Yes, I was on vacation for 5 days. That takes so much of preparation. Inform clients way ahead of time. As I am a freelancer, I try to ensure that all work is delivered before deadline. And then send mails to everyone that I will be away. Despite that I found clients shooting me emails while I was on vacation. That I kept my smartphone offline made sure that I did not see those mails. Since it was a road trip, the packing was a meticulous affair.
As usual I pack for the kids and myself. I do pack some extra clothes as you can never say with children. And boy, am I glad that I did that! They needed them with all the time they spent in the water. I remember that it was a standing joke in college that Rachna always packs for 7 days on a 2-day trip. 🙂 I miss those trips and those friends with whom life was such a fun ride. Now all of us have families and are caught in our routines. Sometimes these routines are so merciless that we forget to stay in touch even with the closest ones. And then one day you find out that they are suffering from a terrible illness. It cuts through you. You feel guilty for not following up often enough. And now what can you do? Zilch! Just pray and hope that they get better soon.
You are in my prayers every single day and your family too.
Illness reminds me that this trip was almost called off. My son had just finished his exams and promptly got high fever with upset stomach. This was a day before the trip. I was busy nursing him and finishing my last-minute work almost losing my mind. By evening, G and I were almost certain that we won’t go. I even went and did some grocery shopping. The son was just a wee bit better and had been resting the entire day. I had gone ahead and bought every conceivable medicine that I take before I travel. Vomiting, headache, fever, loose motions, stomach ache pills and what have you!
A phone call to our hosts in the homestay we were going to immensely calmed me. The gentle person at the other end was almost soothing when he said that a doctor was closeby and that food would not be a problem as his wife would make sure that the sick child would get what he needs. Somehow the reassuring and warm manner in which he spoke to me put me at ease immediately. I later came to know that he was in a bus traveling back home. They provided hot water all through our stay and hot milk for the kids. Really, the power of good reaches out to you in immense ways. Comforted, we took a call late night to give the trip a try. Fingers crossed, we packed in frenzy.
The son was doing better by the morning. Though he took two more days of rest to get completely fine. Armed with medicines and loads of snacks (homemade bars, roasted gram etc.) we loaded up the car and started out from Bangalore at 6.45 am. It being Saturday, I remembered to stop at the Hanuman temple which we visit every Saturday to offer our prayers for the ones who were sick to get better soon.
Some trips can be exasperating to begin with, can leave you an emotional wreck when they begin and then can leave you feeling completely relaxed by the end of it. This was one such trip.
The travelogue and our adventures follow…
Road trips are exhausting but a lot of fun.
It’s terrible to hear about your loved ones suffering. The feeling of guilt doesn’t make it any better.
Yes, they are exhausting. Luckily the roads in India have gotten better. It is terrible to know of a close person suffering and not being able to help in anyway. I guess I have put the guilt behind but I do hope that the prayers work.
Glad to know that you had a relaxing vacation, Rachna! I can imagine how miserable you all must have been when your son fell sick. Glad everything fell in place in time, with helpful hosts, and you had a memorable time.
Deeps, it was quite terrible. I was on tenterhooks for 2 days. Thanks to some lovely people along the way, the trip was actually quite good.
An upset tummy is what no one wants while traveling. Glad things worked out. Hope he is fine now.
Yes, he is good now, Alka. Luckily his tummy had stabilized before we started on the journey.
Good that your son felt better enough to withstand the travel. And it was nice that you were staying at a place which made things comfortable enough for him and for you all. Look forward to hearing about your fun adventures from the trip!
True, Beloo. Soon, I will talk about the actual trip.
Hope your friend is on way to recovery…Glad the trip went well….tell us all about it 🙂
Soon :).
I know what you mean! We just did a roadtrip and though driving isn’t that tiring here – the journey back was exhausting with traffic jams!
I’m glad you got to go on your trip and disconnect and enjoy and relax 🙂
Waiting for the travelogue 🙂
The roads were quite good, Pix but so many of them being mountain roads slowed us down. Yes, we did encounter a few traffic snarls from Mysore to Bangalore but nothing too bad. The kids were getting antsy though. 🙂
I loved the trip. The natural beauty of Kerala is always spellbinding but the people completely won my heart.
If more of us conduct ourselves the way your hosts did when you spoke to them about your son’s indisposition, many major crises will become minor situations.
I absolutely agree, Pro. There is a huge lesson there for all of us.
