Last weekend was a long weekend for us with Monday being Diwali holiday and Tuesday, a state holiday. It was only by the Tuesday of that week that we realised we could make a trip somewhere rather than be at home. There started the long fights between the husband and me. While I wanted to go somewhere which required a long drive, the mister didn't want to travel much. The resorts/homestays too added to our confusion. What he liked I didn't like and neither did he find anything interesting in what I liked. It was Thursday night already and we still weren't able to come to a common consensus when suddenly we decided to pay a visit to B's uncle who is currently stationed in Belgaum. It did actually cover all our requirements - a getaway, long drive plus the added fun of visiting family.
Calls were made to confirm Ammavan and Amman's (Uncle and Aunty) availability and off we were on Saturday morning to Belgaum. As excited as I was about the long drive, the moment we were stuck in traffic just few minutes after we left home we had a cranky boy in the car. No, I am not talking about the little one, he fared well as compared to his dad! I offered to drive sparing the man the panic attack and he gladly gave it to me. And so, we started our 500 km drive. It wasn't much of a scenic drive but I enjoyed being behind the wheels. The little one slept through half the journey and since I had carried a couple of books, his magic slate and lots of snacks, he was pretty much happy all the time. We took two major breaks for breakfast and lunch and a few small 2 min breaks to stretch ourselves in between. We reached Belgaum by evening and was welcomed by Ammavan, Ammayi and Casper, their dog.
Ammavan's house is tucked away from city life in the Belgaum Cantt area and the entire surrounding is beautiful! The house is surrounded by trees and all that you can see is greenery and lovely old bungalows. The boy was super happy seeing Appuppan and Ammumma and eager to play with Casper though he kept a mindful distance too lest Casper jumped on him. We sat chatting and catching up amidst chai and snacks until it was time to go for the diwali party. It was a very small affair but nevertheless we enjoyed with a couple of party games and I managed to bag a prize as well!
We had a good night sleep that night and woke up with the little boy wanting to play with Casper. While Ammavan went for work, we took Casper for a walk, played catch with Casper and the little boy and Casper was just hovering around each other. Post lunch we decided to visit Hidkal Dam, which was an hour's drive from Belgaum. After a few wrong turns and confused enquiries, we finally reached the view point of the Hidkal Dam. It was a very picturesque view from there and after spending a few moments there, we decided to roam around. After a good walk, we reached a point from where we had quite a few breathtaking moments. Each side had a different view - a lake view, the sun sparkling on the lake view, hill view - and each one was as picture perfect as it could be. Really, I couldn't choose one above the other. After spending a few hours and taking oodles of photo we drove back home to spend a relatively quiet Diwali at home. We lit diyas all along the front porch and the boy lit a couple of sparklers, and thus came an end to that day.
The next day, like the day before, after taking Casper for a walk and playing with him, post lunch we decided to visit Kaneri Math near Kolhapur. We visited the museum there; it showcases the way of life in the villages of India in the past and the early rural life. Though it was interesting, the place require a lot of walking around and by the time we were done, all of us were really exhausted. Ammayi and I wanted to purchase the famous Kolhapuri chappal, but sadly by then it was late and we had to head back home. After a laid back last night in Belgaum, it was time to get back to Bangalore the next day.
And so, after breakfast, we started our journey back to Bangalore, taking back with us quite a lot of goodies, lots of photos and so many wonderful memories. We had a wonderful three day break. As much as I love small getaways with just the man and the boy, vacations like these gives the boy a lot of bonding time with family. There's always something about visiting family that gives you a lot of happiness and fun - funny childhood stories, your favourite food and so much love. These are special moments and I am glad that the boy gets to experience this joy and family bonding!
Now, as yet another week starts and all of us get back to our schedule, can I start dreaming about the next break already?
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