How Our Dream Trip Happened: The Story Behind the Journey
Visiting the magnificent Taj Mahal and exploring the historic streets of Delhi has been a massive dream of mine for a very long time. My wife, Sabeera, also had a deep personal wish. Before we had our children, she always believed that once a baby enters our family, we must visit the holy city of Ajmer together with the child. Personally, I do not think much about such traditional beliefs, but I saw her wish as the perfect opportunity to turn our travel dreams into reality! Sometimes, if you plan a big trip without a strong reason, parents and family members might worry or create a lot of objections. But since this trip fulfilled a meaningful family wish, everyone was supportive and happy to let us go.
As soon as we decided to go, luck favored us. I started looking for flight tickets and found an incredible deal with Air India. A one-way ticket from Kozhikode to New Delhi was available for just Rs 4,500! Even better, our little boy Shabil had only a few days remaining before completing his second year. Because he was still under two years old, he qualified for the special infant category rate, which cost us only Rs 1,000! It was an amazing saving.
💡 ishabil fact
Most airlines allow children under the age of two to travel as infants for a very small fraction of the adult fare, usually sitting safely on a parent's lap. Booking a trip just before your child turns two can save you a lot of money on flights!
The only small catch was that this low-fare flight was not a direct one. It had two short layovers—the first one at Coimbatore and the second one at Mumbai. While some travelers might look at a multi-stop flight as a ha
TRIP AT A GLANCE
I safely booked the return tickets and planned a perfect gap of 5 nights between our flights to explore North India. Next, I needed a reliable holiday plan. While reading the local newspaper one morning, I spotted an advertisement for Malabar Travels. They were organizing a standard Golden Triangle group tour. I contacted them to see what they could offer us. After a short discussion, they gave us a fantastic personalized upgrade. Instead of putting us on a crowded tour bus with strangers, they offered us a customized private package. They promised a dedicated car just for our family, a friendly Malayali driver who spoke our language, and excellent hotels with breakfast and dinner completely included. We gladly accepted their offer, and our big plan was set!
Our travel package made everything incredibly easy. It included wonderful 3-star hotels to stay in. Every single morning, we enjoyed a delicious, hot breakfast at our hotel, and every night, we were treated to a tasty dinner buffet. The absolute best part was having our private car with our wonderful driver named Sabu. The package also covered all the highway road tolls and parking fees. This meant we did not have to spend a single minute worrying about directions, money counters, or logistics. We just focused entirely on making happy memories together.
Day 1: Leaving Home and Flying High in the Sky
The big travel day finally arrived! We woke up very early in the morning with big smiles and hearts full of energy. To start our journey, my cousin Sheref came to our house with his auto-rickshaw. He kindly offered to drive us to the Kozhikode airport, which is located just 18 kilometers away from our home. The early morning auto ride was cool, fresh, and breezy. Little Shabil looked out of the window with wide, excited eyes, loving the sight of the fast-moving trees and streetlights.
Soon, we pulled up to the Kozhikode airport terminal. We thanked cousin Sheref, said our goodbyes, and walked inside. The airport was alive and bustling, but our check-in process went smoothly. After completing our security checks, we walked down the gates toward our airplane. Sabeera and Shabil were bursting with excitement. For a young child, everything looks like a giant magic show, and Shabil could not stop pointing and giggling.
We boarded the aircraft and settled into our seats. The very first stretch of our flight was from Kozhikode to Coimbatore. This was a super short hop, taking only about 40 minutes in total! Because it was such a quick flight, there were very few passengers on board. It almost felt like we had a large private jet all to ourselves. When we landed in Coimbatore, the plane came to a stop on the tarmac for a short while. A large crowd of new passengers boarded the plane here, and within minutes, almost every single seat was full.
Next, the captain announced our takeoff from Coimbatore to Mumbai. This leg of the journey took about two hours. Since it was a longer flight, the wonderful airline cabin crew served us a warm and delicious meal. We truly appreciated the food because our morning breakfast had worn off and we were starting to feel quite hungry. The air hostesses on this flight went out of their way to take extra care of us. Because Shabil was in the infant category, they kept checking in on our row, brought us warm water whenever needed, and did everything possible to keep our baby content. It made us feel incredibly safe and welcome.
😋 ishabil fun
Because our flight went up and down three times, Sabeera got the full "airplane experience" in one ticket! By the third takeoff from Mumbai to Delhi, she was already sitting like a frequent flyer, while little Shabil thought the airplane was a giant jumping toy.!