I am glad it all worked out fine in the end Rachna ! Getting sick before a trip is worst dampner ! Waiting to hear all about it 🙂
It truly is. We were worried but luckily he got better. Oh, I remembered you a lot during this trip as we were tracing the same places that you had been to. Soon, very soon as soon as I can sort the pics etc. 🙂
Before the trip especially long ones always makes me worried, that I should be alright and don’t fall sick, and once that is over, I keep thanking the almighty for keeping us hale and hearty, every day of our trip, for nobody wants to fall sick in some foreign land.
I always pack a little less only, but this time I felt I could reduce some more, for I felt we don’t use all the things which we think we might use. Though my suitcase was not even half full this time , i felt I can confidently reduce some more or even take a smaller suitcase . i don’t know why we have this mental block that we must carry 1 big suitcase and one small suitcase just because we are entitled to that.
It is always fun to travel light and enjoy the trip.
HiRama, Long time. I agree that travelling light is nice. But one does need to prepare adequately. Besides we were taking our own car so we kept the space available in mind.
Hope your son is better rachna. Wishing your friend a speedy recovery as well.
Thank you, Agnes! Good to see you. Long time. Hope all is well.
Traveling with kids is not easy and requires special preparation…and the challenges compound if you have fussy eaters or kids with low immunity. But I like the best part in the post is stopping by at the Hanuman temple… 🙂
It is a challenge when someone is sick, for sure. I have started this every Saturday. It gives me peace of mind.
Glad that Sid got better quickly enough and you folks had a good time eventually. The pictures you shared the other day corroborated that!
Looking forward to the details in the next post.
Yes, though we had some anxious moments, it was sheer relief when Sid got better.
I hope both your boys are doing well, now. Looks like you really needed that break. 🙂 Looking forward to the travelogue. 🙂
Boys are doing good, Dee. I did love the break.
Am sure those worries ust have been behind you and you enjoyed the trip! Look forward to reading more:)
Thanks, Rahul!
Hey Rachna,
Such a positive post and heart warming to see such kindness. This is the power of human beings connecting with each other and hope the sons doing well.
Hope u had a lovely trip.
Thanks, Vishal. Yep all is good.
Good to see the trip finally turned out well.
Thanks, TF!
As far as the ill loved one goes, we seem to have had the same experience at about the same time, Rachna, so I can quite understand the guilt that eats at one in such circumstances.
Good that despite all the hiccups the trip was great and wonderful to know that, thanks to the hiccups, you had the opportunity of knowing how good some people can be.
Yes, Suresh, we did speak about the friend bit. It is quite terrible that we slip up again and again no matter how strong the resolve to stay connected. You are absolutely right about the trip. Indeed, the hosts at both the places were wonderful.
we had a very stressful trip, bookmytrip.com messed our bookings and we didn’t have a place to stay. we had tickets and since we didn’t want to cancel we went ahead. we had a great time too. thanks to the Kerala tourism resort guys going out of the way to help us, Had a very relaxing trip in kumarakom
We got the trip done through India Untraveled and they were very helpful. Glad that you had a good time in Kumarakom.
I liked the sincerity of this post, Rachna! I just finished reading a book and I’ll quote from there: ‘Journeys are gifts we give ourselves. Even if you are very lucky and have someone else footing the bill for your journey, you are still giving yourself a gift just by going’. I have had to cancel travel only 3 times in my life – when I broke my foot 5 days before the flight, once because of fever and high temperature, and once because of a severe hangover. And honestly, if they weren’t solo travels I would have done them despite the health inconvenience …Travel can be so therapeutic, especially if you start on a low note, seek a new perspective on life 🙂
Interesting quote, Iliana. So true as well. I think each travel does teach us a lot. Traveling with kids has its own challenges but with both of them being relatively grown up, the travel trips are becoming more pleasurable than taxing. 🙂
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Very true. Road-trips need planning. Better to be prepared. Illness is not in our hand…
Hope things are all right now at your front…
Just back from a road trip. 🙂
Hope you enjoyed your trip, Anita. 🙂 All is well.
sometimes the good in people shows only in the most trying of times…. glad you could make the trip and I can imagine how the feeling of your close ones being ill can eat within you.. my prayers are with them too Rachna…
Thanks a lot, Seeta. Yes, sometimes even the worst circumstances show us something wonderful.
Hope he’s doing better now Rachna….It was great that the homestay owners were so caring…It’s so hard to find such people nowadays no?
Agree, Naba. Oh yes, he is fine now.