…because sometimes you resemble rudolf, the red nosed reindeer thanks to altitudes and sensitive skin. Sun burns are a bitch we tell you! And yes, sun block doesn’t really work.

So we decide that something must be done about it. Because lets face it, a bright red nose with white flakes isn’t our idea of paradise.

Given that we made plans and canceled them and find that we are home alone for half a day…we might as well dig out goop bought by the mother and sister during the wedding, anticipating ( hoping?) we’d use it some day.

After much hunting ( what do you expect?) we find good looking tubes hiding either tomatoes or oranges in them that promise traditional (ha!) ingredients. And the point being, once applied, should take care of all skin issues and turn us in to the diva that we basically are already…at least on the inside.

Since we’ve just gotten off the phone after an hour’s conversation with this man, and are feeling frivolous and adventurous, we decide that we might as well use 2-3 of those at the same time…who knows when the mood will strike again?

And hence, with much enthusiasm we do research online, and realize that cleansing- toning-moisturizing is a well thought out planned sequential process and not random as we imagined. I kid you not, check it out.

And so continuing with our adventure, we dig some more with renewed enthusiasm, and find scrubs and toner and a new moisturizer, that we’re sure the sister must have thought of ( I know my family or what!)

And then we proceed to indulge, one after another. We wash our face, we scrub ( for 15 minutes! I am impressed), we apply the tomato mask which for some reason is purple in colour.

Given that this by itself is the limit, we forget all about it and get busy with our life…basically reading blogs and eating chocolate. And all people who have any business with us decide today’s the day all scores will be settled.

Of course.

So the cable guy, and the kabadi waala and every other person discovers us in full masked glory until the maalish waali takes pity and finally points out “Didi, ye kya hai?”

“Kya kya hai”?

“Aapke mooh par?”

Oh.

Ok.

So we find that the gooey nice smelling cream has turned in to a cake and changed colour as well and we look white as a sheet ( don’t ask, beats me!)

Anyway, so we finish with the mask and proceed to tone and moisturize. Phew!

The process lasted all of two hours 20 minutes.

We’re suddenly feeling empathetic with our renewed respect for women and all that. How do you do it?

As expected from us, after so much hard work, we need to recuperate. The pedicure will have to wait for a few weeks I guess…

For years now, I’ve been on a “search for self” trip. Always plagued by existential questions, I have always pondered the meaning of life, the purpose of existance and what kind of a life is a life well lived.

And as you can guess, I have spent more than enough time and energy looking for it outside. Books, philosophy, meditation techniques, religions of the World…I have explored it all ( well, not all technically, but more than enough!).

And with my limited exploration, I have realized, it all boils down to one principle. They might say it differently, but they all say the same thing.

Whether its the famous book “The Secret”, or any other dazzling principle that teaches you the merits of “positive” thinking…ultimately its about faith.

Why do people believe in God? Beacuse its comforting. Because its a “belief” that someone bigger than you, someone stronger than you, will see you through tough times…so even when you can’t fight anymore, you let yourself go, placing yourself in hands that u “believe” are there to hold you when you fall. Because when nothing else works, faith still does.

And that’s what it ultimately is about. FAITH.

In what, it doesn’t matter. Could be God, with multiple names ( Allah/Jesus/Rama etc etc), could be music, could be meditation or some healer like Bruno Groning or philosphers like Osho. 

And I have realized, that its not important in what or who one has faith, its just having faith thats important. Because that makes you stronger, when you are a  positive person, you definitely attract the good towards you. I can vouch for that.

I will still dabble in religion ( purely academic) and philosophy and meditation because it interests me, but I am not going to go looking out for faith anymore. Because I know now, that I have it inside of me. And that faith does not need a “God” or a specific person or religion or philosophy to pin itself up to,  it exists, as it is and has, for a long long time. And that is what has kept me going all this while.

…An inherent faith in the goodness of being, faith that eventually it all balances out, unshakable belief that only good things will happen to me, everything unpleasant is just a speedbreaker, not the entire story. Faith that somehow I will receive what I need and that I have it in me to reach my full potential, in all spheres of my life.

So no more shackling oneself with one or the other school of thought, I have done that enough. Why restrict oneself to God or a person?

For any reason if things go wrong, its all too easy to blame one of them and lose faith, right?

The inherent faith I have is a gift and its good enough to see me through. The faith that is mine exists inside of me, and will go only when I do…Till then, I will write my own philosophy. I will be my own philosopher.

