Ernakulam Episodes.

Alleppey Super Fast Express 22639 couldn't be any neater. Me and my mom-in-law picked up our dinner from Subway, Anna Nagar with medium spice sauces (you know you never want to use the train toilets) and had a hearty dinner in the train with a side of chit-chat followed by a trouble free sleep. When we reached Ernakulam, the B4 coach stopped exactly oppsite to a small gate which led us straight into the roads. To my amazement, in less than 5 mins we had checked into the hotel I had reserved the previous night. Walking my way to the hotel from the station? This was my first.

After a hot and slow shower and a not so quick breakfast, we got into an autorickshaw which took us near Lourdes Hospital in School Padi area. We were quickly received by the Catholic Missionary sister Maria who was the purpose of our visit. My MIL and Sister Maria were classmates in school and their friendship continues a good 35 years later too. She greeted us and welcomed us to her brother's home and we chatted over typical kerala snacks of chips and halwa. After a sumptuous lunch and a little rest, we left to see the kochi marine drive. Took a really long walk while I enjoyed the sunset amidst the gleaming waters. As I got busy with my note 3, MIL and sister spoke about a lot of things which I did not overhear :P Later we did a good amount of shopping for everyone, had dinner in a pretty isolated restaurant and headed to our hotel for a peaceful sleep unlike the one we had last night travelling on the tracks.

Today is the day of our return. It was packed with activities which included a part where we missed the return boat to the city. Haha, will tell you all about it. So we checked out from the hotel in the morning and left for a day of water treat to the Kochi marine drive. We got onto our boat - Unni Kuttan after the morning breakfast, the view was wonderful. We were in the kochi marine drive sailing towards Fort Kochi. We also saw the mouth of the Arabian Sea, the Willington Island and many other cool cruise liners like The World, CONARD and Queen Mary 2 lined up on the backwaters. The drive was pleasant and serene. I have always loved the waters.. be it the beach, back waters or even a lake. They bring out the peaceful side of me right on the surface.

Our first stop was at St. Francis Church where we visited the Vascodagama's tomb. 14 years after his demise, his son had taken his remains and now it is in a church in Germany. So this tomb was where his body once lay. Then we walked back to our boat and sailed another 10 mins before reaching Fort Kochi. This had 2 places of value. First was the Mattacherry palace. I am generally not a palace-visiting person or history-following person. So I didn't quite enjoy it. It had all the vessels and clothes and weaponry used in those days.


The next place was the Jewish synagogue. I had an immediate liking to the synagogue. I certainly enjoyed being there. I loved the peacefulness and calmness in the place. It brought to my remembrance so many Biblical situations that happened in a synagogue like this where the Lord Jesus had stood and preached. I was submerged in an ocean of imagination. The hanging lamps, glassware, candle sticks, the torah at the altar, the patterned mosaic, My memory of it is fresh like the morning light. I couldn't let myself leave from that place. The auto to it was soul - satisfying. It felt right, it felt holy, it felt magnificent all at the same time. Despite knowing we might be late to catch our boat back to the city, the joy in the synagogue propelled me to stay there.

We finally had to leave. So I quickly bought some booklets and postcards, took some pictures and we left. When we reached the dork, our boat was not waiting for us. Panic did not grip me. Sis Maria being a localite, suggested we take the kerela-govt. ferry. This ferry ride was all the more fun. I love watching the waters ripple and sway in a uniform motion. It's artistic and beautiful. We got home, crashed again for a wee - bit and left to the railway station. 

Meeting sister Maria was truly a blessing. She shared with us about the schools that they are running there in Ethiopia and the kind of challenges they face. Poverty and illiteracy has made the lives of those people harder. I pray and wish the light of God and the work that these wonderful catholic sisters are doing there changes things around for the people of that land. After all we are one nation,  under God. 

The other side to a story.

Just got back from kissing goodbye to my little nephew (3.5 y.o.) and niece (6 y.o.) at the Chennai International airport. They are adorable, let me tell you that much. Their mamma and dadda decided to move to Oman, Muscat for good. So these two babies are super excited going to a foreign land but on the same hand seeing their mamma cry as she kissed and hugged us, broke their tiny hearts. Children are the embodiment of guilelessness and to see their precious hearts pained and watch pristine tears roll was truly a difficult moment for me.  

Most tears proceed from hurt, others through guilt and few others from pity. But the tears from these two were from an emotion they could not even understand. Such is the heart of children. They did not know what they were missing or the understanding of being away from your extended family is hurtful until their mother introduced the other side of it when she let her cheeks get moist. I don't expect her to be cold or I don't suggest she should have contained her emotions, but the children were the happiest till the moment they witnessed another side to the jolly journey to a foreign land.

I wish the other side of some stories in life are hid to me as well. As much as I am curious to learn and inquisitive about new things, somethings in life are better if not known. To be informed is one thing and to be over informed is another. Living in this time of age, it's scary to not know enough and its disturbing if you know too much. Ignorance is indeed bliss and too much knowledge is certainly dangerous. However I am going to miss these doll faces <3

When Sending Off Goes Wrong!

Mistakenly had set the alarm for 23:45 in the place of 00:45. Got up an hour early, bullied myself to sleep and got up exactly at 00:45. Stepped out of the room to see if Pa was up and getting ready. It was spookily silent and dark. I stepped out, opened the fridge (I needed to stay awake, don't judge me) took a quick scan for any ice-cream, candy or soda, closed it in a hush and looked at my left where there is a door to the third bedroom.

Thought I'll peep a little and see if Ma is awake. Before I could see through the door, I thought to myself, what if she sees me first and gets scared that someone is looking at her in the dark? So I stepped back and quietly got into my room which is diagonal to this room, the lights still not turned on allowing the eeriness to expand.

