Visiting the FRIENDS set at Burbank

It's been over a year and a half since the COVID-19 pandemic reduced us to mere armchair travellers. However, the pandemic has not been able to completely deter our trust that we shall be able to travel again, probably a year or so later. 

Till we get back to those actual travelling days, here’s sharing a throwback from when I visited Warner Bros Studio in America. This week also marks four years since my visit to this studio in Burbank, California. The FRIENDS reunion that is taking place today (May 27, 2021) brought back memories from my trip to the this studio headquarters in America.

Warner Bros Studio has also opened doors in cities like London and Abu Dhabi, but this remains the largest one so far. The tour costs either $69 or $295 (depending on the tour one chooses) takes a curious traveller around various sets including Ellen DeGeneres, America’s Got Talent, Gilmore Girls and also to their warehouse that holds a lot of memories for a movie buff like props used in various movies (Harry Potter series, Suicide Squad, Batman series and the likes) and costumes. The tour ends at a room that houses the FRIENDS Central Perk couch. Taking a picture on the couch is the closest a fan can be, to their favourite sitcom.

We were also fortunate to be taken on a house tour where a lot of these episodes were shot. This studio is a complete treat for any fan of the sitcom. It makes you believe that you are one of them. So, here I am on the couch, waiting for my friends to come. I'll be there for you forever.

Ps: It is advisable to pre-book the tickets as most days these tours are sold out. The studio is slightly on the outskirts of Los Angeles. 

Confessions of a shopaholic...

Shopping in Singapore was never a difficult job. Singapore has famously come up as one of the shopping destinations in South East Asia in the last few years. If you are planning to make a trip sometime in future, here is a list of places you might want to consider for shopping.

1. Bugis- Bugis is till date the largest shopping street in Singapore. The street that resembles Fashion street in Mumbai. You can buy stuff from your favorite suede shoes to your favorite beer brand t-shirt at the cheapest cost you can bet. From sexy bikinis to lingerie, from purses to bags, you get everything. And yes, it’s not just one street. It’s a maze of streets and you are sure to get lost. Lost in the street and the items those streets offer. Bugis street is just a walk away from Bugis MRT station and a few bus stops from Chinatown market. 

2. Arab street- Named from the Arab merchant, Syed Ali bin Mohamed Al Junied who once owned this street this one brings to you carpets of the best Islamic designs, dress materials from various countries mostly Islamic. You can buy materials for as low as $5/meter or as costly as $150/meter. From linen to silk, net, georgette, chiffon you name it and you get it, and not just in one color or design.  I was definitely beguiled by the choices this street had to offer. Walking on these streets gives you the feeling of walking somewhere in Turkey or any other Islamic country. You can also have Islamic food in one of the restaurants here. You can surely treat yourself to a nice Turkish lunch or just some Moroccan tea or smoke some Shisha. The street starts at a beautiful mosque called Sultan Mosque. Spend a leisure day shopping fabrics, carpets, ornaments, perfumes here. 

3. Chinatown- From perfume miniatures to Disney cartoon printed chopsticks. You get all that you name at Chinatown. Situated right outside Chinatown MRT station this is every tourists’ souvenir shopping destination.   If you are not on the North East line you can always use other nearby MRT stations like Tanjong pagar on the East West line, Outrum Park interchange and even Clarke Quay. At this place you are sure to find the best cover for your new phone or an iPad. The tourists can have the privilege of having their name written over various items in Chinese at the local shops too.

4. Plaza Singapura-  This is where you should come to if you want the feel of mall, shopping. High end as it might look the shopping center also offers discounts and sales during festive seasons and on other months too. Build back in 1974 the mall has never failed to offer the best brands from Aldo, Gap, Cotton on, Aerosoles and more everything under one roof. Where the mall ends, Orchard road starts. 

5. Orchard Road- If your pocket gives you the liberty to shop more your search ends at Orchard Road. The street synonymous to best retail shopping, it is also the entertainment hub of the island city. It is a 2.2 km stretch that serves the best brands on your platter. Known among the tourist attraction places, the road has a place named Orchard tower which gives you the sort of pubs you were just looking for.

I am sure now you are more than willing to take a trip to Singapore soon.

A fall to remember- Skydive

Deprived of Aerophobia my cousin, my brother, my brother’s friend and I took to Dubai for a sky dive. We were told that we would jump over the desert, which was the second drop zone, first being at the Palm. It was a tandem jump, which means a trainer jumps with you.

We booked our tandem from India and were excited to jump adding it to our list of adventures. Adventures with friends have altogether a different feeling. A day before we were leaving for Dubai we went shopping for an angry bird’s t-shirt, which we had decided would wear while our freefall and fly free like those birds in the sky. When we arrived at Dubai we promised each other that it would be our last landing inside a plane, the next one would be ‘James Bond’ style in a parachute. The thought of jumping off a plane gave us Goosebumps, well it still does, but we were ecstatic and determined.

We had to wait for a day before we could sky dive. On the D- day we woke up earlier than anticipated and got ready in our so- called sky diving gear. Our car was awaiting us outside our apartment and then we left for our journey to the centre. At six O’clock an hour before we were scheduled to arrive we were at the desert. Luckily, they had place so they took us in for the second plane. We then underwent the usual physical checkup and signing of bonds, soon after we were put in pairs of two. 

The girls were ready to jump in the second round, over an hour before we had programmed our mind to jump. Our hearts beating faster than Schumacher in a car we boarded the plane. I was still skeptical to jump, I feared my life but my trainer assured me it was safe so then I was at ease. The plane took off and ten minutes later the lights in the plane turned green which signaled the door had to be opened. I was the first one taken and I with my trainer stood at the door.  I looked down. My feet were floating in air and in a split second we jumped off the plane.

 It was a freefall for about two minutes and later the parachute was opened, three more minutes later we were grounded, back to where the plane had taken off from, but this time ‘James Bond’ style in a parachute. We cheered and were happy to have dived and remained alive. Later we bought ourselves ‘Sky dive Dubai’s t- shirts as a souvenir, which we still flaunt to date. It was indeed an experience to remember.

Many people know where to shop in Dubai, but not everybody knows where to skydive. So, the next time you are in Dubai, you must fall free!

I sell escapism

Escapism according to Oxford dictionary is the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy.

Every now and then I have heard people talk about their dream to escape to a different part of the world. A city they saw in their favorite movie, a county they read about in their favorite book or a continent they fantasized about as a kid. We often envy people who have been to one of our favorite places or is travelling to and wish we could join them or even better, wish we could go with our family.

I have been one of those lucky persons to have traveled to most of my favorite places I saw in a movie or read about in a book. I have just returned from a trip I was planning since over 2 years. But circumstances always conspired against me and I had to cancel my bookings previously. Well finally I have just returned from that much awaited trip. I always believe there's never any harm in doing what you have always wanted to because life is too short to miss out on fun, so plan your next trip soon and have fun.

Welcome to my blog...!
 This blog is all about escaping to another land for a while you thought was possible. Yeah, I said possible. Nothing's ever impossible. It is not about what I did on one of my trips but what you could do on one of your trips. So be prepared to escape the everyday.... any day!