Summer was here.  The days were already hot and humid; It would be sweltering in Goa.  But we decided to pack our bags and head there, anyway.

Most people who know us cannot imagine why we go to Goa every year… sometimes more than once a year!  But we do.  And, we keep going back, each year.  We’re not into water sports.  We don’t spend all day at the beach.  And, we’ve seen all the monuments worth visiting.  Yet, we keep going back, each year!

This time, it was a particularly special set of circumstances: Our holiday in March had to be cancelled on account of my surgery. We had not even gone on a vacation last October, and had decided to stay at home during Diwali.  So, a vacation was way overdue, especially considering the next time Pumpkin’s playschool would shut would only be six months from now.  Plus, this would probably be the last vacation in a long, long time with just the three of us!  By November, if all goes well, there would be an addition to the family – a brother or sister to keep Pumpkin company.

As much as I try to make time for the family, most of my time on any given week day, is spent at work or commuting to and from work.  That’s why, holidays like this – even if they’re just a weekend getaway – offer a much-needed opportunity to spend quality time with the wife and the little one.  Considering the circumstances, this particular trip was going to be even more special.  And, special it was…

Six days of non-stop action with a three-and-something-year-old spirited child can add up to quite a bit of excitement!  Then, there was the pool, the beach, the scooter we’d hired, the daily trips to CCD for a big fat chocolate pastry and the endless supply of prawn curry rice and chicken xacuti.  Sure, there were a few occassions when a child’s obstinate behaviour can nearly make you tear your hair out.  But, the best part was the time we got to spend as a threesome.

On the whole, it was a wonderful experience to spend every waking moment with Pumpkin and bond with her as a father.  Not to mention, the chance to spend time with the wife, away from the hustle and bustle of work and home. 

Who says three’s a crowd, eh?!