Anyway I had gone to Palakkad (Pgt – Kerala). Vin chetan (my jij) is always to the rescue for my ticket booking n mind u he is always ready to help without any complains what-so-ever. (He has begun contemplating on starting a part-time travel agency :P) I got my onward ticket only on train that reaches Pgt at ard 3.45 in the morning :( (Trust me that way too early for someone who doesnt see daylight before 7AM). The last time when Paru n I went; we got the tickets for the train that reaches at 5 A.M. You should ask Paru about how paranoid I was all night that we will miss the station..so u can imagine my state, that too travelling alone for the every first time by train! Well getting up on time was least my problem just as yet.
A few weeks back there was an article in the Times of India (Mumbai edition) that the sheets used the trains are washed once in 6 months or so. I can vouch for that now for sure!! Generally, I don’t even touch those sheets; unfortunately one of the sheets was on the seat and within minutes I had rashes all over my back. Though I am chutki by height still I can’t sit up on a lower seat (thank god I am not that short!). Any chance of sleeping even for a few hours were down the drain…finally I was sitting up all nite n trying to figure out where the train has reached – a difficult task for 2 reasons:
1 have not the remotest of idea on the route and
2 there is no way to make out at 3 in the nite in an AC compartment!
Everyone in the compartment were sleeping peacefully..... even on the floor while I was sitting up like an “ullu” (basically means an owl but for all practical purposes u can substitute it with an “idiot”) trying to figure out where I am. Finally I called up my va (valliacchan == uncle) and that too at nick of time cause he said “Darling just getting down from the train. The train is just entering the platform!“
I reached home at 4.30 and head straight for the bathroom for a nice hot water bath and then for a nice sleep :) Vamma (valliamma == aunty) woke me up at 7.30 in the morn to go to the temple. Basically being an amblavasi (temple community) family and to add to it Navrathri time --- dude ur heading out to the temple most of the morning (I too like to go to the temple; obviously I complain - just for fun).
Going from a pot boiling climate of Chennai to the lovely soothing weather in Pgt is just “WOW…ILOVE IT HERE”. Vamma had a tough time just making me get up from the porch; I just wanted to stay there all day enjoying the weather. I reached on Saturday morn while Nisha chech was coming in the evening with the kids. Chech has a certain affinity to airport; off-late cause in most cases she spend a lot of time at the airport due to some delay. Her recent adventure trip was from Calicut to Chennai.. she was supposed to arrive at around 9 in the morning and finally landed at 9 in the evening at home. She did an all India yatra and came from Calicut via Coimbatore - Mumbai and finally reached Chennai. Basically you get the idea about her adventures. (let me stop here or else I will have to find a new apartment to stay!!). Anyway as usual her flight as late; but no complains for me - I had a lovely time with my ettan(elder brother) Tinku.
I didn’t get return tickets thanks to Paru’s rush to go out somewhere. Dudet u owe me half my flight ticket fare ! Sunday we had some pooja at home and lots of guests. Cooking is also fun when there a lot of people at home. When all the guests left all I could think of is the number vessels we used to make tea. We made black tea, two rounds of normal tea and some filter coffee and there were about 10 vessels…not to mention all the tea cups :)
Monday got busy with Amu (my sweet bhabhi). She had to taken to hospital for check-up (she is expecting and I am hoping it’s a girl). So I was in-charge of cooking. Well I have a bit of the awesome Pgt sister culinary skills so my Monday was mainly in the kitchen... Finally it was time to head back to the pot-boiler and before I realized it my long weekend is now history..but a history I really enjoyed!
