The first trip...
The initial months after Aadyaa was born were a blur as she kept us awake through most nights. Before she was born, we had always managed to fit in mini-vacations as and when we could. So as we approached her six-month milestone, we badly needed a change of scene! We also felt ready to venture out of the comfort zone and break out of the routine.
Soon, we planned our very first trip as a family of three to a bustling hill station, Mahabaleshwar, not too far away from home! There were several moments and firsts that made this trip special! Another reason we’ll always remember this one was epic first-time-parents mistakes we made, which we still laugh about!
It was Christmas time and Mahabaleshwar was wintry as could be, with cold, crisp air! We had picked a hotel that was highly recommended by friends due to the walking distance to the famous market. The hotel was also known for delicious food, so it almost ticked all the boxes! Well...almost and I’ll come to that soon! Anyway, it was good drive with Aadyaa sleeping comfortably in her infant seat.
As we settled into the hotel room and unpacked, we realized that in packing all of Aadyaa’s stuff…we had forgotten most of ours...of which clothes to keep us warm topped the list! While she had six sweaters for three days, budgeting for what if the journey makes her queasy, what if she spills her food, what if she tossed the bottle…and so on (you get the drift, right!)…we totally forgot to pack any warm clothes for us! We laughed and grinned put on clothes that weren’t meant to be layered in layers, and looked like fools as we started walking towards the market 😊 Aadyaa was oblivious, happy, and super cozy in the baby carrier.
We soon forgot about the awkward layers we had forced ourselves into, as we focused on showing Aadyaa every little thing on the way...a small puppy engrossed in chasing its own tail, fallen leaves and flowers, branches swaying to the breeze, colorful ware in the shops, luscious berries in huge heaps, and almost everything that caught our attention. I still remember the wonder in her eyes, taking in all the colors and the movement amidst the chatter in the market and our non-stop commentary. Those little eyes were widening in wonder every often and there was an occasional celebratory giggle too! Loved every moment!
We got back after a long walk, hungry and tired. Aadyaa dozed off on the way back. It was no fun talking to each other in that crazy hush tone that all parents seem to switch to when the kids sleep...forgetting that we were walking back from a busy market and there were so many other sounds that could have woken her up! It was a quiet and looonng walk back to the hotel. That’s when we realized the one box that this hotel did not tick...room service! Not wanting to risk waking her up, we took turns in dragging ourselves to the dining area for the meal. This has been a lesson I’ve never forgotten, and the one thing that I’ve always checked hotel bookings for since this day has undoubtedly been the availability of room service!
We spent another day repeating this routine before we headed back home. There wasn’t much else to do anyway, the only difference was the yummy strawberry with cream that we did have at Bagicha on the second day! Yumm!
Regardless of our goof ups, we have some of Aadyaa’s most gorgeous photos and memories from this trip—our first trip with her! :)
That’s all for now! More fun on the next one…