Its a tedious route from Muscat to Calcutta, India. There was just one direct flight which got cancelled about a year back because of lack of year round traffic. So we have to change flights in the middle of the night either in Dubai or some other, luckier city of India and then after a cantankerous break of a couple of hours at that airport, board the flight to Calcutta. Every year we do that and finally reach my in laws house at the break of dawn. The only thing I desire the most at that point of time is a cup of tea and a bed to ease of the simmering headache. But that never happens, what happens is the in laws wanting to talk to all of us(which is understood as they have waited a year to see us), the kids wanting an immediate change of clothes, the husband opening the suitcases, me sitting on the floor trying to remember where I put what.. my simmering headache by this time is raging storm in my head and my eyes are a blur..I longingly look at the distant bed and heave a sigh and just get on with it...
But this time all this did not happen!! This time it was a pleasure, this time the flight took me to Mumbai, and I broke my journey there. The cab from the airport took me to my cousin's house!! yes, you got that right, I straight went to Aparna's home. there it was all ready for me, the tea, the bed, the no questions asked, the sleep, everything was just as I wanted it. The kids got busy with her kids and did not demand the change of clothes at all. It was bliss, it was joy!!
Though the trip was short, it was rejuvenating. Bloggers were discussed over cups of teas, we went down again the much trodden memory lane, we gossipped, we bitched, we compared our book lists, I got to see her fb friend list(hmmm!!). The husbands gave us time off as they took the kids to Juhu Chowpaty in the middle of the afternoon(I didnt get the reason why? so lets not worry about the timing!) it was great to have the house free so we could just sit and chat on the bed, unlike across countries and on opposite sides of a computer screen.
There are a few places where you can just be what you are. And those places make you unwind, they recharge you and relax you. For me Aparna's house is such a place. It was great being with you Aparna, lets do it again soon! (Get yourself and the family to Muscat, and then work on the Goa trip!!)
PS: I wish there were pictures that I could share.. but for now lets just leave it to my description and your imagination..
On second thoughts here are some snapshots of the Aparna and my kids at Juhu Chowpatty..
On second thoughts here are some snapshots of the Aparna and my kids at Juhu Chowpatty..
The last snap is not the effect of the golas they had..its just a power nap on their way back home!!
41 comments:
I know it's tiring to get to Calcutta from Muscat. I remember my cousin Aparna used to travel from Massachusetts to Kolkata. She always used to get the flight till Tehran and then a connecting flight to Delhi. She used to always take the Rajdhani Express from Delhi.
Pictures are not required as the description is enough to conjure up a mental image.
Hmm... I think I have a longer flight than you and I reach by 2am at my In-laws place. Bed is ready, food in case ur hungry is ready, they don't ask anything and let us be. Well, its good except I CANNOT fall asleep. I suffer from jetlag BIG time. I need a whole week to recover. I am usually up by 2 am and toss and turn and go watch TV, wake up my husband and ask him to talk to me- nuts.
I miss girl-time :( I can't wait to get back home and bitch about every living/non-living thing and have fun with my cousins. You saw anything interesting in Aparna's FB page- old BF maybe? :D
You are cousins? Thats news to me.
But the moment i touch Kerala all my until then tiredness evaporates into Thin air.And i am all energy and Boost-is-the-secret-of-my-energy kind of person.
I am waiting for March 5th to see my lil daughter and her mom.my one year of Guantanamo bay punishment gets over and i bring them here. TC. Nice reading your post.
welcome home :-)
hope you going to have a wonderful time filld with lotsa sweet memories ..
cheirish every momnet .. tc
It is surprising that they don't have a direct flt.
Is Aparna your cousin??Well guarded secret
I enjoyed the stop over at London and Dubai before reaching Kolkata for only one reason. I shopped like mad for chocolates and perfumes :). I am sure next time my husband will go for a direct flight only!
You had a great time with Aparna?? I wonder Why I am not surprised hearing that? Well even without photos my imagination is running wild and I will borrow both your profile pics for that :)
Ohh I hope you were blown over after seeing me in Aparna's FB list *sakshi runs for dear life before Aparna decides to delete her from FB*
PS: What happens in the afternoon at Chowpatty???
Hmmm, I see you did not mention the good food I fed you all and the dinner you guys went to without taking us.
You also should know that I had to accept a FB friends request from dada under duress. And please do not give away all my FB secrets.
May be we should hold that all cousins meet at Muscat, what do you say?
Check my blog for pics on Kolkata!
@Akshay thanks for writing in Akshay. the flight hours are odd and with two kids and a lot of luggage it becomes too much for me. I really love the space that a train offers compared to the cramped seats on a flight.
@SJ lucky you!! Your kids actually let you sleep and you dont want too..wow you must be a godsend to them!! Girl time is a sureshot stress buster and like chocolates its never enough and theres no age or time for it..isnt it. Hope you get all your dose of unlimited girl time when you go home.
@ZB c'mon its no secret. We let that out ages before. I can feel the excitement in you even from here, I know you cant waity to see your family and get them back to you, its been very long..
@deeps thanks dear
@BKC Sir most of the bloggers who visit our pages know this. Its been out since quite some time now.
There was a direct Gulf air flight to Cal from Muscat which was pulled out, so now for the last couple of years we dont have any direct connection!!
@Sakshi hmmm I went bonkers shopping the first time in Dubai too, but now its almost a pain, what with hyper active kids running wild at that huge airport, I become a wreck running after them!! Well what do I say about Aparna's FB..thats a post from her..bager her about it..
