What Nyla Usha learnt from her harrowing trip to Baku

Actress and presenter Nyla Usha became favourite among Keralites after her superb performances in movies such as ‘Porinchu Mariyam Jose’ and ‘Punyalan Agarbathis’.

Apart from cinema, Nyla Usha is also a presenter with Hit 96.7 FM radio in Dubai. A lover of travel, she prefers visiting places steeped in history and culture. Speaking to Manorama, the celebrity opens up on her travel experiences and dream trips.

“Since school days, I have wished to travel, especially to places mentioned in the history textbooks. Later, I was fortunate to visit many of those places,” says Nyla Usha.

For the actress, each trip presents myriad experiences. “While travelling to a place, we can learn so much about the land and its people,” she says.

The love for journeys made Nyla Usha plan long trips at least once every year. “I travel with my son, mother, friends, and sometimes alone. There have been trips as part of film shooting too. These journeys have taken me to a number of destinations around the world,” she says.

Favourite destinations

“My dream is to experience India in its entirety. But that journey is yet to begin,” says Nyla Usha.

The actress, meanwhile, lists the places she has already visited – Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal, Hong Kong, Macau, Russia, Spain, Paris, Austria, Hungary, Prague, Slovakia, Romania, and Serbia, among others. “Each of them has a distinct beauty,” she quips.

Even though the actress loved every spot she has travelled to, there are some destinations which she wishes to visit again. “During this New Year vacation, we went to Rishikesh and Mussoorie and it was a moving experience. I certainly would love to go there again,” reveals the celebrity.

Rishikesh is on the banks of the River Ganga and in the shadow of the mighty Himalayas. “It is an ideal destination for adventure tourists as well as people who seek solitude,” explains Nyla Usha, who loves activities such as kayaking, bungee jumping, and diving.

“I was bowled over by the temples and the general atmosphere of the place,” says the actress.

Among the foreign destinations, it was Paris that Nyla Usha found most interesting. Spain, London, Prague, and Azerbaijan were also historically and culturally important as well as picturesque, according to Nyla Usha.

Preferred spots in Kerala

The favourite locations of the actress in her home state include Varkala cliff and beach, Kovalam beach and Thrissur. 

“Setting up a coffee shop at Varkala cliff is among my dreams. It is such a great place! So many foreign visitors come there and it is similar to Fort Kochi,” says Nyla Usha.

Kerala’s cultural capital Thrissur is also a preferred destination for the celebrity as many of her relatives and friends live there.

Most of Nyla Usha’s trips have been with her friends. “Colleagues at my office plan a trip every year and each of them has been memorable,” she says.

Trips during 2020

Even though Nyla Usha had planned several trips this year, most of them had to be cancelled following the COVID-19 pandemic. “I am the brand ambassador of Dubai Tourism and had scheduled a number of events in Dubai and other places around the world,” she says.

A trip was arranged to Turkey as part of tourism promotion and the actress had decided to celebrate her birthday there. Unfortunately, the plans had to be dropped.

Unforgettable memories

Recently, Nyla Usha travelled to Baku with her mother, son, and niece. “Baku offers visa-on-arrival and we reached the place directly. However, only after arrival did we learn that there are certain rules regarding the validity of our passports and UAE visa. The passport of my niece was valid for only another month and the authorities at Baku did not give her visa. The officials at Baku asked us to either to take a return flight to Dubai or visit Baku without the child,” says the celebrity.

“All of us were in distress and pleaded with the officials to help us. Finally, we all were given visa after additional documents were sent from Dubai. We ended up spending four hours at the airport,” continues Nyla Usha.

She learned an important lesson from the experience. “From now on, I will plan my trips only after carrying out thorough research about the destination,” says the actress.

She also shares an unforgettable experience. “We went for mountain climbing at a place called Gabala. My mother was enthusiastic about the adventure but slipped during the climb and her kneecap was dislocated. She was forced to spend the remaining trip in the car,” says the actress.

Dream trip

Winding up, Nyla Usha lists the dream journeys in her bucket list. “Apart from touring all over India, especially visiting places such as Leh, Ladakh, Rajasthan and Haryana, I wish to travel to Japan and Cambodia. Another trip to Thailand and Bali is also eagerly awaited,” she reveals.