From Miss India To Motherhood

Moving from Mummy time to 'Me' time

  • Being Mummy
  • Family Time
  • ME time
  • My Many Moods
  • Miss India
  • And More
  • Reviews
  • Giveaway
  • Contact Me
  • About Me

Miss Asia Pacific 1992 – Part 3/3

August 13, 2012 By: Mehroocomment

……..continued from Post: Miss Asia Pacific 1992 – Part 2/3

MANILA, PHILIPPINES
DECEMBER 06-07
These two days after the contest was over were the longest and the most depressing days for me as there was nothing much to do except watch the winners get all the limelight and say a goodbye to the other girls heading for their respective countries. All I wanted to do was to go back home but after my terrible experience in Bangkok, the thought of spending another night there, en route to Bombay, filled me with dread.

MANILA-BANGKOK
DECEMBER 08
I was leaving Manila today and was filled with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. The organisers had just given me some cash to use for the hotel stay in Bangkok and I was supposed to make all the arrangements myself.  I reached the airport well in time for check-in as I had some excess baggage and had requested the organisers to help me out. Despite their assurances Philippine Airlines staff stopped me at check-in and asked for a hefty fine of US$165! I tried explaining, complaining but once again everything fell on deaf ears. I refused to pay a cent so I opened my bags and took out some of my stuff to carry in hand luggage. After I was done with the rearranging and repacking my hand baggage consisted of 4 plastic bags, 1 hand bag, 1 vanity case and 1 purse! All this juggling did not eliminate my excess luggage fine just brought it down to US$120! And I had no choice but to pay. After that I headed for immigration and then to the gate struggling with all my hand bags as trolleys were not allowed after a certain point.

My flight was quite pleasant and comfortable in contrast. It was a light flight and the aircraft was practically empty so I could stretch my legs and take a nice nap. However once we landed in Bangkok I was anxious once again about my stay. I struggled to stand in the immigration counter queue for a full 15 minutes before my turn came and when it did I realised that I had not obtained my visa on arrival! So staggering I first went to exchange my USD for Bahts and then to the visa counter where I spent 300 bahts for my visa and 150 bahts for my photograph! As I was just leaving that counter a lady came running up to me with a vanity case that looked exactly like mine…..apparently I had forgotten the case at the exchange counter! Once again by the time I reached the baggage carousel there were no other passengers around which made me realise how long I had taken to reach there. Someone had taken my bags off the carousel and they were standing there looking lonely waiting for me. I quickly settled all my bags onto a nice trolley and headed for the hotel reservation desk. I gave my budget and requirements to the lady in the following order of priority:
–close to the airport
–american breakfast included
–transport to and fro included
–sightseeing option
A quick dialogue followed and all was settled for Hotel Siam Beverly at a total cost of US$108 for one night!

The next day I woke up early to do full justice to my American breakfast and then headed for the sightseeing bus tour. We were taken to two Buddha temples which I enjoyed seeing. I suddenly felt very good about myself, very confident after having handled the hotel booking and getting such a good deal! I felt like rewarding myself and decided to do some last minute shopping. I asked the tour operator to drop me to a street market which was not very expensive. She dropped me off to Indra market writing down the hotel address in Thai for me since I had to find my own way back to the hotel. I had a good one hour to shop which I did and feeling much better and happier now that I was going to Bombay soon, I hired a ‘tuk-tuk’ (small rickshaw) and showed the address to the driver. He smiled confidently and I sat down and started dreaming about my flight back home. After one hour of driving around in some narrow lanes I realised that he did not know the address at all. I yelled at him and asked him to find out as it was already 2.00pm by then and I had to leave the hotel by 3.00pm for the airport! After another 15-20 minutes he finally got me to my hotel, I jumped out from his ‘tuk-tuk’, literally threw his fare at him (I was very upset) and ran up to my room. I finished my final packing carrying more stuff in my plastic carry bags as I was determined not to pay any excess luggage duty this time and I left for the airport in the hotel van.

BANGKOK-BOMBAY
DECEMBER 09
At the airport I was pleasantly surprised that I was not asked to pay for any excess luggage and now wished that I put more of my hand luggage into the suitcases as these were getting increasingly heavy to carry! But that did not stop me from buying a bottle of whiskey for my father at a duty-free shop. I am sure I looked like one of those nincompoop first-time plane travelers as I entered the aircraft carrying all these plastic bags, struggling to walk up the aisle. After I had deposited all of them in the overhead racks and mentally made a note of their final number, I sat down and relaxed. I had an excellent flight and I must have been smiling throughout as one of the air hostesses came upto me and asked me if I was going home after a very long time and I say “Yes” with a full smile, eyes beaming!

The flight was perfect, the landing was smooth and I was so happy to be back in my country that I just could not wait to get my bags out and run. I had never so happy in my life to see my father when I saw him just outside the aircraft, He had used all his special contacts to come all that way inside the airport, almost inside the aircraft to fetch me and to me he felt like a true super-hero at that time.

