The Trip That Never Began | Mumbai to Nowhere 💔🏔️
13th April.
The day I was supposed to finally leave for Nepal.
I had imagined this day so many times — the excitement, the journey, the feeling of starting something I had been waiting for.
But the day had other plans.
I woke up early, already feeling a little uneasy.
At first, I ignored it, thinking it was just nervous excitement. But within some time, I started coughing… and then suddenly, I felt worse and even threw up.
For a moment, I paused.
Should I cancel?
But then I looked at my packed bags.
Months of planning… and I still decided to go ahead.
(Looking back, maybe I should’ve listened to my body 😅)
After getting ready, I did my usual prayers, took blessings, and left.
There was still hope.
I booked a bus to Mumbai — ₹950.
The journey felt longer than usual, maybe because I wasn’t feeling my best. Still, the excitement of the trip kept me going.
By around 5 PM, I reached Dadar.
My train was at 10 PM.
Which meant I had time — time I thought I would spend exploring Mumbai.
But that plan didn’t last long.
Taxi drivers were quoting extremely high prices, and after trying for a while, I gave up on the idea of going around.
Instead, I decided to go to a nearby mall.
👉 Tip: In busy cities, always check fares on apps before booking offline taxis to avoid overpaying.
The Uber ride there turned into a small lesson.
The driver asked for advance payment, saying he had an emergency.
Trying to be helpful, I paid ₹350.
But after reaching, he asked for more.
That’s when I realised something was wrong.
I refused and reported it.
It was frustrating, but I chose not to let it ruin my mood.
👉 Tip: Avoid paying drivers in advance, no matter the situation.
Inside the mall, it was crowded and lively.
For a while, I just walked around, trying to distract myself.
But in the back of my mind, there was only one thought:
My train ticket.
It was still waitlisted.
I went to the food court, but it was completely full.
No seats anywhere.
At that point, I just thought:
“Mumbai aaye aur Pav Bhaji nahi khayi toh kya kiya?”
So I went to Amar Juice Centre.
Ordered Pav Bhaji.
₹250.
Simple, comforting… and for a few minutes, everything felt normal again.
And then…
My phone buzzed.
It was the message.
From IRCTC.
I opened it.
And just like that… everything changed.
“Your tickets are still waitlisted after chart preparation…”
I read it again.
Hoping maybe I misunderstood.
But I hadn’t.
I just sat there quietly.
Trying to process it.
All the planning, the excitement… everything paused in that moment.
I didn’t know what to do next.
So I decided to eat something and think.
At Jamie’s Pizzeria, I ordered a pizza — ₹750.
One small thing I noticed:
There was an unnecessary service charge added.
I got it removed.
At least something went right that day.
👉 Tip: Always check your restaurant bill carefully. Extra charges are often added without notice.
After that, I went to the railway station.
Even though I knew the chances were low, I still had a little hope.
I spoke to the TC and explained everything.
He simply said,
“Take a general ticket.”
I went to check.
And it was impossible.
There wasn’t even space to stand.
That’s when it finally sank in.
This trip was not happening.
I still checked other options.
Buses would take too long.
Flights were too expensive at the last moment.
👉 Tip: Always keep a backup travel option if your main booking isn’t confirmed.
There was nothing left to do.
I walked out of the station slowly.
Cancelled my bookings.
Cancelled my plans.
Cancelled a trip I had been waiting for so long.
By the time I reached home, I couldn’t hold it in anymore.
I cried.
Not just because the trip got cancelled…
But because of everything that came with it — the excitement, the effort, the hope.
But maybe this isn’t the end.
Maybe it’s just a delay.
Nepal… I’ll see you soon.
Just not today.
Xoxo,
Gujjugirldiaries
Have you ever had a trip go completely wrong?
Tell me your story in the comments — I’d love to read it 💬
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