Two days, high drama and Rajasthan is born.

Random ideas to distract yourself from an exam you are not prepared are very common, out of one such train of ideas, one Saturday dinner, I decided its time I explore the country. Sikkim, it was to be, I sat and pictured. As the picture conjured greater detail, fainter seemed the argument against its happening. I had the motive, and there was my Dad’s unused LTC. All this translated into a phone call to Naga, who is an excellent person to run fresh ideas through; the cumulative effect is felt almost instantaneously. With new founded purpose, many mobiles communicated, and within hours the IEM triplet, Aditya, Naga and Ashish were in.

Interestingly enough, (a) The Gorkhaland issue (b) Trouble in Guwahati Airport (c) random unrest in the provocative east, didn’t win any approval from our parents. And, Sikkim was dropped. Now, we had the following options: (a) Lakshadweep Is. (b) Kerala (Cochin and around) (c) Rajasthan (d) Goa or Gokharna (again). Lakshadweep was an instant hit, and Gods-own-Country was the least contender with 3 strong vetoes. However, as things turn out, Rajasthan got zeroed in – It was far enough to be termed exotic, the finances weren’t too stretched, and none of us had ever been there. And, thereby, Sunday breakfast, I sat and pictured, Rajasthan, the ancient lurid land.

A quick hour with Internet got me pregnant with 3 different schemes: (a) Jaipur, Udaipur, Mount Abu, and Ajmer (b) Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Ajmer (c) Jaipur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur; taking into account there were direct trains from Bangalore to Jaipur, Jodhpur and Ajmer only. And, quickly scheme (c) gained acceptance, and it was to be. The next day my dad was to book the tickets.

As night took over the eventful day, everyone but Naga and Ashish confirmed. Ironically enough, Naga couldn’t finally make it.

I needn’t comment on how my exam went the next day.