We soon landed at the massive Mumbai airport. We did not have to leave the aircraft during this stop. We stayed relaxed in our seats while the professional cleaning staff came inside to quickly tidy up the cabin. We watched them work with amazing speed to make everything neat for the next flyers. Some passengers said their goodbyes and left, while a fresh group of travelers joined us for the final flight. Our last journey was from Mumbai to New Delhi, and this flight was absolutely packed with people. We were pleasantly surprised to receive another nice meal on this flight too. Eating food and gazing out at the beautiful white clouds made the travel time fly by.
Finally, our plane touched down safely at the New Delhi airport. The air outside was warm, and the airport building looked incredibly grand! We walked out to the arrival gates, where we easily met our driver, Sabu. He was holding a paging board and greeted us with a massive smile. He helped us load our heavy suitcases into the car's trunk. Sabu then drove us through the bright, glittering city lights of Delhi and dropped us off at the Pluto Hotel. The Pluto Hotel is a beautiful 3-star property with clean, spacious rooms and very soft beds. We went straight down to the dining hall, enjoyed a wonderful hot dinner, and went to sleep early. We needed to recharge our batteries because Day 2 was going to be a long and spectacular road trip into Rajasthan.
Day 2: The Green Road to Rajasthan and visiting Ajmer
Our second day started early in the morning. Sabu was already parked outside and waiting for us with a clean car. We packed our day bags, grabbed a quick bite, and hit the open highway. As we drove away from New Delhi, we passed through the modern city of Gurgaon. I was completely amazed looking out of the window. Gurgaon is filled with towering skyscrapers that look like they touch the clouds! There were giant, luxurious shopping malls with glass walls everywhere. It looked incredibly modern and advanced.
After leaving Gurgaon behind, we entered the beautiful state of Haryana. Here, the entire view transformed. The concrete buildings disappeared, replaced by lush green agricultural fields stretching out as far as the eye could see. Local farmers were out working, and the morning air felt amazingly crisp and clean. A little later, our car crossed the official border into the state of Rajasthan.
Before making this trip, whenever I thought about Rajasthan, my mind always pictured a dry, hot desert land covered in yellow sand dunes and wild camels. But as Sabu drove us deeper into the state, I was completely shocked! There was no dry sand to be seen; instead, there was beautiful green scenery everywhere. The fields were bright green, and tall trees lined both sides of the smooth highway. It looked vibrant, healthy, and incredibly picturesque.
Right around breakfast time, Sabu stopped the car at a beautiful, clean roadside restaurant. This restaurant featured a lovely green garden park right next to the seating area. We sat down by the window and ordered a classic North Indian breakfast. They brought us steaming hot, fresh Rajasthani-style aloo parathas. These are delicious flatbreads stuffed with warmly spiced mashed potatoes. They served them alongside cold, creamy curd and a tangy, spicy pickle. The food was incredibly satisfying. After finishing our breakfast, we spent some time walking around the small garden park to stretch our legs while letting Shabil run around happily on the soft grass. Soon, we hopped back into the car to continue our journey.
We drove smoothly for a few more hours. We managed to bypass the heavy city traffic of Jaipur by using the wide ring road. Our main target for the morning hours was to reach the holy destination of Ajmer. Finally, at around 11 o'clock in the morning, we pulled into the city. Sabu navigated through the lively, bustling streets and dropped us off right near the historic Ajmer Sharif area.
The Spiritual Peace of Ajmer Sharif Dargah
From our drop-off point, we had to walk a short distance to reach the main shrine. The narrow lanes leading to the Dargah were filled to the brim with eager people, vibrant shops selling colorful cloths, and the lovely, sweet aromas of burning incense and fresh rose flowers. We held each other's hands tightly and moved slowly through the crowd. Sabeera wrapped a beautiful scarf over her head, and we gently tied a small cloth around Shabil's head as well.
📌 ishabil tips
When you visit the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, remember to wear clothes that cover your shoulders and knees. Also, carry a handkerchief or scarf because everyone must cover their head before entering the holy area.
