Last week my husband went to my parents’ place in Himachal. It was his first visit to my native village after our marriage. My mother was apprehensive and a little worried as my husband has never lived in a village. Our village is remote and is not connected with pukka road, which makes a bad first impression. But for me it will always be a tiny abode in the lap of nature. It is surrounded by hills on all side and the house is nested in a fruit orchard. My husband had planned to stay there for a night. He came around 10 in the morning and the moment he entered the house, he called my mom-in-law and told her that he would be staying for one more day. My parents were overjoyed to hear that. All their worries vanished into thin air and we had a quality vacation in my native village. It won’t be wrong to call it precious moments of real togetherness.
We strolled in our farm, picked fruits from the trees, strolled and enjoyed the cool evening breeze. We spent entire day sharing our childhood memories, eating, sipping tea on the terrace, cracking jokes at each other and enjoying each others’ company. It was a real family get together - filled with food, laughter and feelings. My husband and father interacted in length on the subject of farming. Both spent a great deal of time in exploring the methods of cultivation, food variety and commercial aspect of it. My husband picked few fruits and vegetables. And, he was so excited as if a little boy found some treasure. The air was thick with love, happiness and nostalgia. By the end of second day, all of us wished to stay there for one more day, but unfortunately we had some prior appointments.
Being together with your loved ones is a blessing. Days fly by like minutes. There is no stress. Food tastes better as it is cooked with love and shared with everyone. And, each moment is a priceless memory. No wonder, me and my husband loved our stay in my village. However, there is one more thing which added charm to the whole experience. It was the fact of being so close to nature. There was no dust, no pollution or noise. It was quaint and beautiful. It made a short trip to a remote village in Himachal better than a planned vacation abroad. In fact, my husband has already planned a week long vacation to my parents’ home on our next trip to India. Cool breeze, perfect scenery, fresh food and peaceful environment is a perfect concoction for a family vacation. And we were lucky to have such an experience at my parents’ place. My parents were perfect host and I am sure it was one of the most memorable three days for them. And, for us it was a refreshing break for us from the hustle and bustle of city life. It was one of the best short trips in our travel diary.
