Lights, colour, firecrackers!

It was time to go home. Well not quite, but we had planned to visit our family in India and mates in Dubai over the month of November. We had specifically picked November as it would be Diwali, the festival of lights, and it had been 16 years since we spent Diwali with our extended family in India.

Chapter 1: Vegas of the Middle East

We had a 4 day stopover in what can easily be described as the Las Vegas of the Middle East – Dubai, UAE. The city had been home to me for over 7 years in the mid-90s but since the economic boom of 2000 with the arrival of the tourists, the city’s landscape had changed beyond recognition and continues to do so. They say that the landscape changes from sunset to sunrise so much so that even residents have to re-look up routes on maps they once knew.

I’ve visited Dubai almost once every year, but the only reason I do so is because all the Emirates flights I take (thanks for Dad’s top service at the airline) go via Dubai. I am not a big fan of the place, as in my opinion, everything there is just superficial from the ski slopes in the shopping malls (good heavens!) to the self loving people and the city is nothing more than a place for yuppies to mint some tax-free money. In fact I passed a massive hoarding that screamed out “Dubai is doing everything to minimise its carbon footprint on our beloved planet”. Ah, the irony.

Despite all the loathing, we still love to visit the city to catchup with whom I call ‘our transitional mates’ – Ganesh and Sahil. ‘Transitional mates’ because most of the times, Dubai is merely our port of transit to Europe or a far more exotic destination. We would have couch surfed were it not for having our mates here, but upon conducting a second review we also discovered that couch surfing here is used primarily as a site to solicit sex – gotta love Dubai.

Nevertheless a great time was had what with some mouth watering steak at the race course restaurant, a much needed massage at a 5-star with views of the Burj Khalifa during the massage, home made meals at Ganesh’s place by his 2 fabolous cooks, plenty of pampering from our second mom (Ganesh’s mom). All in all, it was a welcome luxury break 2 months into our backpacking adventures.

Chapter 2: The DON

Well Diwali was not the primary reason of our visit to the sub continent, it was due to the fact that my grandad – my guru, my inspiration, my role model was turning 80 this year and I wanted to bring it in with him in style. And bring it style we did with plenty of scotch, cigars and chat about everything under the sun. The old man has an unmatched sense of humour and can still keep those of my generation and younger in splits. He has a perfect match in my grandma who constantly keeps him in check, and having been raised by the two when I was in high school in Bombay, there cannot be 2 people who are more nearer and dearer to me.

My lovely grandmom is no good at keeping a secret, and yet another one bit the dust when she screamed out loud asking why there was an extra large cake in the fridge. We had a great time singing and making merry with the old man and our visit to the Gopalkrishan’s household always brings back good memories.

Chapter 3: Meet the other Pais

It takes longer to get to the airport in Bangalore than it takes to get to your next destination and this was proven when we took a 1.5 hour ride to the airport to catch a 40 minute flight to Mangalore.

There we were received by Dee’s uncle and her cousin and given that this was my first visit to their place, I was treated like a king over the next 3 days. It’s families like these that made me wish I was still living in India with my family as they epitomised everything that was Indian – praying together, dining together, sitting post diner together in the lounge and enjoying a good laugh. The warmness and the simplicity they exuded found a special place in my heart and I’ve promised them a visit everytime I am in India.

Chapter 4: Diwali at home after 16 years

So after 16 long years, we finally got to celebrate the biggest Indian festival, Diwali, with our family in Chennai. We were welcomed straight from the airport to my cousin Prashanth’s 29th birthday BBQ. The assortment of food that ranged from tandoori paneer, chicken, potatoes to green peppers was a treat to our salivary glands. The party did end with our man face first into the earthy garden soil – a fitting end to one creeping towards middle age.

The next day was quite ironically the holiest day and purest day of the hindu calendar – no consumption of meat, alcohol and everyone had to wear their most colorful attire of the year. I had never been a fan of loud firecrackers as a child, still petrifies me to this day and 16 years on, the situation was no different. Putting aside all feelings of chauvinism, I let Deepa revel in the light and sound of the million firecrackers we had on hand.

Anyone who has lived in India and has celebrated Diwali will know that warm, fuzzy feeling it brings, how it brings you closer to your family and it left Dee and I wishing we could celebrate atleast festival a year in India.

Chapter 5: Oman revisited

As always no trip to India is complete without a trip to its neighbour Muscat, Oman – the city where Dee’s folks reside. So off we went to pay them a 5 day visit. This visit was different to the rest as I was armed with 3 of my mates – Sahil, Raju and Ganesh to help even out the obscene amount of attention I seem to get from mates and relatives of the Pai’s.

We paid a visit to a tiny little town called Ras-Al-Had where giant turtles come onto the shores of the beach to nest and then go back to the water next morning. We spent a night under the stars which made for some beautiful sights and all they say about the beauty of a clear night sky in the desert is all true!

Nothing beats spending all night staring into the stars and watching the sun rise over the water the next morning – it’s sights like these that continue to motivate us to travel more!