temple. There are 4 routes which leads to confusion if one is not familiar with them. To my surprise, finished the darshana in just an hour. One of my dream to visit Mahakaleshwar jyotirlinga was fulfilled. I was happy beyond words.

The idol of Mahakaleshwar is known to be dakshinamurti, facing the South. This is a unique feature, upheld by tantric tradition to be found only in Mahakaleshwar among the 12 jyotirlingas. The idol of Omkareshwar Shiva is consecrated in the sanctum above the Mahakal shrine. The idol of Omkareshwar Mahadev is consecrated in the sanctum above the Mahakal shrine. The images of Ganesh, Parvati and Kartikeya are installed in the west, north, and east of the sanctum sanctorum. To the south is the image of Nandi, the vehicle of Shiva. The idol of Nagchandreshwar on the third storey is open for darshan only on the day of Nag Panchami. The temple has five levels, one of which is underground. The temple itself is located in a spacious courtyard surrounded by massive walls near a lake. The shikhar or the spire is adorned with sculptural finery. Brass lamps light the way to the underground sanctum. It is believed that prasada (holy offering) offered here to the deity can be re-offered unlike all other shrines. The presiding deity of time, Shiva, in all his splendor, reigns eternally in the city of Ujjain. The temple of Mahakaleshwar, its shikhar soaring into the sky, an imposing façade against the skyline, evokes primordial awe and reverence with its majesty. The Mahakal dominates the life of the city and its people, even in the midst of the busy routine of modern preoccupations, and provides an unbreakable link with ancient Hindu traditions.

On the day of Maha Shivaratri, a huge fair is held near the temple, and worship goes on through the night.

The Temple has a shrine for Parvati known as avantika devi(goddess of ujjain city) behind the palki dwar at the back side of Ram Temple.

Had my breakfast in a nearby hotel and back to Indore .

Day 4- 1^st Sep Indore to Bangalore

The day was quite hectic in terms of my health as I had sever cold and cough since the first day of the trip.I had reserved the last day for local sight seeing but couldn’t as the condition was worse and weather was unsupportive due to heavy rains. Flight to Bangalore was at 7 PM and happily reached Bangalore with the blessing of lord Shiva.

 

 

 

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 1:

Saying hello to Terminal 2 BLR airport at 1:30 AM on 27^th was tough with a toddler. It was Utthaan’s maiden international trip. He was too excited as we were as he got to know about the tour at the last minute! All three of us were drowsy and alas Cathay Pacific flight arrived at the right time. 

Utthaan was curious about the screen in front of him for a while. Soon we all fell asleep and good morning to Hongkong! Cab was all set to drop us to Hyatt Centric, Victoria harbour which was a 30-minute drive from the airport.

Weather was perfect and by the time we checked in, it was 2:30 PM Hong Kong Time. MTR ready to eat was a savior. Freshened up until late evening and decided to take metro to Vitoria harbor for a ride in the ship.

 It was a different experience and we were thrilled to get into metro 2-3 floors below the ground level. Also, got to know that 70-80 % of the country is connected via metro. 

In no time we reached the spot and got into our ship. It was extremely windy and almost shivery! Utthaan enjoyed his apple and we were served chips and cold drinks. It was a 30-minute ride and the view was worth it. Walking around the streets we found an Indian restaurant for a sumptuous dinner. Booking a cab was a mess as I don’t see cab drivers in Hong Kong arriving at the right destination. Missed two before catching one and it was a good night and a tiring day.

 

Day 2:

This day was for my baby Utthaan. The Disney land day! We hired a cab and yes! Welcome to Disney land. Had to wait for a while until we got our pass to enter. Hong Kong Disneyland is located on Lantau Island, is divided into "lands" (themed areas) and well-concealed backstage areas. On entering a land, a guest is completely immersed in a themed environment and is unable to see or hear any other realm. The idea behind this was to develop theatrical "stages" with seamless passages from one land to the next. The public areas occupy approximately 27.4 hectares (68 acres).

·      Main Street, U.S.A., designed to resemble an early 20th-century Midwest town.

·      Fantasyland, bringing to life characters from fairy tales and Disney films.

·      Tomorrowland, an optimistic vision of the future.

·      Adventureland, featuring jungle-themed adventures.

 

On 30 June 2009, Donald Tsang, the then Chief Executive of Hong Kong, announced that the expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland had been approved by the Executive Council. The park received three new themed lands — Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point and Toy Story Land — all located outside the Disneyland Railroad track, south of the current area.

• Toy Story Land, based on the Disney·Pixar film series Toy Story. Opened 18 November 2011.
• Grizzly Gulch, reminiscing an abandoned mining town set amidst mountains and woods. Opened 14 July 2012.
• Mystic Point, heart of a dense, uncharted rain forest where supernatural events take place. Opened 17 May 2013.

