‘You can go out at night with friends and yet feel safe’

Twenty three-year-old Sameera Syed lives in Mumbai’s Andheri and has been a flight attendant for three years.

“Mumbai to me is home, where the sea breeze is warm and I can take a cab alone even at 2 am,” says Sameera Sayed. “I love the vibe of this city. You can go out at night with friends yet feel safe, unlike in many other cities such as Delhi and Patna.”

For flight attendant Sameera Sayed who travels across the globe frequently, nothing matches the comfort of Mumbai.(Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

The 23-year-old lives in Andheri and has been a flight attendant for three years. When she’s not home, the things she misses most are Marine Drive, and desi khaana. “I eat hamburgers and dream of biryani,” she says, laughing. “Vada pav tastes better when I land. The seaside feels like so much fun.”

She misses biryani so much, she adds, that khichdi — more easily available — has become a welcome substitute. “I once called four restaurants in London until I found a plate of dal khichdi. Three of them didn’t have it.”

She misses having everything at her fingertips too. “I’ve lived in Andheri all my life, gone to college here… everything is close to home in Mumbai, shopping malls, restaurants and pubs.”

The city is, in many ways, her Goldilocks zone. “Jaipur is too hot, Toronto’s too cold,” she says. “The weather in Mumbai is just right.”

(This story is part of a series Moving Images that celebrates the city of Mumbai through its people.)