An ideal trip, for me, is a cup of coffee, nah! I’m more of
a tea person. So an ideal trip is a cup of tea, a plateful of cookies to munch
on, three to four friends sitting in a balcony looking over a mountain or a
beach or a desert (I really don’t care what the location is but a beautiful
landscape would definitely add to the moment) just chit-chatting their way
through memories, random talks, discussing like experts on topics about which
no one has a clue, or the best of all, bitching about people. And yes all this
should happen when all are dressed in night pyjamas, no high heels and formal
attire allowed. Well yes, I do in an ideal and rather an old-fashioned world
but isn’t that world better than the one in which we love today. I realized
this in the Goa trip I took with my friends. Goa is a beautiful place, btw. A
narrow road leading to Fort Chapora was lined on both sides with tall and
slender coconut trees, a good analogy would be models walking down the ramp,
only that the trees were so elegant that it would have taken an enormous effort
to take your eyes off it (I didn’t even think of trying). Behind the trees
there were paddy fields and small colourful houses lined at a distance. Beyond
that were mountains protecting all the landscape from the ruthless waves coming
from the sea. I could have spent the entire day only walking on those roads
talking, talking and talking. Am I sounding romantic? But well, the point is in
Goa I realized I’m too old for this world. I was not comfortable with the idea
of spending my nights boozing and dancing with total strangers but would have preferred
to sit in our villa balcony facing the Mandovi River with a magnificent view.
I’ve had only two trips in my life till now with friends, Sikkim and Goa – with
same group of friends, and I’ve loved the former more than the latter for the
simple reason that with the brilliant scenery of Sikkim, the frozen waterfalls,
snowcapped mountains, frozen roads and green Teesta waters was the bickering
by friends in a Sumo (yes most part of Sikkim trip was on roads) that made this
journey near perfect. Not getting good food for hours didn’t feel agonizing
because we had the world’s best Maggi near the Indo-Sino border. Of course how
could I forget one of the most wonderful songs collection by the driver of our
taxi. It is unfair to compare the two trips, but nothing could come close to
Sikkim for me for it was so close to my ideal trip. I wish I have many more in
the times to come.
