January in Bhimtal
We started our new year in Bhimtal. My sister and family were visiting. My li’l niece turned One on Dec 31, so we partied into the New Year. We also made a day trip to Mukteshwar.
January – A New Arrival in the Family
We got a little puppy for my son in January. After a lot of trials, we named him Cheeku. Cheeku’s arrival, a joyous occasion in many ways, also meant no more trips till May.
May – Bhimtal
In May, we felt confident enough to make a short trip to Bhimtal, leaving Cheeku in the care of my in-laws. After a few days, I left to be with Cheeku while my in-laws came to Bhimtal. The hot weather provided the perfect opportunities for dips in the lake and naps in the balcony.
June – Kerala
June was time for a trip to Kerala to meet my parents. For the first time in 14 years, my sister and I managed to sync our trips. In this trip, we also covered Thenmala, Varkala, and Kovalam. A friend and her niece also joined us for part of the trip.
October – Goa
Goa has always been a sort of dream destination, what with it being the setting for some popular Bollywood movies. Somehow, the trip till never materialized. Once we actually had to cancel our booked tickets due to a sudden project at work. But this year, we finally managed to go. However, once we reached there, it didn’t seem any different from the beaches in Kerala. I remember feeling that if I had been brought here with my eyes closed, there was no way I could tell whether it was Kerala or Goa judging by the location alone. That year, the government was a little late to give out licenses so we also missed seeing the famous Goan shacks along the beach. We visited the Majorda beach, Panjim, and Donna Paula beach.
December – Bhimtal
In December, it was back to Bhimtal for the Christmas and New Year break.
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