Sibling trip: Gokarna

It was being planned for many weeks and months – a road trip to check our limits and our car’s limits – driving somewhere out of Goa. With the family or just us the siblings. There were suggestions to drive to Pune in Maharashtra, Vailankani in Tamil Nadu, Kannur in Kerala.
But, they all seemed too far or too expensive. 😥

My long leave of five days was coming up (I took two days leave (28th – 29th September) right before a weekend, and then the 2nd October holiday), and I was on a hunt for somewhere to go or do something like a trek. ❤

My brother – Carsan, as usual was on a hunt to plan a road trip. He had been suggesting Gokarna for some weeks, and he started pointing out that we could go there and be back home in a day. Which was quite tempting – not much expenditure, and it didn’t require a lot of planning. Google Maps mentioned it would be a two and a half hours drive to.

Soooo, as we were at the same level of stressed out that morning, the first day of my long leave – we woke up early that morning, went to our local beach for a walk totally undecided, and came back home mentally prepared for the trip – and we left for the road trip. 😀

With me shouting ‘road trippp !!‘ happily every hour for the first few hours, we left from our home in Benaulim, Goa – at 10:45am, after a few arguments with the parents regarding the “purpose” of such a totally unnecessary trip. Carsan drove us both till the Goa-Karnataka border, and then I took over the driving, with continuous advises to slow/calm down. 🙄

We reached Gokarna in 4 hours after being amazed by the beautiful views on the way, the incessant downpour of the monsoon rains, and the most calm traffic on a highway. It took a lot more time than Google predicted but it too couldn’t have taken into consideration all our stops to watch a breathtaking view, or register for a Fastag.

Gokarna beach

After reaching Gokarna at around 2:30PM, we had our lunch (which was basically some pattices we picked up in Goa), and then went onto the beach, clicked some photos. We then bought some items to get home – like flavoured teas.

We started our journey back at around 3PM, Carsan driving the first leg of the trip, and I took over when we stopped at Galgibaga beach in Goa. The trip back was a lot faster which seems to be a norm with any trip long or short.

Galgibaga beach

All in all, it will always be one memorable trip – and like we discussed during one of our multiple discussions during the trip – going out on trips with siblings has got to be the most stress-free of them all, as there are no expectations whatsoever. And even if there is a misunderstanding or a fight, you can just flip them a finger and move onto the next topic, which could also end with a flipped finger!

The drivers

Sad love

Driving away feels so wrong.
Knowing the next time I would see you is not decided.
It could be days or weeks, and not just hours or minutes.
Feeling totally unsatisfied with the memories made in the last few hours.
Wanting to continue talking, silently brooding and laughing together.
Making more memories and gaining more feelings.
Sad how a few days or weeks away feel too long now.
Saddest is that I am not sure you feel the same.

Ramblings (27/07/23)

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Random quote: 29/01/23

Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.

Random Google searches reward you with the most random pieces of knowledge. Like that’s apparently a quote by Princess Diana.

And I loved it! ♥️ especially the ‘might’ in it, because expecting a reward for every kind deed you do will only bring you down.

Music List (09/01/23)

I have gone through a lot of different likes and dislikes in music 🙂
But, I’m going to be noting down some from my Likes playlist in no particular order:

1. This Love by Taylor Swift
   
   This love is good
   This love is bad
   This love is alive back from the dead, oh, oh, oh
   These hands had to let it go free, and
   This love came back to me, oh, oh, oh
   Ohh
   Oh, oh, oh
   
   Her voice, and the words – perfecto!
   
2. toxic energy by blackbear & The Used
   
   From the moment that I met you
   You had powers over me
   Shoulda known, I shoulda known
   You were toxic energy
   
   Ok, I listened to this song while typing this out, and I love the whole of this song, every line! I HAD to listen to it again. It was one of the songs on my brother’s playlist that I got hooked on, and the words, beats and tune are just catchy.
   
3. Piece of your Heart by Meduza
   
   Show me a piece of your heart, a piece of your love
   …..
   Da, da, da, uh, uh
   Da, da, da, uh, uh
   Da, da, da, uh, uh
   Down, down, down
   
   Ok, I agree this one doesn’t have the most amazing lyrics, but I love the tune, and the da da-ing 🙂

And the honourable mentions go to:

1. Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu by Malika Ayane – her voice, and the emotion! ❤
2. Limbo by Daddy Yankee – as usual it reminded me of our crazy love for this song during our Zumba classes ages ago! Just jumping and hopping around without a care in the world. Prompted me to check out YouTube dance videos to try to remember the steps, and message a friend (Niee) if she remembered the steps 🙂
3. You took my heart away by MLTR – heard this after so many years, and it’s perfect ❤

My all time favourite:
Bangarang by Skrillex ft. Sirah – Those who have known me for a long time know this is my ringtone, and it has been a favourite of mine for the longest time. To be honest, I don’t know the lyrics (the few which keep repeating), but I love it. 🙂

Bye 2022!

