I know its tooooooo late in publishing this. Reason? lets keep that off the record. 😉 cant accept I was lazy.. 😛
hmmm.. It was another wonderful & perfect(almost.. :-P) Parents Trip.. Good news is its 4th time. So happy, aint we? Indeed.
It was the beautiful evening of 27th Sep 2009. Right after my second year MBA papers.. (My alter ego pinches me saying you got the results too, but not this article yet.. )..hmmmm.. With some comedies here and there I got 3 extra days in my vacation. Before I blinked twice, they were gone and we were at the Cantonment railyway station – Bangalore. When we guys meet, the place glows.. Much we had in the past we hope.. 😀
Snacks, snacks, snacks, coffee, tea and soft drinks.. When did we start a trip without these things. We started and my parents have joined at Dharmapuri and Arun’s parents at Salem. Ramesh and Dinesh’s family should reach Madurai as we reach. It was as usual fun and fun and fun.. Senthil excused himself to US and Arun ‘Father’ excused himself to look after Kavitha. We missed them too as much as they missed the trip.
We reached Madurai on 28th morning and splitted to Krish and Kubhi’s homes. After refresh and rest we had the sunny Madurai all for us. Didnt want to lay lazily; picked Krish and ventured to buy some stuffs. Though the sun didnt burn me right away it had plans to burn little later, little did I know. Vinoth and Ramesh joined with as they were suppose to ‘look after’ entertainment during the trip. He did justice to the post indeed. More to come on that.
Drank some mixed fruit punch (yes it was a real punch??!!, I had no slightest doubt about the fruits in it!!!). Roamed around and picked some sanity kit boxes and the stuffs to stuff in. Well, there came the afternoon. Later we had delicious food at Kubhi’s home and everyone met now. Dinesh (newly wed now.. ;-)) with Gayathri were the talk of the house. Few slept offf and rest tried some magazines. When the time came, tea came.. on time! What else we would need to get up.. We did. We got refreshed and drank big cups of tea and started to Meenakshi Temple. Dad had arranged some police personnel to get some special darshan (its possible,we are in India!!). We skipped all the queues and took had special ‘guide’ from the lovely police people.
Dusk.. We left to Ramesh’s house and almost persuaded his parents to join with us. However they had some important marriage and felt heavy in their hearts to miss the trip. We indeed consider every parents’ plans. This got slipped. Jai Ramesh!!
We enjoyed the bumpy rides of share Auto in Madurai and returned to Kubhi house. Had lovely round(s) of dinner. Then the ultimate touch of surprise; (yea, it wont be good not to have last minute surprises).. We booked a Bus and that got some ‘service’ need when it was suppose to be ready for us. After couple of hours of ‘tinking’, we accepted their offer to have a mini bus and a qualis alternatively. We didnt like the idea, but who has the other option.. hmmmm… We started..
Surprises didnt end there. I took the qualis with Vinoth, krish and Praveen, and never felt that sleepy sitting next to the driver. People woke me up couple of times and reminded me the ‘duty’ of sitting there.. (nothing else, giving company to driver).. After Theni, Bus driver told us the need of getting permit for the bus. Lovely. The took the qualis and went to get the permit saying “just 30 mins, we will be back”. At that place, I with the hell sleepy feeling, bus told me, not here dude.. well, came out of bus and there was a temple. I told not there too. Well, sat at a small milestone crossing the road and was waiting…waiting..waiting.. meanwhile people in the bus woke up and few took a walk and the nearby Tea shop at that wee hours invited them. Long later, Qualis returned; I jumped in and settled right between krish and vinoth. Praveen took the front seat. Damn, I had no idea of what happened later. There were couple of tea stops. and when I opened my eyes, it was cooler environment, it was clear dawn and we were climbing hills to Munnar. So what, again my eyes closed and went on to say hi to other dream. What happened to me??? did I get doped? yea.. post exam feelings.. 🙁
again, when I opened my eyes, it was becacuse of the colder air which pinched me so hard. Its because, the great Krish.. He wanted to enjoy the views, so lowered the glass. Escaping that? na.. not possible. So tried to be up. Meanwhile I should talk about the destination..aaawww.(excuse me please).. Forest Haven was the resort we were going. After lot of analysis, this proved to be a wonderful place for this trip and it proved the same for second time. Yes – we went to the same place way back.
We reached almost by 9 and we had some quick bath and headed straight to the breakfast. We joyed the simple delicious food and resumed to our rooms for a little rest. Leaving them to take more rest? dangerous. and leaving our guys like that? too dangerous.. they will sleep the whole day the same way. So we ‘collected’ them and went to the nearby stream which was way better than the last time. This time we had a swing too. Sooooooooooooooooo big one in terms height.. Cant believe our parents.. They dipped their legs in the stream and had good time. Then their attraction turned to the swing. Believe me or not. Everyone of them tried it. Happy to see the playful heart in them.
