vacations Archives - Page 3 of 3

25/02/201115/04/2017

On the way to Gir

Finally, finally I can start writing about the Gir trip. Because of the whole thing being a last minute plan we had to take a train from Mumbai to Rajkot and then proceed to the Mahindra Resort at Sasan Gir by road. We reached Bombay station a good two hours before our departure.

When we had moved from Bombay last year, we left behind some very very good friends, one of whom braved the crowded railway station and the sweltering Mumbai heat to spend some time with us at the platform.

The reunion

Waiting for the train was never so much fun

The dear friend arrived with her son and her mom. The son is the twin’s absolute chuddi buddy and his arrival created much excitement. In an unabashed show of affection the boys fought to outshout each other with ear-splitting screams — apparently that’s the way guys profess undying friendship. The daughter did the shy act, hiding behind The Husband till she was coaxed out to join in the shouting, which she soon did with gusto. They then proceeded to exchange valuable information like teaching each other how to make Chinese eyes and trading complex dance steps. Forgive me for the picture quality but the kids were on the move and I just had my phone handy.

That’s how you make Chinese eyes

Check out this cool move

Even after almost an hour the excitement refused to die down. The imminent danger of being ostracized by the other passengers at the station roused us from our own gossip-party. The poor passengers had had their feet stamped umpteen times, their luggage examined and their seats taken up by the young chimps and were beginning to tire of the constant ‘excuse mes’ and ‘sorrys’. We decided it was time to break the party. After many hugs and flying kisses the pals said au revoir.

We loved the train…

Now onto the second happy surprise of the trip. Either I’ve been out of the Railway circuit for a long time or Mamta didi has waved a magic wand. The train seemed like a miracle. For starters it was clean. Barely had we settled down when a young man entered with a broom and cleaned away the non-existent garbage. After a while he appeared with a bottle of Colin and a cleaning cloth to wipe the mirror. The loo was dry and clean. There was a hand shower no dirty-mug-with-a-chain and even a clean tissue roll and liquid soap. Wow. Cheers to progress.

… and so did the kids

Upside down in the train

… for completely different reasons of course. They climbed up and down the berths shouting chai chai, pulled the curtains shut to make their own ‘homes’ and hosted parties for their ‘children’ (Naisha’s Shanti and Hrit’s Mowgli were obviously traveling with us) while we watched with baited breaths waiting for a mishap. Our wait was rewarded by not one but three of them.. three mishaps, I mean. Thrice Hrit fell off the top berth.. twice on his way down and once right from the top. Thankfully he fell on his bum which took the repeated bashing pretty well. The kids weren’t much trouble really. They kept each other busy, were not too noisy (that, I must confess, is a completely subjective observation) and didn’t really bother the other passengers (again, subjective).

We reached Rajkot by 10 am and proceeded to Gir by a taxi. And now as Karan Johar would say, “Hold that thought. I am going into a break”. Baki ki kahani when we get back.

On a happy note, the evil eye has finally lifted from our home and both children are well. As I saw them off on the school bus and waved till it was out of sight (the few perks of being a SAHM) I sent up a thank you prayer for the return of normalcy. I celebrated by putting off all my chores and spending the precious hours watching Once Upon a Time in Mumbai. Yes I know it’s an old one.. but I’ve got used to watching films much after their sell-by date. And once upon a time I was a first-day-first-show girl. *sigh*.

19/02/201115/04/2017

Why do vacations end?

And we’re back. I am still coming to terms with the fact that we actually went on a vacation. Not those go-in-a-day-back-in-a-day kinds… a proper seven day break. Not the Lonavala, Mahabalehwar, Khandala, Matheran kinds either.. the destination was Gir, Gujarat. Finally after years and years of sitting on the Mahindra Holidays package we did it. The kids of course couldn’t believe it… that papa was going with them and that it was just the four of us together. Their happiness was priceless.

And now we’re back to no maid, dirty house, tons of dirty clothes, loads of ironing …. Time to get back to life… *sigh*.
Today, just today, I’ll let myself wallow in self pity .. last day, today. Promise to look at the bright side tomorrow. *deep sigh*

04/01/201115/04/2017

A wedding and a vacation – I

Most New Years on their arrival, find us vegging out in front of the telly. However, 2011 came upon us while we were celebrating a wedding. Though it was scheduled for the 1st we landed a day in advance. If you’re wondering why, I’ll just say that the wedding was in Mahabaleshwar. Got it? For people in Pune/Mumbai Mahabi is really no big deal. However, for our vacation-starved family, it was no less than a trip to Kashmir’s Gulmarg.

I’ve been to Mahabi twice earlier but this was the first time I actually saw more of it than the bit that lives in a glass of Strawberry shake at MAPRO farms. I must confess though that bit remains quite my favourite. If you haven’t sampled their fresh strawberries with cream or the shake your life is incomplete.

