Back from Goa. Did not take laptop along and did not visit business centre either. To add icing to the cake, phone also decided not to work on roaming. Needless to say, had fabulous time, with no calls from best friends like Airtel and Tata Aig Life Insurance or texts from Body Care and VLCC.
Was back in Goa during Christmas after 15 years though it wasn't quite planned that way and realised it all looked rather beautiful, especially if you went driving around at night with practically every house draped in starry lights. Of course this was probably because we stayed away from Baga with its way too many lights and stayed in Utorda, which though populated this time of the year, at least gives you enough space to move around in the hotel pool, the beach, etc. And the village is a beautiful one with old houses, winding roads, lots of green...you get the picture. Made the mistake of dragging self, husband, sleeping child (am kind mother) and brother to the Saturday night flear market in Arpora and ruined relations with entire family by getting stuck in the longest traffic jam of our lives. Wasn't impressed with much heard about and hyped flea market (which I ran and saw while they sat stuck in the car) that seemed to be great place to shop if a)you never visit quiant, quirky stores selling silk drawstring totes for 5000 bucks in your own city
b)this is your first time in India and you never visit quiant, quirky stores selling silk drawstring totes for equivalent dollar/euro amount in your own city
c)You don't mind rubbing shoulders (and other body parts) with 600000 people descended from Bombay and other parts of India to buy things like sequined cushions, mirrorwork elephants and beaded curtains exactly like the ones you get in your hometown.
d)You are from foreign and seeing 'excotic Indian' for the first time.
Wasn't any of the above so came back empty handed.
Spent an hour and more waiting inside Dabolim airport seeing off the inlaws and waiting for the brother to arrive. Spotted Salman Rushdie or lookalike who was with sons and the smirk. Far more interesting was observing honeymooning couples on their way in/out of Goa in jeans and trendy tops accessoried with mangalsutra, chooda and other jewellery. Depending on whether they were incoming or outgoing, the mangalsutra stayed off and jeans came on. Also spotted some oversized sunglasses and LV/Birkin type bags, courtesy the Mumbai flights. Wrote many posts in head (even tried one Parmanu type moody observation piece) but all forgotten in beer-sand-fish combo. All in all, best airport watch in a long time.
Off to bed now. You have a great 2010.

The days are just packed

One of the reasons why I haven't updated. Also have been busy with stuff to do for home and work. Off on holiday next week to Goa (yes we really cannot think of any other destination but what the heck, it makes me happy) and a bit panic stricken as the entire family is going in one car. That means the husband, me, the son and the in-laws. Have gone crazy shopping for different dietary needs and restrictions to keep us fed and satiated through the 11-12 hour road trip. Chocos/fruit/honey loops and whatever else Kellogs can throw at me in a coloured, sugary form for the son; namkeen and chivda packets for the MIL who (I think) likes being surrounded by food once she is seated inside a vehicle and on a highway; juice packets and tetrapack shakes for the milk fiend son; things to munch for the husband who I plan to keep happy as he's going to drive me to places like Florentines and Literati and my friend house in Altinho and keeps asking if there's anything 'interesting' to eat while driving long trips.

Utterly envy those people who can decide at night that they are going to take the car and drive off to places 10 hour away in the morning and do nothing more than pack a few clothes and toothbrush. Used to think of myself as one of those cool types till I popped out a child and realized I'm the most hyper, overprotective, what-if type people I'd ever met. I'm a packing maniac who needs therapy, especially before a car trip. Box of tissues? Check. Wipes? Check? Change of clothes just in case he spills water? Check. Change for change of clothes just in case he spills the tetrapack juice? Check. Pillow? Check. Blankets? Check? Books, handheld game, colouring and activity stuff? Check. More books, activities and colouring stuff just in case the first lot don't work? Check. Every available and portable food item he likes to eat? Check. Scissors, just in case I need to cut something? Check. Torch, just in case we got stranded in the middle of a forest? Check.

This time the in laws have been added to the list, turning me into an utter nut. Like I said, they also come with certain diet restrictions and though they are spending only two days in Goa and the hotel assured me they'll discover new heights in Jain culinary requirements within that time span, I am still in the packing nut territory. Nobody in the family has insisted on being equipped with their own personal mini diner cum bedroom cum walk in closet in the car either. But I'm a woman on the run. Cannot help it. Tomorrow I think I'll stock up on some Haldirams, including instant bhelpuri mix. And perhaps some tea bags for emergencies like when the hotel room ones get over and room service takes too long. Just in case.