In a shortwhile with a little rest (yes – again), it was the time for lunch. While we engaged ourselves in Table Tennis, Chess, Carom few other happily enjoyed nap. Gaythri (Dinesh) proved her skills on TT capabilities. Great she was.
We went to a nearby dam and to our dismay, they were already done for the day for speed boating. We later hit a place called echo point and had good round of snacks.
When we returned to the resort it was already dark. Campfire (bon-fire) was ready and we were all set.. Campfire is the time we always treat so special and the highlight of the trip. As we had the privilege of having both the days with camp-fire, I postponed to discuss a serious topic the day later and wanted to indulge them in a casual talk. We wanted all the parents to talk 3 things of their life’s achievement and one thing what they wanted to be which they didnt fulfill. And they took turn.. Great 2 hours ran easily..
People make our heart melt in a matter of seconds.. This time, it started with Ramesh. He said, his parents (joined the last parents trip) told him after their trip last year, “This was one of my happiest day in my life – (Kodaikanal PT-III)”. He proudly claimed, that even his elder brother didnt make them saying that, but he. The way he said, gave us the 1000% happiness of why we doing this. And no lesser, Thenmozhi Ramesh (still a new comer to our world), made our eyes a little pond by talking about how great she feels when nursing people in the hospital. Despite the job, there is satisfaction!!. And Vaishali again.. all were in good form and talked freely. The night slowly took over us.
Next day, we headed to Eravikulam national park (thinking we would see animals). After a long queue and enough waiting, we got the whole safari van to us. It climbed and climed. We passed a unknown or nameless beautiful falls and ended at a place. From there?? Its the park!! They told us to get down. That means?? No dangerous animals.. well.. what else?? just the goats. Nigirl Tar. Hmmmm.. after enough walking at that drizzling, we found many of them happily doing their duty (what else – eating).. We caught them few in our cameras and tried to walk uphill as long as possible in that clean tar road. After a KM, it was kind of end and everyone of us decided to go back to the place where we got dropped. I was hoping for a fox atleast but none.. hmmmm…
At that place, we had ice creams. so daring we were. But never do that unless thats a branded and kept as the company suggested.
We waited for longgg time and caught the safari van back to the base. At the base, again people went for the snack.. Hell with our luck, Krish wanted some Capsicum bajji which leathered a lot while cooking. Shop owner sweared thats refined oil. A very little doubt didnt save me from 1 fever day and 2 weeks need to recover. Fate. We ate.
All of them. Few vomitted.. good.. I wanted to do too.. but was really not interested in manual tries.. there goes the second chance to avoid. had something on top of it at the resort and we just the youngs caught the qualis and went to the spice garden nearby. He initially told some outrageous cost for a guided tour but later settled for a cheaper cost. He took us on a tour which was honestly interesting and it was really worth of money to learn from vannila plant to strawberry (yes!!)..
When we rerturned, tea was waiting for us, with some sips, we were ready for another rocking campfire. We played a rubberband game.. Thanks for the good time Ramesh.. 😉
Rain had other thoughts as well. So we resumed to the dinner hall and it was awesome that we played a team building game on couples. Just a news paper (1 sheet) and one pair. Nothing else required. Like musical chair at the end of every music, they have to fold the paper and still they have to stand on that (on the paper). As the folds became smaller, they not only had to squeeze in but had to hug the other. People done it beautifully and it was the exact master card “priceless” ad-time. their expressions.. feelings.. amazing.. Ramesh.. second time to appreciate for the assignment that he was responsbile.. after that there was little preaching time relating that game to our lives.. 😛 it was me.. 😀
At the end, Vinoth’s mom with the most heartfelt blesses tapped me.. I swear, nothing would stop us taking them to these trips as long as possible no matter where I am..
Before my dinner, that capsicum bajji (s#it) started working and I felt strong cues of fever. In no time, I took a pill and sunk between the wraps. When I was up in the morning, thank God, I had no fever. After the breakfast, we all posed for a group picture.. Bye-ed the resort and headed to a viewpoint on the way to Madurai. When we were returning after the late lunch to Madurai, I felt the need to urge quickly so that I can catch the flight.. But we had enough time.. Sat at the small Madurai airport, was wondering how the days ran and what would be in store for rest of the day and the coming days.. .. it was a Bluemoon….. … how often we find ourself happier than we the limits we know…. Cant wait for the next trip.
DINESH’s Pics
KRISH’s Pics
and mine.. 😉
0 Comments