The Good Life, The Simple Life...hmmm

Penning my experience and the emotions of the contrasts in life that we live with in todays world.

At a five star hotel, I loved the attention to detail, the smiles, the ultra courteous staff.

The location and the venue was mesmerizing. Self contained it had just about everything that one could ask for,  Including two different types of commodes within the same bathroom!!

Backwaters, a spa, a lounge bar, a gym and so much much more.. that staying overnight seemed so insufficient and almost like I was doing injustice to the facilities that were available there!

The food, Ahem, so rich and so much in variety that I was unable to taste all the dishes on the buffet!!

A couple of weeks later 

Christmas vacations meant fun and cheer. We drove down to a lovely place called pugmarkswayanad that offered a rare kind of accommodation and some homely food.

The semi resort-home stay seemed ideal for the eight urchins that we were!;p . P.S  It was difficult to see the difference between the "baccha party" and us " the adults".

The resort was abundant in nature, located amidst the coffee and pepper plantation, it was indeed heaven. The intense heat during the day, the extreme cold in the night was unregulated by any modern equipment. 

The fog in the morning, driving through the woods at night, hoping to catch sight of an animal....Watching the lazy and slow gait of the elephants as we waited for them to cross the road in their unhurried candor.

Enjoying the gush of the waterfall, without a care and feeling the fury of the ice cold water massage your back - simply astounding.

Incredible, the experience of being one with nature.

Ravenous after the trek up and down to the waterfall and eating a simple plate meal, with just the basics  - rice, roti, sambar and papad, felt so wholesome. Served piping hot, with a warm host ensuring you did INDEED overeat, gladdened the soul. No buffet spread however scrumptious has felt this good!

Climbing up the shaky ladder to a watch tower, brought back some fears to me, and watching my 4 year old niece clamber up without a care, did embarrass me.

Scaling down another sturdy watchtower, we saw us cautioning the children and asking them not to look down and climb down backwards, only to see them climb down forwards and in full speed, looking below. ( in hindsight - I think over cautioning)

So who really creates these fears in the minds of the children?

The swings, the zip line added to the fun and it appeared that the children were at home, being one with nature and doing stuff that don't really get to do in the urban locations.

No one felt the absence of the idiot box, it was time to play hide and seek, watch the bugs, play cards , Frisbee, eat meals together and so much more. 

For the adults it was all about laughing and enjoying the holiday unadulterated by technology in so many ways, including the best one - waking up to the chirping of the birds and not the multiple alarms by the bed.

And so I start my 2016 with an intent to 

Treat myself and my family to several more of such simple pleasures of life. Things that no luxury can ever replace.

I almost missed saying this " The good life, has me bragging about having stayed at the pricey place and its reputation" while the simple life is about the ethereal experiences that are imbued in memory forever.