So what made me write again? After 5 years since my last post, the world having seen a pandemic and everyone's life being turned around by just around 360° since the past 2 years, I am back here and I would like to narrate one of the exceptional stories of my life. A journey that I ventured out entirely on my own (I still cannot believe it!), which would have never happened if it wasn't for the persistent wisdom, courage & favor from above that opened the right doors at the right time.
I'm no perfectionist and neither are my blog posts, and with that disclaimer, I would like to take you on a trip with me. A trip that took around 4 years of dreaming and wishing, 2 years to shape up, give or take 3-4 months to plan out, which took me by an absolutely delightful surprise. Distanced at approximately 5.634km north west of Bangalore, this trip quite literally took me 20-24 years back in time. Phew! that's quite a bit isnt it? So get your popcorn, nachos or shawarma (whatever works for you!), fasten your seatbelts as we are about to take off!
Winds of Change
There are often significant turning points in one's life and I would call Covid-19 as one of them. It's been a turmoil and a heartache for many. Despite all of this, life has to move on and it has. Weddings, births, graduations, jobs changes, and passing on are events we all would have witnessed by near and far.
Being locked up within 4 walls had challenged us and how! Inspect / retrospect ourselves and what we surround ourselves with, renew or revive aspects of ourselves we had let escape from our grasp to keep up with "life". Of the many things that fall under that umbrella, rekindling friendships was a significant one.
In an attempt to remain cheerful & expectant during an unfortunate turn that overtook the world, distance suddenly seemed insignificant. Yes, it's a big shout out to technology, that opened the door to a world that never sleeps like never before and served to mute the otherwise depressing reports that poured in from all over. So like how most of you may have had the good fortune ( I'd like to think that!), I was also blessed to have rekindled a number of old friendships that time & tide had spaced away and befriend some new ones too! #thankyoumeta
In pin setti pin
Often, some of our best memories are just innocent and pure. To be able to reconnect with people we parted with 20+ years ago (albeit with a starting trouble) is no mean feat. Being willing to work at it and get it to a #podithendi relationship is sometimes worth it. Helps to add those fine lines on the corner of one's eyes. I am truly blessed to have such friends, some that I can even call up at 2am! Past the initial 1.5 years of corona and forced lock down, there was a slight change of direction in the winds that called for life to return to the so-called normalcy in many parts of our sansar. And so began a conversation for a friendcation. Sounds fun? exciting? makes-me-anxious? impossible? uncomfortable? do-I-want-to?
After a l-uho-ooo-ttt of discussions, suggestions, post poning, reviving, discussions, suggestions, postponing & reviving (read that another 5 times!) the destination was finalized! It had to be an easily accessible, fairly economical, a beautifully fascinating foodie junction! #junctionilathanaadundo!
Ready? Steady? Steady! Ready!
By mid Feb, the mela had begun, for the journey around April/May, which was decidedly the most favorable time. What fervour, anxiety and exhilaration we all saw duiring those days! I often think the prep time is the most exciting than the event itself, for the waiting, wanting and the fight to just sit it out patiently, surfaces to the extreme! Not just for a vacay, be it any significant chapter, graduating, getting into a relationship, getting married, relocating, giving birth or landing a much desired job. Would you agree?
The visa process was in particular an interesting one! If you know me at all, you must already know that I am an extremely precautionary person, especially when it comes to doing things for the first time all by
myself. Some may call this as being a scaredy cat but if I don't have an inkling of what's about to happen, fretting is too simple a word for what I let myself go through. So on the day of the visa appointment, my nerves were really frayed out and I reach the venue well in time with my nine year old in tow, to see that the place was swarming! #whydosomanypeoplehavetotravel #coronascare
While the queue for me wasn't particularly long, I did spot a few newly wed couples, a son with his aged father and a group of friends. I watched the newly weds scurrying to get more documents that were required and I think "Pfft, they had one job for this appointment!" After 30 minutes of my scheduled appointment, I finally get to the counter and smiled at the magician behind the counter. With the innumerable number of documents I had to carry, I am then informed that I had to take more copies that I had in hand. SO! Run down to the copy centre, take out copies, fill them up, run back to submit the documents, all in a window of 20 minutes, to make it or break it! (I would like to say, this was NOT a result of me smirking at the newly weds!) . Did I pray through this scurrying? Oh Yes! God being Himself, was gracious as always. The guy behind the desk smiled and allowed my documents to be processed. Much relieved, I return back home after 4 hours famished, with a famished tween, (who initially wanted to eat out and then chose not to 😑) expecting the visa to be processed in 15 working days, which was the standard for Indian passports. This would leave me with just 2 days to fly out. #nopressure!
So two days later, there I was, dreaming away for my much awaited time off in a beautiful land, soaking up all the info I could get via blogs/vlogs, planning on the things I'd want to do with my girls when I suddenly get a notification "Your passport has been dispatched"! My mind went blank and I panicked! "Whaaaaaaaat! In 2 days?! Was my visa rejected? What went wrong!" And while no one could figure out how or why it turned around so quickly, and realising if the trip was meant to be, it would, I went about just doing routine stuff, AND the prep for reapplying for my visa. The next day, while I was at a near by store, I get a call from the blue dart executive "Ma'am I am at your door with your passport". Mumbling an apology to the store assistant, I rush to get an auto to take me home, all the while my heart hammering wildly. I reach, sign for the post, close the door and pray as I open my passport and.... (drum roll please) there it is! My beautiful visa! Valid for 5 months! I rejoiced to say in the least.
Corona Norms
"Please carry your PCR results that is not older than 72 hours" is a phrase I am sure we are all too familiar with right now. So it was on the previous day of my travel, that I had to get myself tested. Now this was something I am used to doing to do local travels in the strictest of times and the result didn't bother me one bit as, even if it turned out positive, I get to chill at my home, with no much loss incurred. But now, this time....Gulp! The stakes are too high and not to mention costly. The moment when opening the results six hours later would warrant another drum roll, but let's skip to the good part, shall we? It was a beautiful negative!!!! Hi-five if you relate to that. 😎
Shop! Shop! Shop! I-ron too?
Do you iron your outfits before your travel? I never go anywhere without ironed attire! So was the case this time. Only, I gave it for ironing the day to my regular spot 3 days before my travel and when they were about to go for a week long vacation the next day! So I give my entire travel wardrobe to the lady who asked me to come in 4 hours to collect it. I happily walk away thanking I made it in time. Only thing I did not forsee was losing track of time with my work & scrolling through insta reels for us to enact while at our vacay!
At 9:30pm, like a knock given to my head, I realised what I missed! I was out in a flash, leaving my daughter staring at me, and on reaching the store, I find it closed! Mannnnnnn, what do I do?? Should I pack my salwars suits to wander in a foreign land with my walking shoes and socks? The people from the mithai store right next to my presswala took heart and helped me reach the guy. After a l-uh-ooooottttt of talking, apologising, requesting, coaxing and convincing, he agreed to come back and open the store for me. Talk about favor from above! I came back perspiring, immensely relieved, with my ironed attire and I hugged my child. For there were very few words I had to express how grateful I felt for matters as trivial as this.
So visa- check, flight ticktes - check, PCR - check, wardrobe - check, electronics - check, accessories - check, excitement - check, ready to fly international after 13 years that too solo for the first time - NOT CHECKED!
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