Midlife Euphoria Day 28

The Choppy Cruise

Organising an overseas trip with friends is always fun. 

However, a lot of team work is necessary. Air tickets need to be booked, hotels to be shortlisted, eating places, excursions, outings, shopping, leisure activities like swimming/massages, etc. to be delved into, keeping everyone’s interests in mind….. Then, finally reaching a consensus that meets everyone’s approval. It is a massive task.

We embarked on one such trip recently in a group of twenty. We are a group of like-minded people who have known each other for a considerable time and share great comfort levels. This outing to the exotic locale of Koh Samui in Thailand was announced six months in advance for everyone to keep themselves relatively free and to be able to plan the whole thing meticulously. Starting with a dozen people, it caught momentum and we were 22 on board before one could say Jack Robinson. 

We formed a group on WhatsApp and it was fun going through all the interesting posts before the trip. In fact, we looked forward to the various explorations and revelations about the place. There were inputs about the places to stay, theme dinners, dress codes, sightseeing, massage parlours and short excursions. With every communication, excitement was building. However, it was disconcerting when one couple had to drop out last minute due to health issues. Both of them would be deeply missed by the entire group as they were part the core group. Despite this, they were very much with us in spirit and participated actively in all our electronically triggered communications all though the trip.

Since we were all converging from different parts of the country, we got identical T-shirts to be worn at the start of the trip at the Delhi international airport. The idea was to locate each other easily at the airport. 

It is simply another matter that we got a lot of uncalled attention due to the coordinated Ts. As soon as I entered the airport with my husband, we chance met an acquaintance who quipped, “Aaahhha, same T-shirts….cool”. As we kept meeting others from the group, we became the focus of more attention. We were not a corporate group on an offsite, not an NGO out on a mission. Nor were we a group of teenagers out on a wild trip. We were just an odd group of seniors mighty thrilled with ourselves. People were offering to take pictures of us together.

We were the blue brigade out to take Koh Samui by storm.

Thailand is the place for massages. After checking in the hotel, we all made a beeline for any massage parlours that had a vacant spot. After a refreshing foot/body massage, we were all ready to paint the town red.

On our first night, we were treated to a wonderful beachside welcome dinner at our hotel, which had been meticulously planned by our group members. Since some of us are vegetarians, their food options were also kept in mind. In coastal resorts, seafood takes precedence over everything and can be a bit flustering for the pure veggies.

The theme for the evening was white and everyone turned up very sportingly like white swans. There was live music, a sumptuous buffet, very attentive staff exclusively for us and—not to forget—a very animated group of people. The evening was just right to kick-start the wonderful four days ahead.

In between the divine massages, we met at breakfast and coordinated the rest of the day. The first day was at a remote restaurant that had been rated best by TripAdvisor for home-cooked Thai food. It was a long drive taking us through the arresting town of Koh Samui. The well paved road was lined with the exotic tropical plants. The town depicted a lot of order and cleanliness. When we reached, the place looked charming besides the seashore.

However, the restaurant was not ready to receive a group of twenty boisterous people who were coveting immediate service. The owner, a stiff upper lip Brit, told us in no uncertain words that it would not be possible for the restaurant to accommodate us. We were devastated. We offered to wait and with great reluctance he let us “hang around”. The service left a lot to be desired and the owner’s attitude was distressing. The arrogant so-and-so instead of being apologetic was overtly insolent. The saving grace was the beautiful and gracious cook who explained to us that the food would be cooked from scratch and we would remember the meal forever. She looked wonderful and sounded convincing and we all flipped for her gentility. 

After a ridiculously long wait when we said we were hungry, our haughty host had the audacity to tell us that he had not put a morsel in his mouth since morning! Was that our problem? How unprofessional can one get! Finally, the food arrived and true to the words of the chef, it was simply out of the world. We all gorged on the long awaited freshly prepared feast. The discourteous gentleman turned turtle and was all smiles and hugs. He took lots of pictures with us and surprisingly even exchanged visiting cards with some of us. 

 

It was an interesting encounter with a reluctant hotelier, and taught us a few things about the human psyche. My take on this is that given the limited staff, he was very apprehensive about serving a large group of people who had come unannounced. Yet, he was reluctant to let go of a good business opportunity once he saw the potential. Hence, he was on the defensive from the beginning least things didn’t work out. When the outcome turned out better than expected, he was ecstatic and his frayed nerves were smoothened. He personally loosened up to have a really good time. This episode reinstated the expression “The sufferance of fruit is sweet.”

In life when we encounter stressing situations, we start building bridges and heave a sigh of relief once the task is over. A little anxiety is good for better performance but when the level increases, it can be detrimental as in the case above. This person needed to sort himself out.

The evenings were well planned and fun . We had dress codes like floral, aqua, and on our independence day, we all decided to go colourful to celebrate our national Independence Day. Everyone adhered to the colour codes, making each day notable. Later, it was fun watching the outcome captured on camera.

The days flew past in a haze of fun activities like shopping, swimming, eating and merrymaking. Each day was memorable and taught us lessons in bonding, caring, sharing and loving each other.

The last day, we all had planned to visit Koh Phangan Hat Rin beach. It is a popular destination at any time of the year, especially during the “full moon party” periods. It is a four and a half hour long cruise one way. Since this excursion was the grand finale of our memorable trip, a lot of effort had gone into planning it. We had booked for ourselves the entire luxury boat that could accommodate 40 people exclusively for us. The menu was selected fastidiously incorporating the best from everywhere. The silver lining was a couple of Indian dishes that were prepared separately and were being served on board. By now some of us were craving for our native cuisine.

