FILL UP THE BUCKETS

Everybody has a bucket list ...things to do, places to visit etc., all before kicking the bucket. Don't you have one? 

Please do take a diary or your phone and jot down the things that come to your mind. You don't need to be past 60 or unwell to frame the list...actually its better to write one in your teens keep adding to it and striking off the activities done, giving yourself more time to empty the bucket. 
Well, my list is rather long, and a tad bit ambitious in fact, there's no chance that I ll ever get to empty my bucket! I asked Sujith to list out the places he wanted to see. Where my list had 25 places, Sujith just told me 3. I was surprised, what only 3? He said he would like to refill the bucket as it empties up ...smart guy I say .So not surprisingly Sujith's places to see are all done. Lucky guy he gets to refill his bucket, aha, I had one matching with his list so I am happy to strike it off my list.

On the top of my wishlist was Australia. Watching Travel&Living channel on TV ...the Masterchef Australia programme and reading "Down Under" by Bill Bryson aided in Australia getting right on top. I was delirious when plans were made for a vacation to Australia...Cairns and The Great Barrier reef ( I took swimming lessons a few years ago just for enjoying this),The Gold coast, Sydney, Melbourne. Hotels booked,tickets done. I spent so many hours on YouTube making a detailed list for sightseeing along with a short history of each place. The dreams came crashing down when the visas got rejected . Sujith didn't tell me immediately, told me to take a break from planning and kept looking at me with a pained expression. The rejection hit me hard, I broke down. Loss of money and a fear to dream, I stopped reading on travel or watching such programs on TV. Can you believe I bought vegemite (to get used to the taste) which is used in Australia on sandwiches, a bitter stupid stuff. It's still at the back of my kitchen shelf.
When Eid holidays were announced I was hesitant to ask Sujith to take me on a holiday. We didn't plan much just called up a couple of  travel agencies asked them if there are any seats available to any place which offers visa on arrival to Indians. Georgia Baku and Kenya were the destinations advertised in the holiday packages. Every agency said we were too late and all were booked. One of our friends shared his cousin's number in Akbar travels, so we called them and they said they would get back to us. We decided to chill at home, binge watch Netflix and relax. Sujith called me from work and asked me to get ready to go to the Akbar travels office as they have 2 cancellations in the Kenya package and want us to immediately transfer the money. We did and decided to check out the agency office. The lady there gave us the itinerary and wished us happy holidays. It felt surreal, we informed only my mom and Sujiths brother. Didn't want to inform the whole world in case things don't work out. That fear remained as the flight got delayed by 2.5 hours and I was so jittery. Travel by the Kenya Airways Dreamliner wasn't too great. It was so warm and had to complain to the stewards but the condition remained the same.

I was praying till I got the visa stamped on my passport and gave my best smile to the friendly lady at the immigration and replied to her in Swahili ...Ahsante Sana.
.....To be Contd