One of the safest bets to find a date that’s right for you is through your circle of friends. There are many blind dates that have been set up by mutually interested parties that have been a recipe for success. After all there’s nobody who knows us like our best friends. They know our personalities, interests, likes and dislikes. And they are also clued in to the kind of person we gel with or are looking for. And of course if the date is already fixed for you or you are introduced its half the battle won, as you don’t have to muster up the courage to approach someone or ask him/her out.
Travel is always fun and an exciting way to meet an adventurous dating partner. With the many travel packages Mumbai travel companies offer many youngsters and young professionals find it affordable and a fun way to see a place. A tour group throws up many opportunities for dating and scenic locales provide the ideal setting. And for the more risk taking types there’s backpacking or even trekking. Ajit recounts how he met his girlfriend of four years through a backpacking trip to Europe. “It was amazing seeing the places from her perspective and since she was a history student she provided some fascinating insights. It was only natural that we would keep in touch after forging such a close bond on the trip and we’ve never looked back,” he says.
For those who favor the direct approach there’s nothing like placing an ad either in a newspaper, magazine or online.
While the slightly older crowd favors the former two, youngsters prefer the last option. Looking for a date this way must be approached with caution though. It is wise not to divulge too many personal details and respondents should be screened thoroughly. It is also advisable to take a friend along and maybe request the other party to do the same at least for the initial dates until one is able to trust the person and form an opinion on the character of the person.
Mumbai has now become home to some of the biggest brands and best malls. Spanning the length and breadth of Mumbai, right from Crossroads in the South to Inorbit in the North, shopping is taking on a new dimension. And with great deals offered with end of season sales youngsters flock to malls. But you have to be forward enough to approach someone or conjure up a pretext to garner a date. Like Nadia who was bold enough to offer an opinion on the shirt the dude she fancied was trying on. “We struck up a conversation and now regularly date or meet up with friends. It was just one of those chance encounters,” she gushes.
And sometimes you may find a prospective partner in the place you least expect to, like Priya, a volunteer at a well-known NGO. She has been out on a couple of dates with co-volunteers and finds it refreshing to find someone with common goals and shared ideas.
For the fitness freaks try walking or jogging your way to romance in Joggers, Priyadarshani, Patwardhan, Shivaji Parks or one of the many other parks that have mushroomed all over Mumbai. The walk or jog always seems shorter and more fun if you have someone to laugh and flirt with.
Parties have always been a great way to let your hair down and meet eligible members of the opposite sex. And sometimes being in the limelight albeit for the wrong reasons can work to your advantage. “It was my friends eighteenth birthday party and I was told there was a cowboy theme to it,” says Rajiv, a collegian. “It turns out there was no theme and my friends were playing a prank on me. I was embarrassed to find I was the only one dressed in denims, boots and cowboy hat.” However this cowboy managed to lasso the prettiest girl at the party who thought he looked really cool in his getup. And guess what? She asked him out!
Whether you choose the predictable or the adventurous path, the timid or the audacious approach one things for sure, there’s no place like Mumbai to find a date and to make it happen!