Colours of Mahabaleshwar

The colours of Mahabaleshwar for me will always be the fresh reds of the strawberries, the rich scarlet of beetroots and the bright orange of carrots. There was a pleasant chill in the daytime sun when we arrived. However, what made the trip special was simply the fact that we were together for a holiday after I don’t know how long. I can’t even remember when we last went out together – just the four of us. That’s what special about holiday destinations and tourist spots. Of course they have the sunset points and sunrise points, the caves and forts, orchards and farms.. but what sets them apart is the happy holiday feel. And we were part of it all. The Husband was relaxed for change (All must be well at Mahindra, I presume) and game for a holiday. The kids were thrilled and could barely sit still.

As a friend pointed out.. The Husband has eyes for nothing else

Predictably enough we headed out to MAPRO to begin our ‘sightseeing’. I stuck to the time tested fresh SB shake, The Husband, on his last binge before he went on a ‘strict diet’ in 2011 (or so he claimed), opted for SBs with fresh rich cream and some icecream thrown in for good measure. Naisha took on the safe icecream (when will she learn to experiment!) while Hrit opted for mango icecream… yes he ate mango ice cream sitting bang in a Strawberry farm. When I pointed out to him that Mahabaleshwar didn’t grow mangoes, it grew SBs he refused to change his mind with an uncompromising, “So what? Lucknow grows mangoes, na,” which was of course irrefutable logic.

We’ll huff n we’ll puff and we’ll finally get home

At the Venna Lake

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned earlier but my kids are water crazy. One look at the lake and they went berserk. The husband wasn’t too keen on the boat ride but where was the choice? Off we went. Naisha took the oars within a few minutes of being on the lake while Hrit confessed to being ‘too scared’. Finally encouraged by Naisha he took the oars too and the two of them proceeded to row us home with gusto. “I’ll eat three rotis today,” averred Naisha flexing her hands as we disembarked.

Savvy shoppers with their precious buys

I was of course interested in a spot of shopping and so we headed to the Mahabi market that comprised of about two dozen small shops. We saw some gorgeous vases which I longed to pick up but the guy at the shop refused to bargain and we left in a huff. Now I’m feeling totally silly because I did so want them….another reason to go back. We finally got home with two hats for the kids, a pair of glares worth all of Rs 30 and some shiny stones (which proved of great value in keeping the kids busy in the hotel room during the endless wedding ceremonies they didn’t need to attend). Hrit fell so madly in love with his glares that he refused to take them off. He wore them all through the wedding, at the dandiya night, at the reception, through the pheras and even at bedtime. When I forbade him from taking off his glasses he promptly wore the glares over his glasses.

Back at the hotel it was time to get ready for the pre-wedding dandiya night. But that’s another post.

So Happy New Year everyone, our beginning was pretty good, how was yours?

14/06/201015/04/2017

Far from the madding crowd

May 2010

Lucknow vacations this year were quite eventful because we managed a vacation within a vacation – a four day trip to Mukteshwar.

It was a long road journey – 12 hours straight. Hrit Naisha took it pretty well, sleeping through almost half the journey and waking up intermittently to ask sleepily – ‘has the medicine mountain come?’ (inspired by Hanuman’s trip to get the Sanjivani buti. Their obsession with mythology continues).

Once there they seemed thrilled but disappointingly enough they weren’t awed by the mountains at all. They were happier with the swings in the resort gardens and the resort itself (Mukteshwar Himalayan Resort) – a cosy quiet place where they could be left to run around with their cousins while the cooperative hotel staff kept an eye on them. They happily climbed to the Mukteshwar temple without their trademark ‘I am tired’ line while we huffed and puffed our way up.

The high point of the trip however was their obsession with food. The mountain air seemed to have worked wonders with their appetites. Even when lunch was hours away they would start planning their own menus irrespective of what the resort cooks had whipped up. Hrit wanted dal-chawal when he was offered aaloo parantha, Naisha wanted palak paneer when there was khichri at the table. It was a constant struggle to reconcile them to what they had on their plates.

For the rest of us long walks and peaceful drives were the trademarks of the trip.

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What’s a vacation?

For my overworked brother-in-law, a doctor by profession, the vacation meant unaccounted hours of sleep and his daily can of beer. In fact so strictly did he follow his a-beer-a-day routine that the morning prior to our departure he was found contemplating.. “I shouldn’t have my beer in the evening because I’ll be driving early tomorrow so I will have to have it in the afternoon.”.. hmmm… such devotion. Touching!
For my sister-in-law, also a doctor, the vacation meant a holiday from routine, long hours of chatting and catching up on her reading.
For my sister it meant connecting with nature, looking for wild flowers, making tiny bouquets of daisies for Hrit and Naisha and wearing one herself as a brooch.
For my nephews Varun and Tarun it meant craving for Pepsi, which we found in plenty for them, and icecream which was completely not available due to power cuts in Mukteshwar.
For Hrit and Naisha it meant foooood and a far second was their obsession with collecting unripe fruits which they claimed had ‘fallen’ from trees. (To their credit they stuck to the claim even when I actually saw them plucking the fruits.)
For me it meant letting Hrit Naisha be. Not worrying about what they’d eat, whether they’d had their milk, when they’d sleep… total bliss. And also (how could I forget) preening in front of the resort mirrors which made everyone appear magically slim. Wish I could have carried one home. I strongly recommend the mirrors for everyone other than Kangana Ranaut.