go goa

Ok, the verdict is out. The glares are awesome. At least they were in the first few days that used them in Goa. Awesomely light and very clear. I used them in the swimming pool, on the beach, on a scooter and in the Arabian Sea. Ya, I was swimming in the sea with them on. Perfect. Very light and very clear and so far no scratches. Vasool.
Goa was a fun outpost. Jispa has become a fine water baby. She wants to hit the swimming pool in the hotel and then refuses to be dragged off the water on the beach. I spent hours and hours with her in the water. And I realized the utility of having sun tan lotion / sun block being liberally applied on your skin. I thought I was dark enough to function without it. Two days of roaming around in shorts (only shorts) and red burnt shoulders later I had learnt my lesson. The last two days were spent applying cold cream indoors and sun block outdoors. That seemed to soothe it, though I ended up almost screaming every time Jasmine or Jispa happened to lean on my broad albeit red shoulders. Hehe.
Now we are pretty much convinced of the power of tripadvisor and lonely planet. It worked for us here as well. The hotel was exactly as we expected – nice simple, sweet with a clean pool. It also helped hitting the right spots to eat and relax. Goa is fun off the crowded areas. On one day we went to south Anjuna to get a lovely clean beach. The eyes needed some adjusting. Nopes, it wasn’t the glare. That my sun glasses took care off, it was the topless women, and blatantly so. I was thought getting topless women at a public beach was an urban legend but this was the real thing. The first instinct was to look at Jispa. She didn’t seem to notice it. Luckily it wasn’t like a nude beach, just a few women topless.
Luckily I have turned out fairly stable about nudity (inspite of a deprived childhood :P) and have been fairly level headed about it. This is my second brush with it. Once many years ago some asset management company had taken us on a cruise. One of the shows was a topless show that I found no point of going to. The second time we had gone again. Another dumb asset management company. This time a set of students who were now working with us were also there. They wanted to go but were a bit shy or trepid. They wanted me to come along. Almost like an adult. Sure, I had no qualms in them seeing it and I have always thought that nudity is so dam overrated. So the show started and soon enough the models were topless. Once it’s off and blatantly so, it ceases to really excite. This was a show which started at I think 1 am or something. Soon ten minutes into the show I was fast asleep. I hate shows of all types. Seeing people dance and sing and perform on stage bore me no end. I hate the award shows as well. Now I am also getting tired of Jispa’s school shows. Once her act is over, I am all ready to sleep. This exciting topless show was no exception. Some of the other guys also slept through. But at least they woke up to know that the experience is much more hyped than it actually is. I always encourage the kids to see it for themselves. For decent stable minds it really really can’t be that much fun.
Ditto for the beach. The only real minor irritant. You try and look away from the sun bathers as you don’t really want anyone thinking you are staring at them even though you might not honestly be staring goggle eyed at them. Whatever! Family man must be a bit careful. Always.
While we are not the gastronomic delight seekers, with the lonely planet recommendations, we realized that if you have time its good fun to roam around (especially when the journey is part of the destination), looking for the recommended places and eating. Never waste vacation time on eating but if you have alight schedule, a bike filled with petrol and all three love going around a bike, any excuse is a good excuse. And if the excuse happens to be in the form of waiting pizza then all the more.
All in all a great time. The scooting around on a Honda scooter, the lazing around on the shallow waters of clear Mandrem beach, eating raw mangoes stolen from a tree, removing my shirt and still feeling overdressed… worth every bit.

deep desires

Yesterday I lived one more childhood ambition. Slowly slowly I have been fulfilling some of my childhood dreams. One by one. Not that they have driven me to perform or do something but they seem to be giving me quite satisfaction one by one. Very small things to large things. Like once it was owning a car, or a house or some land in the woods or nice sandals or decent low fork denims etc. So it’s not about money or anything, it’s more about what I might have eyed as a kid or hoped to enjoy while growing up.
One of the things that I had eyed and slowly inched towards getting there is sunglasses. I always wanted nice light sunglasses. First when I started working I tried buying sunglasses of the road. These were for around 200 bucks. They weren’t that great and they probably did my eyes more harm than good. After that I have bought some more glasses and have always stayed at the lower end of the spectrum. At best a fast track one at around a grand or so. But I always felt the need for a good sporty one.
Some time back my wife was shopping for one and I got her to buy a nice Ray bans. At the time I thought they were shit expensive and wow that was a kind of birthday gift for her. Her raved about it for a long time. She loved them. Slowly I came about to eth notion that you really need to pay top dollar to get good glares and the ones I was buying weren’t really good enough. So she convinced me to buy a pair of Ray bans. This was I think about a year ago. Sure enough at 5k it made me think and think and think. But with a bit of prodding from wife I managed to buy them. I genuinely have a problem spending money. Especially for what I perceive as simple brand value (read tag value). What’s so good that I must pay top dollar. Its just a marketing gimmick. That’s partly the reason why I bought my first full price denim from a non sale from a reputed brand a month back. It was a Wrangler. Otherwise I saw no point in them. Especially since I always got mine custom stitched at a hideaway tailor I know. And at 25% of the branded price. I guess I am and always will remain a bit cheap.
So coming back to the ray bans. Yup they got me my first decent glares but they did not fulfil my deep desire to have nice light weight sporty and cool glares. Also they showed me the fun of wearing nice glares. I really love the clarity that my Raybans give me. I am totally in love with the brand. But there is one issue. With a metal frame and glass lens they are a bit heavy and I feel the weight on my nose. So I have been contemplating fulfilling my desire of buying a light weight sporty “expensive” glares.
Yesterday we walked into our trusted neighbourhood store and saw the range on offer. Here you are my latest acquisition – the hep new and happening glares. They are perfect for me. Nice and light and pretty cool on the tech side as well. It’s funny that I did not realise that I was fulfilling my childhood desire of owning one like these until I actually ended up owning them. I like such stuff. they don’t give you stress as you forget that you actually desired them, but when you do get them you realise that a small tick mark is made against your bucket list, as it were. Hah!According to me they cost a bomb at 7K, and I sure hope that I can find enough reason to justify them. The rationale being that they are better than Oakleys but cheaper and more durable? If you need to read more about them and help me justify the same here is the link