Reunion in Goa

On the 12th year anniv of the IHM Kovalam batch, Goa beckoned us for a quick n fun weekend at the 'very Portuguese white n blue combo' resort - Dona Sylvia. This time I wont write much, instead will let these pictures give a flavour of our trip; which was easy, laid back and kinda fun (somehow Vinay was terribly grumpy post the trip), maybe it's the theory of evolution working on him...things that you enjoyed most starts to wear off while new experiences takes its place...
Cherio!

Ooty with Ma-Bapi

We, the utter nin-compooz invited Ma-Bapi over to Bangalore after nearly 1.5 years of our marriage. Prior to that we decided that we were too busy and caught up in our respective boardroom wars. Other than really trying hard to be polite to each other most of the time their trip hasn't been a challenge so far.

The drive through Bandipur, Mudhumalai forests and 36 hairpin curves was manageable and V made us reach Glyengarth Villa a little before lunch time; straight six & a half hours - NICE job V! The sky was a beautiful blue and sunny and set up for a great vacation...until the Rain God appeared from nowhere. It poured the latter part of the afternoon accompanied by high velocity winds - brrrrr it was like being in Beijing (bah snooty me), actually more like being in a Delhi January cold afternoon. The rooms were old world, wooden flooring and period furniture and the bathrooms had been renovated since our last trip (with Joy and Naveena - Apr 2004 or 05), But who needs to visit the bathroom in this cold weather, which by the way was pretty impressive with a shower cubicle and jacuzzi.

Next morning V booked himself at the golf course. Maa and I walked along the golf course and chatted to our hearts content. V looked good playing golf from afar - smarty pants!! Bapi seemed to enjoy the garden and took some weirdo pictures. All of us had to listen to V's golf banter all afternoon as we drove down to have lunch at another quaint resort called The Kings Cliff. This place was more touristy and had many Punju tourists talking and laughing loudly. Mithun-da's hotel The Monarch was right next door as was Bappa's hotel school - Merit Swiss. While having lunch Maa greedily tried to take a bite from Vinay's beef curry...one should have seen Bapi's tense face..I could hear a song playing in my ear "loosing my religion". After lunch we went for a drive towards Lovedale and passed some absolutely stunning tea plantations and a charming railway station. The road to Lovedale ended at the famous Lawrence School. With 8foot high walls around the school is seemed more like a fort for the creme-de-la-creme. On our way back to Ooty we had to maneuver through some very strong winds and lashing mountain rains - brrr it became colder and we poor little urban mortals wanted to return to our plains.

Next morning post breakfast we headed downhill towards Mudhumala, Bandipur forest-Mysore and back to Bangalore. Maa strategically threw up right next to some beautiful tea plantations. We did one stop for lunch at a coastal dhaba in Mysore and reached home sweet home by 6pm.

Sometime the home potty feels like a resort :)

My composter made babies...

Listen up......I bought my eco garbage bin back in Jan 2007 and it gave its first litter TODAY!!!

What I mean to say is that for the last 2 years I have been bravely insisting to everyone around (including hubby dearie) that someday....ahem...someday my composter will start to process the daily garbage that my cook, maid and I religiuosly post inside it and it will transform (magically) to a top quality compost for my garden (I mean my 4 potted plants). That day arrived today - one of my most proud moments when I happily declared to myself (no one around at home today :(...Vinay is in Hyderabad) that I am doing SOMETHING RELEVANT for the enviroment. YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Daily Dump I love you...