Sat on my bed for a moment or two, then opened the room door and hit down the door stopper, switched on the corridor light adjacent to which is the room where Pa is sleeping. I was basically trying to be awake when Pa was leaving. Anyway, 5 -10 - 15 mins. passed, no sign of anyone getting up, or alarms ringing, lights going up, nothing. I began to think if Pa was indeed leaving tonight or am I plainly wrong? Why hasn't the cab driver called yet? May be he needs to Check-in at 4am uh? May be I gave my hubby wrong info on Pa's travel? Or wait, did Pa oversleep? What if he misses the flight? I was getting a little freaked out nonetheless the clock kept ticking without any concern and it was 1:00am and still I was the only one awake. 

Should I wake them up.., later to know there was still time for the flight? So let me check for his flight details I thought to myself. Now how do I do it without going into his room and checking through his files and draws? Mmm, easy and quick way, hack open Pa's Gmail account and I started looking through recent mails. No trace of job related conversations or travel plans whatsoever. Wait a second, is Pa lying to us and going somewhere else? :O Alright now it's high time, either I need to know whether Pa's leaving today or am I just sitting up foolishly and panicking about situations I am not even sure of.. just when I was concluding my thoughts, the old classic ring of the saving alarm rang! Phew! Welcome reality, I thought to myself.

Ma walked up to my room, her face twice the size and she looked uncomfortably at me and said 'you got up early huh?' I thought to myself yeah, way too early even before the beginning of the day! Meanwhile Pa's alarm rang, I got comfortable and straightened my thoughts. Walked up to the balcony, took some haphazard pics of the moon amidst barren branches for #instagram :P

Peeped down to see couple of cabs waiting. Good these guys are already here, I said to myself. Pa was in the shower. Ma was ironing Pa's pants mumbling under her breath he's gonna scold why is it hot while wearing it and I was walking up and down like I had to decide between Rahul and Modi. Anyway, Pa came out and asked me why did you get up ma..? I thought to myself, good koshtin!! ;) then dragged his bag out and started removing the cabin luggage labels of his previous travel still stuck on his bags. 

Ma made coffee, I had to have one by that time coz of all the needless, unproductive and exhaustive thinking I did in the past one hour. Finally Ma prayed (we always pray before stepping out of the house), we exchanged anbin muthangal ( holy kisses) and each of us took a travel bag. Me: suitcase; Pa: hand luggage Ma: carton box with the uniform, helmet and safety shoes. Scrambled through the hallway and off the lift we went down from the 3rd floor, not bothering to shut doors or turn off the light. Exited the lift to find Ramu (the night watchman) in rags. Tried to overlook him and went to open the wooden door which is the main door to the building leading us from the parking to the apartment. Ramu came forward with a sheepish grin to get the suitcase and other bags as we stepped into the parking area and on to the main gate to find our cab. Apparently the cabs I looked down from the balcony were not the ones we had called for. Secondly, the cab we called for was nowhere in the vicinity. As impulsive as Pa is, he jumped into a random cab and asked the driver to take him to the airport. Bewildered by the sudden savaari (ride), the driver who lay asleep got dressed up in a jiffy and began loading the luggage in the boot. Me startled at the turn of events took Pa's phone to find the driver details sent to us by Hola Cabs which we originally booked. Pa said its late and I got no time to look for the cab I booked, so I am good in this cab and he took off. 

We were like okay, as far as he reaches safely and we turned back into the building after waving him from the sidewalks, just to realise the wooden door was closed & locked, intercoms down and the Video doorbells not working! And the real tragedy is none of us had our phones. I begin to inappropriately smile and show my teeth when we are in a terrible fix/ordeal and I was just doing that but a little too much this time. The only person that can be contacted for help is Pa and he is already gone and how do we reach Pa, we hadn't figured that out yet. 

Three of us stood there looking at each other thinking to ourselves, damn it.. It was around 1:45am now, I took a small stroll surrounding the building making Rose Jackson noises, Help! Is someone there? Can you help us, (looking upward to the houses.) Knowing it's of no avail, me and Ma went to the police booth two blocks away to find help and alas the furious Hola cab fellow was waiting. Oopsie!! 

Moved passed him innocently and told the policeman the story of Pa's-airport-and-ladies-lockout, he was kind enough to give his phone so we can contact Pa. Ma took the phone to call Pa so he can call someone in the Apartment but Ma forgot Pa's number in the recklessness of the situation and I stood there with my eyes popping out and the uncomfortable teeth showing began. She panicked a bit trying to remove the cloud of hopelessness and thankfully remembered his number. She informed Pa to call Mehta sir, the secretary of the building to open the door for us. We thanked the policeman and got into the parking area with a sense of Yeah-we-figured-this-out and told Ramu, nothing to worry.. Mehta sir will open, let's wait here. He said Mehta sir is out of station from last week madam. Waow what a waow!!

My spirit sank into my deepest spot and my eyes started to look for a place to spoon in the basement, but trying to stay upbeat and controlling my lips from showing the teeth, I was thinking of alternatives. Thanks to Captain aka Pa, he called our neighbour Rupal who was at her mother's place for the weekend. Seeing a call at 2am, she was petrified not knowing if her husband was alright. Pa explained and she called her husband who was in the building, His heart failed seeing a call from his wife at such an hour in the night from 600 kms away and frantically answered hoping to hear nothing was wrong with her or the kids. She explained and he came down and rescued us.

After disturbing half a dozen people's sleep and giving each of them mini-heart attacks, we went into our house, turned off the lights, shut the door behind us and latched it while I opened my laptop to record the insanity of that night.

The End.

May 12, 3:05