Travelogue – Son and family from USA

Yes, the much looked-forward-to visit of our elder son and family did come through. Their plan to do so a year ago had to be cancelled at the last minute. Better late than never - or, it’s never too late? Too bad, our younger son and family could not join, to turn it into a family reunion. Never mind. Their visit later will give us, parents, yet another opportunity to be on top of the world.

Akram, the trusted Innova Crysta owner with a host of SFVian customers under his wrap for airport pick-up or drop, drove them home, giving me a tinkle on reaching SLV. Left to herself, Aunty would have received them with Aarati, but it was way past midnight. 

Ashwin, now 6’2”, and Rohan keen to surpass Thatha’s (read: my) height, were overjoyed at setting their foot in this home for the first time. They had visited us earlier in Hebbal. Shankar and Sunita haven’t changed much since we returned from US early this year. Shankar was happy to be relieved from his 18-hour a day schedule more in the wake of merger and acquisition of his division by another giant firm. Sunita, no less, because she no longer had to catch up with the ‘product release’ event every Friday evening. And us parents, we are happier than ever.

Plans had been drawn well in advance for their entire stay, leaving very few ‘rest’ days. To be on the move is in itself a change, and that is what they have come here for, not to speak of the restaurants we had short-listed. 

For six persons Innova Cyrsta (7+1) is more than enough. But we decided to engage Babu’s 12-seater Tempo Traveller, (whom we engaged for Sakleshpur trip) for the simple reason that the two 6’2” (father and elder son) could stretch their legs and travel in comfort while others can shuffle seats as often as they want. 

The sky was overcast. What else do you expect on a monsoon morning? Fear engulfed our mind that the first leg of our travel – to Guruvayoor – will be rain-hit. But we were armed with six umbrellas – three our own, and three from neighbour Hari – that was sure to protect our head if not the rest of the body. Something is better than nothing. Luckily, taking up duty travel elsewhere those three days, the Rain God spared us. We stopped at Sri Krishna Inn in Krishnaraja Puram for breakfast, after debating whether to repeat this for the n’th time or try Murugan Idli nearby which a few spoke equally highly of.

Ragu, my friend in Brigade Palmsprings, had forced upon me earlier his spare mobile suggesting that it might come handy for Shankar or Sunita to carry with them so that they are not mobile-less for any contact. He had subscribed to You Tube ad-free limitless music. You name the song, and it will play. I tried some of the less known but haunting songs of the 1950s, and lo there they were. Thus it was free for all – Sunita wanting Carnatic music, Enthoru Mahanu bhava…; Shankar current Hindi songs of Arijit Singh. Ashwin and Rohan plugged in airpods to be in their own unhindered world. Aunty waited with baited breath for her turn to listen to Tamil movie songs replete with meaningful lyrics: “Ninaithathaellam nadandhu vittaal…. I took a back seat for my old Hindi songs . Tum na jaane kis Jahan mein khogaye…, Guzrahua zamana atta nahin dubara… or Tu pyar ka sagar hai…

Time for lunch. We just bumped into a hotel unsure of the quality. I asked a man who just stepped out: “How was the food?” “Good for the area we live,” and started off his bike. It was indeed more than what we had expected.

Alas, here we are already on the threshold of Palakkad, our scheduled halt for the day.

(Next: Palakkad stay, Visit to Guruvayoor, and back)