As I walked out I was giggling to myself and all the earlier problems that I had faced seemed so trivial that I was amazed I was actually worried about them! Having lived a sheltered life all throughout, I thought I was not very equipped to handle odd situations but this trip made me realise that wasn’t true, that I was quite capable of looking after myself. I give full credit for this to my parents who not only protected us and gifted us with all the world’s comforts but also gave us enough freedom to experience life’s realities and empowered us to take our own decisions with confidence and courage.

Related Posts

  • Rewinding Time – An InterviewRewinding Time – An Interview
  • Turning 40Turning 40
  • A rejuvenating holidayA rejuvenating holiday
  • Why do I blog?Why do I blog?

Related

Comments

comments

Share this article:

Comments

  1. Kavita Sheth-Sanghvi says

    August 21, 2012 at 2:59 am

    Loved reading all the 3 parts Mehroo!!! Some adventures you had and you really came out strong in the end!! Way to go girl!! Totally agree with you, all that credit totally goes to your parents!! We are very lucky to have grown up in a sheltered environment, but still taught by our parents how to face the world and deal with things confidently!! In my eyes, you are a true winner of all the trials and tribulations that come with the Miss Asia Pac Pageant or any pageant for that matter. No offense, but I always used to have this image that most of the beauty competition contestants must be spoilt rotten during these pageants…but you've really opened my eyes and couldn't be prouder of you!! So the award for the MOST CONFIDENT & COURAGEOUS WOMAN goes to…….MEHROO MISTRY-TUREL 🙂

    Reply
  2. Mehroo says

    August 21, 2012 at 3:02 am

    Dearest Kavita,
    What a lovely comment….how very sweet of you thank you for all the compliments and you are right about our parents bringing out the best in us and gifting us with all the skills that we possess today….hope I will be as good a mother if not better! Thank you for reading and hope you continue to do so.

    Reply
  3. Reena says

    August 29, 2012 at 5:30 am

    Hey Mehroo, finally read all 3 parts of Miss India. Really liked to read your experiences and I am so impressed by how much you managed on your own at such a young age! Well done and hats off!

    Reply
  4. Reena says

    August 31, 2012 at 5:40 am

    Hello

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let’s get connected

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Updates on Blog Posts, and more !

Search

Popular Posts

  • Miss India and all that jazz! So here it is...after months of waiting... the post...
  • Aashiqui 2 – Love Makes Life Live I can't say I am a movie buff and yet every evening aft...
  • School is over for today Its 3 o'clock and the school bell's loud ring is foll...
  • A visit to the Wet Market This post was featured on The HK Hub, a one-stop site...
  • About Me & My Blog About Me A mother, a home maker, a teacher, an entre...

Recent Comments

    No recent comment found.

Instagram

mehrooturel

Mompreneur | Coach | HK 💕
It’s Christmas! I am sitting in my cozy home wat It’s Christmas! I am sitting in my cozy home watching the twinkling lights on my Christmas tree🎄 drinking hot chocolate ☕️ or mulled wine 🍷 depending on the time of the day 😉 and listening to Christmas songs🎵 

Sharing my all-time favourite Christmas songs with you! 
❄️ Winter wonderland
❄️ Santa Claus is coming to town
❄️ Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! 
❄️ Deck the halls
❄️ Do you hear what I hear? 
❄️ Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Add to the festive spirit of joy And togetherness and share your favourite Christmas songs in the comments below! 

#christmassongs🎶 #christmascarols #christmassongs #christmastimewithfamily #familychristmas #christmasphotoshoot #christmasplaylist #christmasplaylists #christmasinhk #christmashongkong #christmashk #christmasyulelog
2020 was an "eventful" year. Our MAP Team of 'momp 2020 was an "eventful" year. Our MAP Team of 'mompreneurs' came together for this MAP CHRISTMAS COFFEE VIRTUAL MEET to share our thoughts, learnings, ups and downs for 2020, gaining from each other's strengths and carving a positive and productive path ahead for 2021! 

Loved the honesty, positive vibes, kind words and the support shown for each other and the group as a whole! Here's to many more!

#christmasmeet #womensupportingwomen 
#mumsatplay #momlife #mompreneurlife #hkmoms #womenentrepreneurs #womenentrepreneurship
It's ok to feel down sometimes. 🙁 But the impor It's ok to feel down sometimes. 🙁 But the important thing is to jump back up! 😍 
Easy said than done, I know, which is why I have made this list handy for you to have anytime you are feeling low and need a bit of motivation to get out of it!

