On the 13th of December, we—along with a few close friends—set out as a family to witness the Geminids meteor shower at Al Quwa, under the Milky Way.
It was a little over a two-hour drive from home, sprinkled with the usual long-journey rituals—fuel station halts for knick-knacks, quick bites, and of course washroom breaks.
An essential, yet often the most challenging part of overnight desert camping—especially for women and our teen girls.
A few hiccups never stop us though.
As we entered the Milky Way stretch, the scene unfolded—nearly 500 cars already inside, each one hunting for the perfect spot, with more cars lined up behind us.
Now you know the rush.
We finally settled for a spot closer to the road—practical, given the mix of age groups and the constant loading and unloading. With car headlights on, we carried in floor mats and chairs, followed by food and beverage bags, and then our newly bought folding table.
Once the basics were set, we pitched the tent. Just as we finished, our friends arrived—with LED lights that allowed our car headlights to finally rest. The LEDs were used only for setting up and warming food; the rest of the time, we kept it pitch dark—to truly soak in the star-studded sky.
We had also carried a green triconed tent for washroom activities—placed well away from the seating area, of course. Yet somehow, it became an unexpected source of laughter. The way it stood, the way it subtly shifted places with the wind—triggering weird imaginations in a couple of minds. Every time someone noticed it, giggles followed. Some things are unintentionally funny, and this tent was one of them.
More mats were added, laid out in a way that allowed everyone to lie down and gaze upward, the sky blanketing us with endless twinkling stars.
The table was lined with foil, induction set in place, and then came the obvious question:
Indian families, a starry night, and a cool breeze—what do we start with?
Of course—garam-garam adrak elaichi chai.
We soon realised tea takes much longer to boil in the cold desert air, so we covered the vessel to speed things up.
Every trip teaches you something new.
And when you have a gang of Mumbaikars together, tea must be accompanied by vada pav and samosas.
Pure bliss.
As if the night needed anything more, endless Bollywood hit songs began playing softly from a phone connected to a speaker. Old classics and timeless favourites—songs everyone knew by heart. Some hummed along, some sang out loud, others simply smiled. The music floated gently through the desert air, becoming part of the night—never loud enough to steal the stars, just enough to warm the soul.
Chairs were then lined up, necks tilted at carefully calculated angles, eyes fixed on the sky—waiting for shooting stars.
The first one brought shouts of joy.
Some cheered, some sighed—they had missed it.
After all, it lasts only a fraction of a second.
More alert now, we waited.
Every two to three minutes, one streaked across the sky.
Wishes were made, counts were kept… and soon forgotten as the numbers grew.
There were a couple of annoying neighbours who kept their car headlights on, spoiling the view. One member of our group pulled out a laser light and beamed it at their car until they finally got annoyed and switched the lights off.
Childish? Maybe.
Fun? Absolutely.
We all have a child within us—and moments like these are perfect excuses to let it out.
As the night grew colder, chairs were rearranged into a circle and a bonfire was lit. Hoodies and monkey caps emerged from bags. Kids looked gift-wrapped in layers, and soon even the brave adults followed suit.
Cold weather awakens hunger.
Drinks made their rounds. Biryani was warmed up in kadais and served hot. Desserts couldn’t be missed—gulab jamuns, warmed and devoured happily.
Honestly, I don’t know if people show this much enthusiasm warming food at home compared to doing it in the middle of a desert.
Ironically, all the non-kitchener souls (best word I could invent 😅) managed the temporary desert kitchen like pros.
Once cleaned up, we returned to our chairs. Some kids dozed off, others continued chatting endlessly under the stars.
Packing began around 2:30 a.m. Mats were cleared, sleeping bags placed inside the tent for the kids, and most things returned to the cars.
With rain predicted at dawn, we decided not to wait. Around 4:30 a.m., we began our journey back home. A few halts later, rain met us on the way—but it didn’t dampen the spirit.
We reached home—minds elated, bodies exhausted.
Hit the bed and fell asleep instantly.
Even now, I’d say—we are still on a starry hangover ✨
Yesterday night reminded us—joy doesn’t need luxury, just good company and a sky willing to surprise you.
The stars may have vanished by morning, but the warmth of that night still lingers.
Blessmesai 