Some days it feels like we’re chasing time. Other days it feels like we’re being chased by it. Forever in a game of cat and mouse, time is our ultimate frenemy.

We set out later than we had hoped to this morning. Plenty of rush and tons of stress. Tension’s were high but as we neared the coastline of Visakhapatnam, the moist salty air melted our worries away. The ocean has that effect on people. Especially on me. Maybe its the calming blue hues of the water or the melody of the waves breaking against the shore….either way, the coast takes me to my happy place and as we drove along it, the smile couldn’t be wiped off my face.

We visited the home of my father’s childhood friend in Visakhapatnam. It was lovely o see where he grew up and listen to him narrate stories of his childhood as we drove down memory lane. It is a beautiful city. Clean and green and seemingly well organised. Visakhapatnam juxtaposes modern infrastructure with small town charm in the best way and I know I’ll be back some day to explore it further.

Being on the road has taught me to derive my happiness from the little things. A clean bathroom? Yippee! A home cooked meal? Hallelujah! These simple luxuries are often taken for granted, a grave mistake we all make.

On the bright side, our inability to reach Puri, Orissa on time led us to the wonderful Mayfair Palm Beach Resort in Gopalpur. While we’ll be leaving the property before the sun catches up, I managed to sneak in a bubble bath and a late night cup of Darjeeling green tea. Well deserved? I’m not sure. But it was definitely meant to be!