My First Solo Trip - Gujarat Series #1🤟🏻
I wish I could have taken you too. But yeah, next time for sure!
Solo trips were something I was always wanted to do. I got permission for the same from my parents - somehow the word uttered from their mouth, which they thought that I would never try😂! Just after a month, they saw me traveling single.
I was basically at my college - Indian Institute of Management, Indore and my classes were going on. My semester holidays were approaching soon and I had no idea of visiting home, as I had just arrived there at the campus a month ago due to COVID restrictions from hostel authorities.
So, the only plan was to tour around. I was checking places in and around Madhya Pradesh for a trip, where I get to spend 2-6 days maximum. I also had the constraint that I had to return to the campus within a date, or else I wouldn’t be allowed. So the 6th day just after the holidays started was the deadline for me.
Places like Indore, Bhopal, other places in the state, Jaipur, somewhere in Maharashtra, and many more places were on my list. Finally, after eliminating choices, I finalized a 6-day long trip to Gujarat🤩
Why Gujarat?👀
I’ll tell you why. I was going to travel in January and the heat there in Gujarat is not that unbearable - was an optimal time to trip. The COVID risks were also very less. Also, it was the week of Makar Sankranti✨, which reminded me of two things -
Kite Festival of Gujarat
Kachh Festival at Rann of Kutch
Also. I am going to be here in Indore till I complete college. So, places in Madhya Pradesh can be visited anytime later also. Jaipur was a bit long and looked more like a 2-3 day trip only.
(But I did visit Jaipur🏰 - read about it here)
I wanted to make my first solo trip memorable - more days - more places💖
So, given all these, it was Gujarat.
Wait. Gujarat for 6 days? As in, where?
Indore > Ahmedabad > Bhuj > Vadodara > Indore
Yes. This was my first solo trip and I did it🥳
Let’s Start✨
My first-hand experience. I started planning – rooms, my touring agenda, transport.
I had planned to commute between cities by train. I had enough options of trains taking me to Ahmedabad, Bhuj, and Vadodara – and most of them were available too. I booked the tickets on the same day itself to avoid waitlist conditions.
This was my first solo trip and my parents were skeptical about my safety - provided I didn’t have any idea about the budget or plan changes or problems that may arise.
So, booked tickets, and accommodation too, Not fully posh, but still managing my expenses. Done with hotel and trains.
The trip plan is pending – took me so much time to complete, keeping in mind the transport cost, distances between each place, reviews, timings, and holidays of each place, based on themes, and a lot more criteria that just creeps in my mind when I sit for the planning.
You can have a look at the travel plan I had made initially. In most cases, not all the places are covered – I do miss out on places when I need more time to enjoy other places – that is where preference set plays a role.
(The planning part looks difficult but isn’t. You can read my blog post here, which helps you to make your trip plan easily)
Travel Dates – 05 January 2022 – 10 January 2022
Trains – Indore - Ahmedabad - Bhuj - Vadodara - Indore
Indore to Ahmedabad - 5 Jan 23.00 - Shanti Express P (19310)
Ahmedabad to Bhuj - 8 Jan 06.40 - Bhuj AC SF Express (22903)
Bhuj to Vadodara - 9 Jan 22.35 - Sayajinagri Express(20908)
Vadodara to Indore - 10 Jan 00.36 - Daund Indore Express (22943)
Budget - I didn’t think of any budget for this trip🙃This trip was more impromptu than planned - which then taught me things.
Always, unplanned trips are the best teachers🔥
The list below is the prime plan for the entire trip. I would post each city’s experience in this series, which would have trip plans for each of them.
There are of course other places which depend upon your time and preference. You can add/remove cities from my trip circuit.
5-6 days would be tight enough to complete places in my plan. So, plan yours accordingly with proper time schedules.
Yes. Semester exams were done. Packing was done and moved out of campus for my first ever solo experience.
Had my dinner at Chappan at Indore. Those who know would know the taste of food at the famous food street of Indore!
Got my train from Indore Station to Ahmedabad.
What NEXT?
Will meet you with stories ahead in Blog #2🥰
Feel free to write all your questions regarding the trip plan and the other doubts you have. We’ll reply to all of it, at the earliest.
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