The Ajmer Sharif Dargah is a profoundly holy place. It is the sacred tomb of the world-famous Sufi saint, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. The moment we stepped past the main gates and into the large marble courtyard, an incredible feeling of calm and quiet came over us. Even though there were thousands of devotees walking all around us, the atmosphere felt deeply peaceful. We saw people from all kinds of different cultures and religions standing side-by-side, praying together in harmony. Some people were weeping tears of devotion, while others sat silently on the cool marble floor. We walked closer to the inner shrine, offered our heartfelt prayers, and asked for healthy blessings for our family and our little son. Feeling that unique spiritual atmosphere was an experience we will cherish forever.
💡 ishabil fact
The Ajmer Sharif Dargah belongs to the 13th-century Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. It is believed that anyone who prays here with a pure heart gets their wishes fulfilled.
Enjoying the Cool Breeze at Ana Sagar Lake
After spending some peaceful, meditative time inside the Dargah, we slowly walked back into the market streets. We hired a local auto-rickshaw to take us back to the main parking zone where Sabu was waiting with the car. Before leaving the city of Ajmer, we decided to take a short drive to see another beautiful local attraction called Ana Sagar Lake.
Ana Sagar Lake is a massive, breathtaking body of water located right in the center of the city. It is an ancient artificial lake, which means it was crafted by human hands nearly a thousand years ago! When we arrived at the banks, the view took our breath away. The bright blue water stretched out wide, with beautiful hills rising gently in the background. Right next to the water, there are elegant white marble pavilions and a beautiful green garden known as Daulat Bagh.
We enjoyed a slow stroll along the stone pathways while a wonderful, refreshing breeze blew directly off the water. It felt incredible after walking through the warm, sunny city markets. Shabil absolutely loved watching the little ripples on the lake's surface and pointed his tiny hands at the white birds flying low over the water. We took some gorgeous family photos with the sparkling blue lake behind us. It was the absolute perfect spot to sit down, relax, and rest before starting our next drive.
Driving to the Pink City of Jaipur
After our relaxing lake visit, we hopped back into our private car with Sabu. Our next major stop was the famous historic city of Jaipur, which people across the world call the Pink City. Along the highway connecting Ajmer to Jaipur, we pulled over at a nice, clean restaurant to enjoy a traditional Indian lunch. The spicy, fresh food gave us plenty of energy for the afternoon journey.
As we neared the outskirts of Jaipur, the highway became incredibly busy. The road was filled with a massive stream of cars, heavy trucks, passenger buses, and local motorbikes. Sabu showed his excellent driving skills by navigating through the heavy traffic safely and smoothly. As the sun began to set and evening fell over the city, we pulled up to our lovely accommodation, the Peppermint Hotel.
The Peppermint Hotel looked incredibly beautiful, modern, and welcoming. The helpful front desk staff checked us into our cozy, quiet room within minutes. We were quite exhausted after a long day of road travel stretching from Delhi to Ajmer and finally into Jaipur. We took a refreshing shower, changed into our comfortable night clothes, and walked down to the hotel's main restaurant. We enjoyed an amazing dinner filled with rich local Rajasthani dishes. After filling our bellies, we went straight back up to our room, climbed into our cozy beds, and fell fast asleep, feeling incredibly happy and grateful for such an unforgettable family adventure.
A Quick Look at the Rest of Our Holiday Plan
Our magical trip didn't stop there! Here is a brief look at what we did during the remaining days of our custom holiday package:
- Day 3: Exploring Jaipur and Heading to Agra – We spent the morning exploring the grand palaces and historic forts of Jaipur. In the afternoon, Sabu drove us across the country to Agra, where we stayed the night.
- Day 4: The Magical Taj Mahal and Delhi – Early in the morning, we visited the world-famous Taj Mahal. It looked incredibly beautiful in the morning light! We also visited the grand Agra Fort. In the afternoon, we drove back to Delhi and checked into our hotel for a two-night stay.
- Day 5: Discovering the Capital City – We spent the whole day seeing the famous sights of New Delhi and Old Delhi, including big monuments, beautiful parks, and local markets.
- Day 6: Saying Goodbye – On our final day, we enjoyed our last breakfast at the hotel. Sabu then drove us safely to the New Delhi airport for our flight back home.
This trip was an absolute dream come true for our little family. From the wonderful Air India flights and Shabil's infant ticket savings to the peaceful moments in Ajmer and the gorgeous green fields of Rajasthan, every single second was perfect. We created priceless memories that we will keep in our hearts forever. Make sure to keep checking ishabil.com as I write down the detailed stories of our next days exploring Jaipur, Agra, and Delhi!
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