When we started, the day was perfect—a little cloudy, making it cooler with a whisper of breeze. We were bowled over by our good fortune. It took us three and a half hours to reach the island of Koh Phangan. The white sand beach had a fabulous view. The mountains around were covered with thick captivating vegetation. There was a snorkelling bay and a tiny eatery serving basic food and luscious coconut water. We enjoyed snorkelling and watching the corals. The water was enchantingly warm and inviting. When we reached our ship after the swim, the spectacular lunch awaited us. We did full justice to the delectable delicacies as we were genuinely hungry after the water acrobatics.

Subsequently, we started our return voyage. Some went on top of the deck for a siesta; some lazed around enjoying the sea, clicking pictures. A couple of us immersed ourselves in a game of bridge. The ship was swaying with every wave and we all were having the time of our lives. Suddenly, a group member felt a bit under the weather. We were warned about sea sickness. Given the heat and humidity, we did not find it unusual. Suddenly, the sway of the ship became wider. We still did not pay much heed to it. In fact, we swayed on a little more with the rhythm. 

Those of us who were sitting inside the cabin due to the wind outside, engrossed in a game of cards were almost oblivious to what was going on outside. The sea had turned pretty rough and the ones sitting out were drenched completely because of the splash of water from the huge waves. By now, a couple of people were feeling nauseated. The crew members were running helter-skelter trying to placate panic-stricken members on board. Some of the adventurous types found a great opportunity to capture these rough moments on the high seas in their cameras. The crew dissuaded them vehemently, as falling overboard was a great possibility. When we were asked to wear our life jackets, the card players lifted their eyes from their game and realised the delicacy of the situation. By then, we could see the panic on the faces of the crew members and fully recognised the gravity of the situation. The sea was uneven and we were being hurled from one end to the other. The cutlery, crockery and glassware were sliding from one end to the other making an awful clamour. It was the Titanic replayed!

The serene ocean had turned into choppy waters, the cool sea breeze became infuriated, and the blue sky was overcast threatening torrential rain. The humungous waves conveyed the images of the tsunami. The stark white faces among us, including those of the crew members were doing no good to calm our frayed nerves. Even sipping a drop of water was aggravating the nausea. The lines of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ “Water water everywhere, nor any drop to drink” flashed in my mind. 

The crew was busy handling twenty shocked people, slipping, falling, and providing towels, puke bags and life jackets around. It reminded me of the tale of the “Old Man and the Sea”. By now, we all had grasped the severity of the situation and spontaneous chants of holy hymns started. Irrespective of any religious allegiance, we all bowed in front of the uncertainty of nature/God and prayed. 

Of course, there was some light hearted conversation to distract us. The blue brigade out to take Koh Samui by storm was actually caught in one! 

Someone asked if we were insured. Promptly, we learnt that each one of us was heavily insured. Thank God. But we instantly burst into laughter, because the insurance would have no meaning for us once we were gone. I realised the futility of all the arrangements we make while we are living. All these are meaningless once you stop existing. To add more to the fun we said that our kids would really benefit. The loss of two parents can change their fortune. They can squander the money or buy a small island/villa in Koh Samui to immortalise us forever. The future generations will of course not remember us but would enjoy exotic holidays. Does that make our sacrifice honourable? 

The grit and determination of our crew and the positive spirit of our fellow companions brought us out of this difficult two and half hour expedition. All our wants/needs were reduced to just putting our two feet on the ground. And when we finally set foot on land, it was no less than the feeling that Neil Armstrong would have had when he stepped on the moon. I have never been more gratified to walk on earth. These are things we take for granted but you realise their value once they are taken away.

On our return from the 'cruise', when we were given our pictures (clicked in the morning) artistically pasted on porcelain plates, we could barely recognise ourselves. What a transformation...from elegance to a complete shipwrecked look!

We missed seeing the sunset and the full moon but gained much more by prevailing over the ordeal together. Some of us had taken a great fancy to a particular design of butterflies and bought dresses. The plan was to wear them after the cruise. This was promptly discarded as no one was really up to it. Every time we would look at those clothes now, they would  remind us of the “butterflies” in our stomach on that fateful day. 

In retrospect it was a humbling experience and will keep us rooted forever, never taking nature for granted and having faith in ourselves and our friends.  

Another thing I realised was that till we were engaged in our card game, we were unaware of the chaos around us. But once we became cognizant, the normal reactions of panic followed including nausea and vomiting. For the same reason, people resort to prayers/loud chanting/meditation to keep from thinking of the looming threat. In grim situations, one can train oneself to be calm by involving in something pleasurable and absorbing. 

Secondly, the scrupulous preparation for the future is not as rewarding as living for the moment and enjoying the present. 

Some of us were too deadbeat to venture out that last evening but some brave hearts from our group went out merry making. 

The next day was the day to say adieu with a promise to live each day to the hilt and create wonderful memories that would stay with us forever.

I would like to end with a few lines from Doris Day’s famous song, which is the essence of this piece:

"Enjoy yourself…it’s later than you think,

Enjoy yourself…while you’re still in the pink.

The years go by as quickly as a wink,

Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself it’s later than you think.”