Baby's Day Out

One of the most admired (and feared!) qualities in Germans is their precision.  They plan meticulously and are punctual to a fault.  I have lived, worked and interacted with Germans all my life.  So it is of no surprise that I have imbibed some of these qualities myself.  

Ask anyone who has planned anything with me.  I insist on prior planning and I hate last minute changes.  There have been plenty of instances where we have left for outings with grumpy faces just because I had to lecture everyone who came late!  Don't blame me; blame the Germans!!!

My brother-in-law and myself have been planning for almost 3 years to go to Nandi Hills, near Bangalore.  It never happened.  But we kept talking and saying that we have to go.  Yet, to my great surprise, we finally did go when he just came down with his car and said, "Let's go!"  Just like that...no prior planning, no fixed timings, no picnic bag...nothing.  And we went!  Who would have thought that even outings work out without planning in advance!  Certainly not me.  So, my sister with her 3 men (to be read as husband and 2 sons!) as well as me and my two women (wife and Jennifer!) set out to Nandi Hills.

It was Jennifer's first outing, if one ignores her series of trips in Kerala to visit relatives and her journey from Kerala to Bangalore!  So, this was her first fun trip.  Her cousins Timothy (age 3ish) and Nathaniel (age 2ish) kept her occupied by showing her and naming all the construction equipments that nowadays fill Bangalore roads!   It is literally impossible now in Bangalore to travel anywhere without encountering road blocks, Metro work, drainage work, road improvements, etc..etc...but one bears it all hoping it is all for the best.

The drive was nice...once we passed BIAL area, traffic reduced and it was hard to believe we were still close to Bangalore, since the area was quite deserted and green.  We saw plenty of grape plantations and bought some grapes from people who were standing every ten metres along the road selling them.  We drove up to the Hill, and enjoyed the view; what a welcome change from the city panorama that one sees every day.  And the air was fresh...it was nice.  The kids also saw their first snake (that wasn't in captivity) and it heightened the mood in the car that were doing something exciting for the kids!  At least for most.  Jenny had gotten tired from sitting in the car by then (naturally, since for a 6 month old, a car is like a cell without space to move around!).  

We finally reached the ticket counter (yes, they do sell tickets there!).  We wanted to pay for a ticket for the car but were told to wait.  Apparently, there were already more than 600 cars on the hill, and he was waiting for some of them to come back, before issuing new tickets!!! We thought he was exaggerating.  He wasn't.

The sight that greeted us once entered the arch of Nandi Hill was hundreds of cars parked along the road and traffic congestion every 10 metres when up-going traffic met down-coming traffic amidst non-moving traffic (i.e. cars parked!).  We finally found a spot to park and went walking.  It was really nice.  It had rained the day before and the air was fresh and cool.  It was almost 5 in the evening and the heat was disappearing.  The kids enjoyed the scenery, the women were happy clicking pictures, the dads were carrying kids and bags!  Jenny loved it.  She was on my shoulders most of the time and was laughing and giggling. What more does one want from a trip?

We had a snack at the KSTDC outlet there and were surprised how good the food was (though vegetarians would not have found much options).  What I did not appreciate was that this outlet lacked a separate family area and that people with kids had to eat next to people who were consuming liquor and smoking.  It did not feel very comfortable.  

Anyways, we had some good moments there.  We left close to 7.  The kids immediately fell asleep.  We bought some take-out and ate at home, all happy and content with the day's trip.  It feels like a blessing to have family or good friends nearby with whom one can do these things and go on trips with.  Especially when one lives as a stranger/outsider in a city like Bangalore, these friends/family provide the sense of belonging that one longs for.  And especially for the kids, such outings are even more important as they get chances to interact with one another in open areas and also to get exposed to some nature.  I really feel that I was blessed as a kid, growing up in on German Countryside, with nothing but nature surrounding the village.  City kids have no idea what they are missing.  But I intend to take care that my daughter will not miss out on much...some how...