And we’re back to our usual life in Delhi. Still trying to come to terms with the fact that till today morning, we were in a surreal place that even a word like “heaven” doesn’t do justice to. Already plotting our next trip back.

In fact, all seven of us travelling together, quickly ran out of adjectives to describe where we were and what we were seeing. Words like “beautiful”. “breathtaking” etc seemed so inadequate and pointless.

I came back and saw all the comments urging me to describe the trip and put up pictures, and that was the initial plan in my head. A vacation, some stories, some pictures.

But really, don’t believe any of it. Its not good enough. No picture that you would have ever seen can paint the real picture you’ll see with the naked eye…All I can say is, its a place like no other. I am overwhelmed and humbled.

Its breathtaking and beautiful, yes.

Its unforgiving. Its welcoming.

You can’t stop smiling. You feel like cying.

Its ruthless and alien, and yet, it feels like home.

You feel like a king and you feel like a slave…all at the same time.

In a span of 10 minutes, you can find rain, snow, sunshine. And colours. You don’t know what the next few minutes will bring. The drive up to a place will be dramatically opposite to the drive back. If that isn’t beauty, I don’t know what is.

The arid land has such colours that they overwhelm you. There were particular shades on offer that I didn’t know what colour to call them…still can’t.

The people are beautiful and warm. So much so, that hotel staff, where you think you’re paying for a “service”, embarrass you by being so so nice, much more than what you can expect even from family/ relatives hosting you…

I haven’t seen the world, but whatever little I have, I guarantee this is better. I wish we all could give more credit to the beauty of our country rather than saving up for a vacation to Italy or France. Really. And don’t even get me started on “cities” like bangkok that seems to be the current craze…

Bike it up, drive or just take the flight. It doesn’t matter. But get there. Its surreal. Its nice. Its so perfect, the landscape, that your heart aches. I still believe it was a dream and such perfection cannot exist. Unless you’re dead and in heaven…

There’s a joke going on between the group, that when people describe their vacation stories, our only comeback can be “have you seen Ladakh?” And God, forbid, if the answer is “no”, we”ll stop right there and end the conversation with ” Go to Ladakh first, and then we’ll talk”…

I really don’t think I can even begin to describe the experience. May be you will get an idea if I tell you that the photography obsessed Boy, refused to take a particular shot that I asked him to, saying “No babe. Some things are just not worth the pictures. I ‘ll prefer to remember it in memory, rather than capture it on camera…”

I swear to you, if I believed in heaven, I could totally imagine myself with wings sitting pretty on one of those mountain tops amidst the clouds, not knowing any “want”.

To make sure that we don’t end on a sombre note, let me leave you with a dialogue that was my mantra throughout “Pahar ho to Ladakh jaise, warna na ho!”

Leave. Right now.

PS: Now I am even more on the “Ihatedelhiletsleaveimmidealtely” trip. I can’t help it!

guess where??????

To Ladakh! Finally!

Its one of the dream destinations for the Boy and me as individuals and we’ve been plotting and planning forever. Finally the plan is in place, and we’re all set to leave tomorrow for a full week!

So Yaaaaay!

The highlight is that isn’t just us, but 5 other friends so hopefully, its going to be one kickass vacation!

Of course I’ve already heard of a lot of horror stories resulting from jumping all over the place the moment you land, so we’re going to be good children and take it easy and all that…

But I am most excited. And I hope you’re jealous. Just a little bit?

Ok ok, see you on the other side! have fun!

I saw the look in your eyes, however brief it was. I know you saw us all watching, and hastily changed your expression. A little too late though.

I saw you try and joke about it, and you assured us of how happy you were. Strange, considering if you really were that happy, there would have been no need for reassurance, we would have seen it. On you face. In your eyes.

I saw you struggle to explain, why you had hoped otherwise. Carefully chosen answers, which tried to make you look noble. “Its a bad world, what good is it to have a daughter? She’ll only suffer…”

This is one issue where I could never think that whatever happens, happens for good. NO. People like you, don’t deserve this miracle. I really wish you’d give her away, rather than being dissapointed by her and dissapointing her in return all your life. I wish one of us, someone, anyone, had the right to decide that unwanted little girls didn’t “have to” stay with people like you. Instead, they could be given away to those who want them, who would love them, just as people, not as boys or girls and what they seem to represent in this world.

She’s a beautiful baby. How can you not see it? She’s healthy, she’s perfect. Is that not enough? She’s all that and more, but then…she’s not a boy. And I guess that makes all the difference.

The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says, “Its a girl.” - Shirly Chisholm