Posted pics of chowpatty
@Aparna hhahaha the dinner was wild..wish you had gate crashed, well thats almost another post now..
@Nikita sure will
Oh what a torture!!! I want golas now and is that Falooda with those colourful umbrellas?? I can't even let husband know about my craving as he might hope for his freedom thinking that finally I am eligible to be in an asylum..boo...hoo it's snowing and I want golas :(
The kids sure had a great time at chowpatty :)The pics are awesome...loved the one with the colourful bottles
missed you so much all these days!
Already missing Mumbai?
It's just wonderful to be at a place where you can do as you please....the golas look appetizing...:)
Hope you and Aparna have more of such get-togethers :)
A swell break you had. Nice pics. The post exudes the warmth and leisure:)
How right you are...nothing is as pleasant as chatting your heart out with a sister/cousin (not much of a diffrence, as we all grew up pretty close by), while the logistics (kids/spouse/food/packing) are taken care of. Being a guest sure beats being a host sometimes...
Hope you have a nice vacation.
Suu..gr8 to hear u and fmly had a gala time..aparna indeed seems tobe a gr8 host..and..and..thanksss a tonne buddy 4 yr kind words...:)
Good to know that you all had a great time in India.... It is always fun to stop by if you have good friends (relative or otherwise) in Delhi or Mumbai. They somehow accomodate the guest even though we are on vacation and it is working week for them! Reminds us of that .. mehman jo humara hota hai.... side of India.
Its unfortunate that there are so few direct flights to Kolkata .. it was great when I was in Dubai as going home was so easy!
huh? wait..what? where did I say kids?! I meant my in-laws dont bother me! When I have kids God knows how the story will turn!
You guys had SO much fun. I want that colour ice with the pretty umbrella.
@sakshi, whatever the pics may tell, the kids came home with sullen faces, the trip was not much to their liking, they didnt know how to handle the dripping golas, the umbrellas and the falooda did not impress them and they saw a cockroach inside the bhelpuri..
@Shivi I am back now. Hope you have been well.
@Nona missing Aparna more than mumbai, I must say. It was too short a stay.
@Destiny's child thanks dear. I wish so too.
@the holy lama thanks
@Sucharita Sarkar very true. I did have a good vacation.
@Ramesh thanks
@SumanDebray Yah its unfortunate not to have direct flights esp when my mother or my in laws come visiting, the travel, the change, etc gets too much for them.
@SJ my mistake completely. I am sorry, I meant to type in laws and I dont know why I typed in kids?? HMM maybe you are planning and I had a telepathy..wow quite a thought, I wish you have boys and quite a few of them too..you'll know the pleasure of flights and airports!!
Hey, would love to hear a video tape of your discussion.I have a very curious mind you see...Its great to unwind ....I am dying for a trip like that now.... :(
Wow..looks like much fun was had!The kids look like they had a super time!
Boys? That too a few? I will parcel half of them to you and the rest to sakshi!
@Jyothi hahahha your ears would turn red if you heard us talk..
@Gymnast thanks, yah it was a lot of fun
@SJ dont you even send a single boy out of your pack to me..send them all to Aparna!!
Sujata, your description of 'chilling out' and 'just being yourself' has been vividly described. Nothing like being at peace with oneself.
hey hi...
Hey Sujata...happy new year.Great to now that you all had so much fun together.Pictures are beautiful,wish there were some more.
beautiful, very nice narration of what exactly happens when you reach back home after a long time. You are very lucky to break that tradition this time.
Wonderful snaps, but your experience can not captured in snaps.
i fully UNDERSTAND every word. the first para - i see myself doing that - -
how well you write!
It seems that you all had a wonderful time in India. Toshali and Soumyo have enjoyed very much taking variety of food especially ice-cream. Wonderful post.
Visiting your blog after a while......Was busy with life........Seems you had a nice time in India
Cheers
Bhavya
Su Thanks ya
I hope you had a gala time. being in blore when i get to go to calcuttta make sme so excited.so i can understand how you have felt.good to see you back.
I understand this SO well. Of course, we don't usually fly, but we do drive. It take three days of driving to get from our home in Nebraska down to Texas. And once we arrive, I just want to slink off into bed for a good 2 hours or so. It sounds like you had a very nice experience this time, though!!
By the way, I tried to email you recently. You'll have to let me know if it came through.
~Shaye
ohh my God...
i didnt know girls also have saMe name ...!!
:-D
@nsiyer thanks
@Kavita welcome back how was your new year?
@Rajesh thanks
@kochutherissma thanks a lot.
@Babli, @Bhavya thanks
@Butterfly thoughts thanks, I did have a swell time
@2Shaye i have not recieved your mail..ohh send it again please.
@deeps hahha am really sorry, i always thought you were a girl, till i saw the new profile picture and read your current post and also the link, which explained it all very well.
thanks for sharing and pics
good that you enjoyed it.
Aha.. gola @ juhu is awesome... Did the kids see Amitabh's bungalow @ Juhu?
So then, what happened @ Calcutta? This was a break, right :P
PS: direct flights are such a joy
Oman celebrity..how r u? best wishes
Seems you had a refreshing break from all the heat and dust. Yes, i did read some post by you or aparna, where it was mentioned that u guys are cousins and its nice to see you are friends too..
liked breezing thru the post..
Hey seems you had a nice trip....its always good to visit your folks
Hows Muscat connectivity to India btw? I may be getting a job offer from there soon
Post a Comment