Friendship Day 2025: How These Unforgettable Trips Brought Friends Closer

Friendship Day 2025︱Alya Mono entered my life two years ago while living in Delhi. Our fathers were close friends, and by some quiet magic, we became friends too. We spent much time together, exchanging thoughts on culture, politics, education, and everything in between. Before she left for Kyrgyzstan, we—Gen Z kids—exchanged Instagrams, not knowing when we'd meet next.Two years passed without contact. Then, by pure chance and surprise, I visited her in the summer of 2024.Bishkek greeted me with crisp air and familiar warmth, but the day I spent with Alya transformed the place from just another destination to something more. Our families had first reunited in the mountains, where Alya and I shared a thrilling horse-riding experience—one that brought us even closer. Later, she invited me to spend the day with her and two of her friends over breakfast and a visit to the National Museum.One of the girls was from Belarus, the other from Kyrgyzstan. We ended up bonding over cheesecake, exchanging stories about our cultures, and marvelling at how easily we connected. It felt like the world had shrunk into one café table: four women, four lives, one day of open-hearted exchange.We talked about everything—from the weather and food to shared fears and the strange nostalgia of post-Soviet identity. The landscape outside mirrored what I felt inside: unfamiliar, but grounding.That day reminded me how rare it is to pick up right where you left off. No awkwardness, no catching up required, just presence. Alya and I didn't just reunite; we rediscovered a bond made of shared silences, political curiosity, and that rare ease you don't find twice.That was my journey of rediscovering friendship through travel. Here are three more stories of connection shaped by time, distance, and change that just might resonate with you, too.Amsterdam, 2023: A Window To The Past, A Pause In The PresentBy Sabia VeqarKanika Rajotia and I first crossed paths at Delhi University in 2006, bonding over borrowed notes and late-night conversations. That friendship outlived our degrees, cities, and even our lives' divergent paths.In 2023, I had a work conference in Berlin, and we decided to turn it into a girls' getaway. It was my first trip since becoming a mother to a one-and-a-half-year-old. Kanika flew in from Delhi, and together we set off for Amsterdam.We had six days and no expectations—just a desire to reconnect and relax. There was no rush to tick off every tourist spot. We silently wandered through the Anne Frank House, letting history settle over us. The Van Gogh Museum inspired quiet reflection—each painting like a mirror to where we were in life. One evening, we joined a walking tour of the Red Light District—not the sensational kind, but one focused on history and human rights, which stirred the lawyers in both of us.We lingered in cosy cafés, discussing how much (and little) had changed. Two women in their late thirties, shaped by motherhood and careers, but still the same girls who once whispered dreams across canteen tables.It wasn't just a vacation. It was a gentle reckoning. A chance to remember who we were beneath everything else we'd become.Bhubaneswar, 2025: The Accidental Reunion That Healed UsBy Samarth ThakurIt wasn't supposed to be a vacation. I'd planned a quick trip from Delhi to Bhubaneswar to visit my dad. But of course, I couldn't go without meeting my school gang.I reached out to the boys, and soon, I was having the time of my life. While hanging out at one of their homes, I made a random suggestion: "Let's take a road trip." To my surprise, everyone was in. One of our friends had access to a family-owned resort near Puri, and the plan was set just like that.The next day, we hit the road with no itinerary, hoping to relive the old days. There were no Google Maps or schedules—just four guys reconnecting with the bond we'd built in noisy classrooms and narrow school corridors.The beach welcomed us like an old friend—familiar, unfussy, and always there. We had long conversations over fried fish and chilled beer. This time, we cracked the same old jokes with more honesty and a little wisdom. We spoke about our families, our losses, and our small victories.The simplicity of it all did something none of us expected. It softened us. It reunited us not just as friends, but as men ready to face the realities of adulthood.We didn't bring back souvenirs. We brought back something rarer: perspective, connection, and the quiet comfort of being known.Goa, 2022: The Party That Turned Into A Celebration Of LifeBy Suveesha TanejaFor my 50th birthday, I didn't want flowers or formal dinners. I wanted to laugh until my stomach hurt. I wanted the girls.There were eight of us, some in our early 30s, others embracing our fabulous fifties. We'd seen each other through marriages, heartbreaks, babies, and career changes, but it had been years since we'd travelled together.We landed in Goa with colour-coded outfits, high hopes, and even higher energy. Predictably, it was chaotic. One of us fell ill and had to head back early. We debated over beach choices and which clubs played better music. But none of that mattered.We danced like no one was watching (though someone always was). We tried water sports, which some of us were definitelyn't prepared for. We stayed up late, swapping stories and secrets, laughing until tears came.There's something liberating about travelling with people who've grown alongside you. There's no performance, no filter—just unfiltered joy. It was a celebration not just of age, but of resilience, growth, and a friendship that had seen everything—and stayed.Friendship Day 2025: How A Spontaneous Trek Turned Into A Lifelong Bond