Our favourite

Anuj's b'day was approaching and I was thinking of a gift for him. Since he is neck deep in his work these days, I thought why not a vacation for him and me.
We have been to this place called The Machan in Lonavala as a part of our honeymoon in July 2014. It is situated in a very remote and secluded location which makes it inaccessible to mobile networks, internet connectivity and an unstable landline connection. No TV is provided either in the resort.
This makes for the best detechnox (detox from technology, as I like to call it). Also, of course no interruptions or interference.
It feels like 1990's again. Playing board games, talking to each other, going for a lazy stroll in the non-stop rain, listening to the chirping birds around, or just staring at the clouds go by in the beautiful green valley (or even enter the room).
This reminds me of the beautiful nature. Last year when we visited Shillong and Cherrapunjee, on our first day at the resort, we were woken up by a loud continuous beep. It was like a fire alarm. Initially we ignored but then we thought if it was really some kind of alarm. Sometime later, it stopped. We came to know from the staff of the resort that it is a bug which makes this loud beep when sunlight falls on it. We later heard the same sound at many places around.
Similarly, here in Machan the first day we heard somebody whistling. But when the whistling was heard almost throughout the day, sometimes loud, sometimes faint and almost in the same tone, we realised it was a bird. Its Malabar whistling thrush. The bird woke me up the next two days at around 5 in the morning. I tried so hard to spot it but couldn't. Anyway, the nature is truly beautiful.
We were excited to get the same room (Forest-3) again this time after 5 years. Not many things had changed at the resort. Which was the best part. Not to sound like I am advertising this place, but this truly is our favourite place to be. We did not take many pictures (Detechnox! Remember!), but posting some of them here.

Us at Bangalore airport. We were enjoying our tea, coffee and doughnut after breakfast when we got the last boarding call from airlines. I guess I am turning into Anuj😟 (for those who know how he likes to rush up things at the last moment)

Soon after we left from Pune airport, we were greeted with a heavy rain

The beautiful highway from Pune to Lonavala especially at this time of the year

Got the same room as last time

I am just a little excited

The things that kept us busy

We had spent a lot of time at this place on our last visit. Not much this time though.

Not just this, we played ludo, snakes & ladders and cards too. I lost at most (not all)

He is being forced by me to look into the camera

Carrying scrabble to room

Back to the room

The bridge that leads to our room

Just posing

The view from the room

Anuj trying to reach his parents on his b'day

Posing again

The resort also planned a little for the b'day

Complements from the resort

One more

View while having breakfast

I liked him sitting there

I wanted to copy his pose, especially when he had wiped the bench dry already

Hmm

The dining place

The bridge to our room from a little far off

Dont want this vacation to end.

Happy Us

After a long silence

I last wrote about us in 2014, the year we got married. I somehow couldn't chronicle my annual emotions as we approached March. Aditi has been disciplined in posting an annual report card on our relationship. This year I break my silence.
She has written a beautiful piece which you can read here. Let me offer my critique of this masterpiece.

In saying "I am still a cleanliness freak", she meant she's a psycho. Another example of her psychopanthi is when she says, and I quote, "he wants the fan on while I want it switched off". I mean who wants fan off when inside room temperature is 33 degrees? When she says "He craves for desserts when I am craving for spicy chaat", this is bullshit. She's the one who orders Gubaab Janum from Box8 and Punjabi Rasoi (yes, she calls gulab jamun as gubab janum). She's the one who buys chocolates from Fresh n More. I have no cravings in life.

Jhoot ye aurat itna bolti hai. She says "He thoroughly enjoys the most extreme of action but I love comedy and romance." John Abraham ki movies kya main dekhne jata hoon? Nahi. Madam jati hai. Aur bataun jhoot iska. She writes, "When I am in full blown makeup and high heels, he wants to go out in Chappals". She knows I will go in chappal, yet she will become a billo rani. I still look cool, she definitely looks fake Kareena Kapoor. Jhoot yahan khatam nahi hua bhaiyon aur unki behno. Madam ne likkha - "I want to be least bothered of my career for the year when he is dedicatedly married to his at the same time." Madam ji has been getting all awards and recognitions in office from clients in the past 6 months. Laddoo hai kya that you get it when you are least bothered about your career. Itna jhoot, itna jhoot, main tang aa gaya hu ye sab sun sun ke.

My biggest grouse is, she doesn't even give me the credit which is due. She only mentions "Yet, he tidies the home every morning.". Kinnu ka juice maid nikalti hai kya? Kinnu ka juice main nikalta hu. Yesterday only she said oye hoye hoye after having kinnu juice that I juiced. As you can see, I never get credit.

The domestic violence I have to go through, I wish no one should go through. She naively says, "While the fan is on, I find a chance to snuggle up to him." Bhaisaab, itne thande thande haath hote hain iske jo ye mujhe chipka deti hai. This is barbaric. Chai ko ice cream bana sakti hai ye apne haathon mein le ke.

Referring to earlier allegation where she says I have a sweet tooth, she repeats the lie "We enjoy dessert and spicy chaat on the same day." My humble submission is, she eats both the dessert and chaat herself. I get nothing to enjoy. I am told to enjoy paying the bill. Have you met anyone who enjoyed paying the bill? Sabko dhokha de rahi hai apni kahani mein.

"Both of us love animated movies." This is the biggest lie ever invented. I love Iron Man movies, how are they animated movies? Haan I do love Minions, but they are real.

"We find time for vacations while focusing on our careers." Sirji hai koi husband jo biwi ko vacation ke liye mana kar sakta hai? Hai koi mard?

Domestic violence part 2 when she admits my lord, "he has learnt to tolerate the unbathed me". I have not learnt anything. I am being oppressed. Even neighbours have filed police complaint due to the smell in the house on Sundays.

As you can see, my side of the story has not been presented properly in her outpouring of lies. I wish to set the record straight.

But yeah, she's the password to my happiness.

Differently Similar

They say couples tend to look alike over a long period of time (p.s. my aunt-Kokila maami always thought that we look like siblings 🙄). Anyway if thats true, do their interests also start to match? Well, certainly not within half a decade!

We have been together for 5 years now, yet, I am still a cleanliness freak while he is obsessed with creating shortcuts...i.e. keeping everything at an arm's length. Most often, he wants the fan on while I want it switched off. He craves for desserts when I am craving for spicy chaat. He thoroughly enjoys the most extreme of action but I love comedy and romance. When I am in full blown makeup and high heels, he wants to go out in Chappals. I want to be least bothered of my career for the year when he is dedicatedly married to his at the same time. He rushes to bathe when I have skipped for the past 2 days😜.

Yet, he tidies the home every morning. While the fan is on, I find a chance to snuggle up to him. We enjoy dessert and spicy chaat on the same day. Both of us love animated movies. I wear chappals for him and he dresses up for me. We find time for vacations while focusing on our careers. We religiously kiss each other bye before work. And most importantly, he has learnt to tolerate the unbathed me😘.

Well, you get the point right! Thats what we call being Differently Similar.