On 2 May 2017, the Executive Council approved another multi-year expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland, adding two new themed lands — World of Frozen and Stark Expo — to the park.

• World of Frozen, themed to the popular Disney franchise Frozen. Opened on 20 November 2023.
• Stark Expo, inviting guests to combat villains with Marvel superheroes. Opening in TBA.

On 25 February 2025, HKDL Managing Director Michael Moriarty approved a 20th-anniversary expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland, introducing a new themed land – Pixar Entertainment Experience – to the park.

• Pixar Entertainment Experience, visitors can anticipate immersing themselves in the world of Pixar, with attractions inspired by beloved films such as Inside Out. Moreover, a broader selection of Pixar-themed merchandise will be available for guests to enjoy.

Walking around all the arenas was tough with the kid but we did manage to visit most of them and enjoyed a lot.It was one of the best experience with our son.We watched Movana show and took orbitron ride and a merry go ride among the many rides in the bucket.Did a bit of shopping too.Train ride which is known as a railroad was spectacular as it took us around the entire Disneyland themed areas with stations to stop by. It was 3:30 PM and we were exhausted to the core. Found ourselves lucky to have biryani in the same arena. 

Utthaan’s favourite time was looking and playing with the water bubbles on the street while we waited and later had a great time watching the evening Disney character parade. Also, got to know that the fire work show would be great to witness which would take place between 8-9 PM every day. 

Since we were too exhausted, we headed back to our hotel through a cab. Surprisingly we found an Indian restaurant at walkable distance from our hotel where we had our dinner for the next two days as well!

Day 3:

The most awaited Ocean Park Day. Started the day with delicious breakfast spread at the hotel and another day in the Hong Kong metro straight to the Ocean Park at 10 AM! 

The best thing was hiring pram after the hectic day earlier. The first thing that we opted was a cable car ride high up to a hill with an amazing view of the entire city which would be missed in a funicular. Then we entered the small marine world.

 There were hell lot of rides to choose from but were quite scary for a 4-year-old. Hence, opted for a safer ride which took us up above to view the entire country in a 360-degree angle which was great. Rested a while in a café with snacks and fresh orange juice in a small cute counter. Yes, we did visit a tiny bird park there as well.

 Got back again in a cable car and headed towards under water aquarium which is one of the main attractions. Utthaan was too excited to watch Panda and dance shows later. We did quite a lot of shopping buying tiny toy cars and spent time relaxing in a coffee bar. 

It was day well spent. Ocean Park is definitely not to be missed. Outstanding place offering varieties of rides even for adults.

Day 4:

After a laid-back comforting breakfast, we decided to take a stroll in a mall very close to the hotel and did shopping as well. Utthaan got his new shoe and we purchased clothes for ourselves! Bharath was too much behind a toy car and did manage to get the mini version of the real Bugatti.

Later we arrived at a meeting point in one of the metro stations as mentioned by our guide as it was the city tour time.From there, we were taken to St.John’s Cathedral and the guide left us to the funicular to take a ride towards the Vitoria Peak. Victoria Peak is a hill on the western half of Hong Kong Island. It is also known as Mount Austin, and locally as The Peak only generally. With an elevation of 552 metres (1,811 ft), it is the tallest hill on Hong Kong Island, and the 29th tallest in the territory of Hong Kong. It is a major tourist attraction offering views of Central, Victoria Harbour, Lamma Island and the surrounding islands.

The summit of Victoria Peak is occupied by a radio telecommunications facility and is closed to the public. The surrounding area of public parks, tourist facilities and high-value residential land is the area that is normally meant by the name The Peak. The Peak also refers to Victoria Peak itself and its nearby areas, including Victoria Gap, Mount Kellett and Mount Gough. Sometimes Bowen Hill may also be included.

The Peak is also known as a residential area consisting of different neighbourhoods including the less affluent Mount Kellett which faces Southside. It is one of the most expensive residential areas in Hong Kong and internationally.

We enjoyed watching breath taking view and as it turned dark, it was even more spectacular. We quenched our hunger with some cakes and immediately rushed to the hotel through a cab as it was getting late and getting back through funicular would consume more time. We were done with our dinner and it was time to pack for our return to India the next day after the breakfast.

What an experience it was to cherish. And that too with the little one around us made it even more special. And guess what, missed our return flight from Delhi. Tried our best but couldn’t make it as we had to catch the flight from another terminal and we had already crossed the boarding time. That was a messy hour and had to book another flight which was 6 hrs later that day and made us reach Bangalore by 1 AM.