As I’ve said before, I love Goa!  We used to go there every year – sometimes more than once – until the recent spate of health episodes had taken their toll… 

This time, I’d signed up for a 4-day package in the excellent Club Mahindra at Varca.  While we were booked on a flight on the way in, the return journey was going to be an eventful one as we were coming back by train.  Pumpkin had been voicing her interest in going for a “long train ride” and I’d promised her that we’d do a train journey in the next vacation.  This time, of course, we were a family of four!  I wanted the “train ride” to be a special one, so I’d booked us in First AC – the topmost class available on the Indian Railways.  The only thing we were sceptical about was whether or not we’d be able to go…

As it turned out, this was a vacation that almost did not happen… again! 

If it actually hadn’t, it would be the fifth time we would cancel a vacation in the last 2 years, on account of a medical emergency.  Every thing was, of course, booked months in advance.  But, just a week before the departure, Ma had to be hospitalised with an acute asthma attack and chest pain.  Luckily for us, it was only asthma and not a recurring cardiac episode.  She soon recovered and was discharged from the hospital just days before our scheduled vacation.  Fortunately, this was a vacation that was meant to be!

The flight to Goa was on time.  As you may probably know, when you’re travelling with two kids, that alone is a big relief!  It was Tiger’s first holiday to Goa (except for the time when he was in the womb, that is!).  And, he was making the most of all the first-time experiences from the airport to the resort.

The “Club Mahindra” experience was a very pleasant one.  The property was sprawling, beautifully landscaped and had lots to offer for families travelling with children. (In fact, I was so impressed with the resort that I also posted a review, on my return.) If only junior was a bit older, we’d be able to take the vacation to a different level.  I was also able to find a local restaurant with authentic Goan cuisine that got delivered to our rooms, each day.  Nothing more was to be expected from the holiday so far.

The final element of the trip was the journey back in a train.  Given the availability of tickets and our requirement to travel by First AC, we’d managed to get a day-journey train that would start at about 9.30 am and end by 9.30 pm.  The first hour or so, at Madgaon, was an exciting experience.  And, the first few hours in the train were also full of discovery… for both the kids!

As a child, I’d grown up vacationing each year with train rides that criss-crossed the country, and it was fantastic to come back to the experience after so many years.  The ambience was good, the comfort level was great, the food was more than satisfactory… However, by the end of the second half, given the level of “activity” within the compartment and the periodic demands by our two adorable children, we were all pooped!  We reached home only by 10.30 pm and crashed without a thought. 

Thus came to an end the vacation that almost did not happen.