When 2022 started over a year ago 😜 I had made a rough list of what I wanted to aim for in the year. Basically, late night sleep-ridden hurried resolutions. They were the following:

[X] Change job
[ ] Loose some weight
[ ] Get certification
[X] Visit a new place
[X] Savings?
[ ] Buy an investment

I gave most of these my best, but I succeeded in the first one – Changing job. I did take some steps to work on my other resolutions, but they didn’t completely pan out, and some like Savings are long term resolutions aren’t they.

Nothing on the ‘Buy an investment’, but there’s always this year right. 😊 or I could just be forgiving to myself and soften the resolutions like below?

[X] Change job
[ ] Loose some weight Start exercising
[ ] Get certification Learn all required concepts
[X] Visit a new place
[X] Savings?
[ ] Buy an investment Start saving for an investment

I still need to type out this year’s resolutions, and I’m hoping this year too is kind to me like the last one. ♥️

Ramblings: 15/12/22

I haven’t been posting for so long now, that it feels weird to just blurt out my feelings on here, for anyone and everyone (mainly those people who know this blog exists) to read.

I have to be honest – a lot has changed since the last time I added a post here. Nope, I am still not married, and have not ‘found’ a guy. That’s the very first question I get bombarded with, on every call I have, be it a friend or family member. 😀

I got a lot more responsibilities at work (which I welcomed with open arms), interacted with a lot of amazing colleagues and clients, changed my company, moved to a new city – Pune, India, and am trying to learn to live on my own.

Not many regrets so far, only that I didn’t make these changes earlier. But, when the time’s right, it’s right, right? 😬

My thoughts: Book: Normal People

Synopsis:
Marianne and Connel are schoolmates, who don’t interact with each other at school, but meet up regularly; when he comes to pick his mother from Marianne’s home. They are from two different social classes, with Connel’s mother working at Marianne’s place as a cleaner.
After their meetings during their school days, they get close but soon break off their ‘relationship’.
This continues on/off through college, and the start of their work life.

My thoughts:

This book personally made me sad – frustrated and sad.
It is a really good book, and the author has done a really good job. I was hooked to every word in the book even when I wanted to just stop, and pick something light and funny to watch instead. I finished reading it in one sitting.
If I was so stressed reading it, how stressed could she have been writing it.
Overall, this is a really good book (like I said earlier). It makes you ponder on so many things – mental health, childhood trauma, abuse, self esteem issues and how all those things affect our friendships and relationships. How therapy helps, as well as having supportive people around you.

Things that I learnt from the book (which are not really the best thing for a pessimist (about relationships) like me):

1. Love is not always easy (Marianne and Connel tip-toeing around each other, even though it’s so very clear they love each other a lot)
2. Assumptions are BAD, talk it out or be clear with what you want (Connel wanting to stay with Marianne at her flat)
3. Trying to clear your issues, may always not work out (Connel and Marianne talking about their issues at his place)
4. Talk to your friends, especially the ones you are close to, get to really know them and their life (Connel not really knowing, what Marianne was going thru, half the time they knew each other)
5. Having that one friend who involves you in their life, who wants to know about your life and sticks with you even though they do not understand you, your choices and the people you choose to surround yourself with – gives you a grounded feeling, like you have a lifeline in the dark (think Joanna)
6. Realizing which of your friends have a good effect (Joanna, Connel) and who have a bad effect on you, helps. (Peggy, James)

… and I really hated the ending. Not hated exactly, just was saddened by it. But, I know – not all things end well.

Ramblings: (11/04/2021)

Some of the best days in my life, have been those, when almost every minute in my day are consumed in some task.
There is no single moment spared for doubt, speculation, thought, or worry.
Just task, after task, after task.
Coz when I have that single moment…
That single moment spared for doubt, speculation, thought, or worry.
Phew! I know for sure my day is done for.

Ramblings: 25/10/20

You know those moments, when you are expecting the worst, or not even expecting anything at all at that moment, but get a nice tight slap with a packet full of happy !

That sudden rise in happiness (sudden dopamine high?) where you just sit there stupidly staring like, ehh… whhaa…. how? with a smile gradually growing… 🙂 😀

Baking a perfect cake, even after deviating from the recipe, and expecting a very dense cake!

Getting promoted, on the days when feeling left out in the team!

Scoring a lot higher than the cut off in some practise tests, when expectation was to fail! *

Getting a text from a friend, when I was not even sure she would remember me!

So, have I drastically reduced my expectations??
Guess my expectations have taken a blow from all the bad days.
But, the good days help in keeping my head up and mind strong. 🙂

* I just sat there refreshing my screen (at least 4 times), like Come on! don’t show me an 89% !! I’m expecting a 60% ! 72% is the cut off…