When the lockdown restrictions eased, Yamini Malhotra packed her bags for a quick vacation. The Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin actor, along with her mommy dearest, went to Lonavala and Pawna Lake for two days.
“I’m having good fun. Firstly, my mom has come to visit me in Mumbai. This is the first time that she has travelled in one and a half years. Ever since COVID began, last year she had not stepped out of home. Secondly, we could travel together, even if it was for a short period. More than me, I wanted her to enjoy and breathe fresh air, which is why we went for this road trip to Lonavala and Pawna Lake. The weather was amazing and the scenic beauty was to die for. Wherever we turned our heads, it was lush green and beautiful. It is a must go to the Ghats during the monsoon,” she adds.
Yamini says short breaks are important for an actor. “They are such a breather and help you relax as well. Mumbai life is tough, traffic, crowded places, etc, and shooting schedules are also very hectic. Short breaks rejuvenate your entire system,” says the actor, adding that since the pandemic restricted travel, so taking one after so many months was bliss but felt very different too.
“It’s not the same anymore. That terror of Covid remains in your subconscious. We preferred not to go to any crowded places or restaurants. Since we were on a road trip, we tried to find secluded places where there was not many people and had only scenic beauty,” she says.
A passionate traveller, Yamini loves everything about exploring and experiencing something new. “I love road trips. So many unexpected can happen on such trips, it is no less an adventure. It also feels good to see new places and new people. In India every 50 kms, the terrain, the culture, the language, the dressing style, change. So it’s fun to soak in all the different shades of our country,” adds the actor, whose favorite places are Goa and Uttarakhand in India. Her favourite international destination is Dubai.
About the travel essentials in her bag, more so now amid the pandemic, she shares, “Now sanitizers and masks are must carry. But, to tell you the truth, there are no travel essentials for me. I actually want to pack everything (laughs). My friends laugh when they see me carrying one big suitcase packed for a two-day trip. I want matching footwear and handbags with all my clothes, and then my own pillow, sheet, towel, toiletries, my Bluetooth speaker, tripod, and diet coke cans.”
