Journey to the Hill Palace - Part 1

20th of April 2008. Sunday.

My siblings were furious when the trip to Bangalore was postponed.
That’s when I decided to stay with them and take them out somewhere.
But where??? Options were plenty....
Veegaland
Subhash Park
Shopping
Hill palace...
Cochin is supposed to be the most famous tourist spot in Kerala after all!

My sis was coughing hard. Bro was still weak from his viral fever.
So Mom immediately ruled out Veegaland from the list.

Shopping..?? Both might kick me after a spree of shopping. They'd definitely not find their beatitude there.... :
Park...? But how long can you spend your time in a park..?
(Ok I confess... I'm taking them. I need my portion of entertainment too. Right..?? :D )

Hill palace..... Well both of them have been there twice or so from school...
So I was about to rule it out when I just asked them finally...

"How about Hill palace..?”
"Ayyo jiyachechy athu mathi
athu mathi...!”

Ok...
Conclusion 1: kids never get tired of the same place no matter how boring we find it to be; no matter how many times they have been there...

22nd of April 2008: Tuesday.

Time has passed... (Ok two days is not like decades or centuries.
But if you are a kid of 9 or 12 years having your summer vacations, yes;
Time does pass like bullets. Memories fade... ... too much I guess but still, Time did pass.....)

Now presenting the idea to Mom. The next challenge...

"Mummy, was thinking if I could take them to Hill palace... by 10 o clock..?" (Time of asking permission: 9.30)
"Hmmmm........ (That’s a definitely good sign.... :))
...when will you come back....? (Permission granted!!!!!!!!!) "
"By 1 or 2... Mostly..."
"Don’t let them play in the sun k...."
"Oh sure..!”

Conclusion 2: Ask permission to Mummy at the eleventh hour...
(Also when both protagonists are quiet - i.e. when not in their usual 'can-be-termed-medically-unfit' conditions)

"Tantadaaaaaaa... we are going to......................Hill palace!!!!!!!!”

"(Commotion ruckus hoo-has)“

Conclusion 3: Break happy news to kids without prior notice... Joy will be doubled; with the risk of being grounded and stampeded. :/

Almost Half an hour left. 9.35

Things had to move pretty fast; i.e., before Mom gets time to reconsider her decision..!!
I think I did see my bro going in to bath. But the validity of the assumption can be questioned since he was out ready in 2 minutes. :/
My sister was frolicking around jumping and whooping and occasionally hugging me tight;
And finally after an eventful stretch of 7 minutes and 7 seconds (definitely close) we the Trio like 3 musketeers were ready to start the eventful trip!

18 minutes left. 9.42

That’s when our beloved neighbour kid - My brother's dearest friend and all ours darling- enters.

"Kutta... Coming to Hill palace with us..??? "
Even before I could finish the question, off he went back to his house,
Dialed his mom who had gone out,
Got permission (I strongly believe he must have cut the phone before aunty could have opened her mouth.)
Dressed and reported back to the base camp ready in 5 minutes.

13 minutes left.

Transportation is a problem owing to the fact that I possess a valid and beautifully laminated driving license which is used only as an ID proof
And we have an alto car in the porch. I wouldn’t endanger these dear kids' lives so we call an auto and the auto will reach soon...
Soon...
Very soon...
Soon.

Sorry... I have lost count of time. But when the Expedition boarded the Auto, Time was 10.25.

Mummy was in very good spirits... So the time till then passed collecting inventory for the Picnic!
Mainly food, water and ...food. Not that me and my siblings particularly gorge upon food.
If you know me personally you will definitely shun that idea as ridiculous.
But we did take food. (Finishing it is another matter ;) )

And at sharp 10.26 the four of us- My sis, bro, neighbour-kuttan and me, started off our glorious journey to the majestic, historic, Hill Palace.....