Goa with Raos

Me and gajju went on a trip to goa in January 2006 on his recommendation
I cannot plan a holiday on my own.Goa was never in my list, it is a place we visit casually and it is the place we have visited the most , so there was all kind of reluctancy and hesitations when Gajju suggested this place , and i later realised his reasons for doing so .
Somehow Gajju and I , the Twain , met and we decided to go to Goa.
In todays time , you are considered a good , responsible, loving family man,only if you take your family out 3 to 4 times in a year on vacation , whether you can afford it or not . I fall short of this consistently year after year . I wanted to be as good as Gajju and so was catching on the opportunity and had agreed to spend obscene amount of money on a Goa trip.
Bookings were done by Gajju with our constant reminders to keep the budget in mind .
My constant cribbing for budgetted holiday must have been difficult on Gajju but he had committed and was not in a position to fall short of his commitment .." as they say ' looking good makes you powerless' and Gajju LOOKED GOOD ".
Both me and Gajju tried persuading our friend Ashish to join us but he didnot. We without Ashish are incomplete but for Ashish to travel with us... he has to plan it, he doesn't believe in following on others plan.
The Raos reached the airport good 45 minutes after us and made us understand that they were the seasoned travellers and we were lesser than that .
But we were committed to have fun , as we were spending a lot of money , so we enjoyed those 45 minutes having fun with each other , inspite of all the anxiety of being ticketless at the airport and the fear of we missing the flight .
The Raos emerged and the size of their bags was another proof of us being lesser travellers , our bags were smaller and qualified to be carried as cabin baggage , we were carrying the bare essentials for a 3 day stay and they were carrying stuff with which they could settle down in Goa for good .
Looking at our bags ,anyone would have said we were travelling separately and were heading for different places , else how would one justify two families going to the same place , same number of days but so different baggages .Another proof of we being lesser travellers and under prepared for our vacation .I looked at Seema and thought , ' only if she had the wisdom that Beba had '.
I was sure the Raos are going to have more fun then us , they came late , they had bigger bags and were so casual in their behaviour . Travelling by plane and being at the airport was like going to bus stop and catching a BEST bus for them, yeh nahin toh doosri le lenge , unlike us , it was a major event in our lives , there was excitement , adventure and we were cherishing every moment of it .
Their entry was like, nothing short of , Page 3 personality and we were the ones who read them and see them on Page 3 and we were delighted being with them for the next 3 days and will get a glimpse of their lifestyle .
To prove my reach in Goa i had instructed my friend Girish to receive us at the airport and if possible to arrange a vehicle for us at the airport .
But my middle class values got another pleasant surprise , Gajju had arranged for a SUV and had people holding placards with our names on it .Girish and his indica went unnoticed. .
Seema and kids too hopped into the SUV . They were too attracted to good things Gajju was providing .So human .
There were certain things Gajju was very clear of :
First----- no travel by cheap airlines or train
Second---- no stay in ordinary hotels
Third------ holidays should not have any budget.
After 45 minutes drive from the airport we reached Calngute and started our search for CSM - Colonia Santa Maria . A boutique hotel with a beach.
All of us liked the place and were unanimous that we stay there.
Gajju , inspite of referring his numerous stay in this hotel , could not manage to get us a room .
At last, my friend Girish was of some value to us and he managed to get us a room in another hotel but in the same compound and of the same ambience . His being local came handy as the girl at the reservations could relate with him and considered us living in midst of white skinned foreigners.
The hotels in Goa are not comfortable with people who swim in their pools or beaches with their salwar kameez , denims and tees , kurtas or in their 3/4th pants and for most of us these are swimming costumes . We believe in over dressing whether its pool or wedding. Anyways , the kids were excited they were getting to play in the pool , beach and the sea. Women were happy to see shapely men for a change and their glee was so evident , despite their best attempt to hide it .I was overjoyed seeing my family happy .
Gajju had his past experience about the place and so was keen on staying there. Another thing that I noticed as we entered CSM was , Gajju hiding himself behind dark sunglasses so that his other reasons for staying there got camouflaged and could not be read by others.
WE all entered the allotted room with our luggage . The cottage had two rooms . a bedroom and a sitting room. I was delighted that we were saving money and were also to stay together.
My happiness shortlived , Gajju organized a better and bigger room and that too in CSM the next day at some distance so that we could not see them , hear them and disturb them .
Gajju’s perception of holidaying together was to meet occasionally , staying separately ,and eating separately . Live separately and Let Live separately .
He would have had his way but Bhai was a spoil sport in his scheme of things , Bhai wanted to have all the fun with Shruti and Pari ..
Our next three days were very memorable , kids were having loads of fun , women were relaxing ,Gajju had hired a masseur permanently . All of us meeting at the breakfast buffet as it was the cheapest option to eat to your hearts content .
Gajju spent most of his time on the beach wearing his dark sun glass and seeing the kids play in sand and water and giving us instructions in between to take care of the kids without getting up from the bed laid on the beach , else he would have missed out observing the scantily dressed women thru the lens of his sun glass . This observation was an occupational necessity for him , you never know when a creative person might have to recreate the previous experiences and observations. It was a forbidden fruit for me though.
We were having great fun in our respective ways . On the third day of our stay we decided to cut short our trip and return back against the wishes of Bhai ,Shruti and Pari.
Gajju made few frantic calls to his agent for air tickets , the cost at which he organized those tickets are only known to him and I have not asked him about it till date. My middle class values have taught me not to practice certain virtues if they cost you .
In the end it was a wonderful holiday for me as I remember every moment of it even after 2 years.
I have forgotten the money spent but the memories of this vacation all of us will cherish eternally .




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