What else do you do when you are feeling low? 🙄
Add it to comments here so we can all learn and try out new things to lift our mood! 🤩

 LIKE SHARE SAVE

#coachingforlife #mindsetchange #peacefulmindpeacefullife #staypositivealways #coachinghelps #lifecoachforwomen #coachingformoms #lifecoachformoms #icfcoaching #powerofcoaching #careercoach #careercoaching #innerpotential #businesscoach #businesscoachforwomen 
#powerfulquotes #inspirationalquotesoftheday #inspirationalquotesforlife
2020 - A year of extraordinary changes and challen 2020 - A year of extraordinary changes and challenges. 

How are you ending 2020? 

#mondaymotivation #stayfocused #staypositive➕ #keepitgoing #becauseyoumatter #lifecoachhk #lifecoachingforwomen
Catching up on some IG INSIGHTS. 👉🏻Here are Catching up on some IG INSIGHTS. 
👉🏻Here are my Top posts for the year! 
👉🏻Interesting to see what kind of posts attract more engagement and likes. 
👉🏻Here are some emerging themes
#fitness 
#motivation 
#hongkong🇭🇰 
#changeisgood 
#lifestyle
#buildingconfidence 
#workingduringcovid 

If you are an IG enthusiast and wish to inspire and motivate the right kind of people with your feed, spend some time looking at your insights to move in the right direction. 

#instagraminsights #insights #insightsdiscovery
The power of a HUG! 🫂 Do you know why hugs ar The power of a HUG! 🫂 

Do you know why hugs are so powerful? 
🤗 Hugging is a way of healing. 
🤗 Hugging relieves stress, anxiety, loneliness and tension. 
🤗 Hugging releases oxytocin “love hormone” resulting in the “feel good” factor.
🤗 Hugging offers a sense of protection and safety.
🤗 Hugging boosts self-esteem, increases our capability to self-love. 
🤗 Hugging offers a chance to exchange energy, encourages empathy and nurtures relationships. 

🙋‍♀️ So who have you given a hug today? Write in comment below. 

❤️LIKE  SAVE  SHARE for others to spread the power of a HUG! ❤️

@mehrooturel @lokithepoppycat
Friday thoughts.... I captured this beautiful sun Friday thoughts....

I captured this beautiful sunset on my iphone and I still could not do justice to the beautiful sun setting in front of eyes....too beautiful to captured on the lens ...posting my best shot. 

"Every sunset is an opportunity to reflect and reset" - What do you think?

#sunsetphotography #sunsetlovers
THANKFUL THURSDAY Take a minute to be grateful fo THANKFUL THURSDAY

Take a minute to be grateful for what you have today. Because even the smallest thing counts. 

#begratefuleveryday #thankfulthursdays❤️ #bethankfuleveryday #smallthingscount
Coaching? What? Why? When? I am often asked these Coaching? What? Why? When? 
I am often asked these questions by well-meaning family and friends as they learn about this new phase in my life. It prompted me to rewind time and write about this journey.

👉Coaching: Let’s start at the very beginning.... 

🖋Capturing the moments and memories of this beautiful new phase in my life.

End-January 2020: With corona virus spreading across Hong Kong and number of cases rising, schools were asked to shut down. We were in Mumbai over Chinese New Year and what had been a short 5-day trip to the city for a family wedding turned out to be a month-long extension as we postponed our flights intending to “stay safe” in Mumbai.

February 2020: While I was I happy that we were relatively safe and I could enjoy a longer holiday, the working bug in me started biting within a week. Business was slow through the previous months of protests in Hong Kong and had now come to a grinding halt. My mind started racing. What next, what can I do to keep my business going? In retrospect the actual question to ask was “What can I do to keep myself going?”

March 2020: After some trials and errors on new ideas for my current business, I realized that this was not the solution I was looking for. After starting my career in corporate sales and marketing, followed a fulfilling role as a stay-at-home mom to my boys and the last few years of being a “mom-preneur” running an exciting clothing and events business, I felt that I needed something different – something that I love and something that is sustainable over a period of time. I started researching on the internet, looking for an answer. My searches were quite random and pretty general. ‘Flexible job from home, rewarding job for women, inspiring jobs, etc.’ I am not sure how or when but along with the other answers that came up, what struck my attention and curiosity was the word ‘Coaching.’

To read my full blog visit http://frommissindiatomotherhood.com. 

Cover Photo by Danielle MacInnes on @unsplash
Follow on Instagram
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

My entrepreneurial ventures!

My entrepreneurial ventures!

Labels

After school activities birthday cake birthday party Birthdays christmas Christmas presents Christmas shopping christmas tree christmas with kids Cooking corona corona virus covid-19 dogs drama class family holiday family outing Faust Festivals Giveaway grey hair growing up hair colour Hiking Holidays Hong Kong India Kidsfest motherhood Movies Mumbai Mumtrepreneur Nostalgia Parenting Parsi Pets Poems raising kids Reviews Role change School Stay-at-home-mum SUMMER teenager Zoroastrian

Archives

Copyright © 2021 · frommissindiatomotherhood.com · contact · TOS & Privacy · Made by Kaushik

Subscribe to our newsletter!

x