STAY IN AISHWARYA’S VILLA
When I was being graciously led to my villa, the helpful attendant informed me that Villa 104 was in fact the same one where Aishwarya Rai Bachchan had camped when shooting in the city for Raavan. I showed a ladylike amount of surprise and waited for him to retreat before I let all grace go out of the floor-to-ceiling window and went click-click on my phone. I took a selfie spread-eagle on the double bed, one sipping tea sitting on the table like I imagined Ash would’ve — my pinky finger sticking out. While the bathroom was equal in size to my bedroom, I took advantage of the open-air shower that was surrounded with flowers and emerald green leaves. Excitement aplenty, I WhatsApp’d my mom and the boyfriend, intent on ‘sounding’ it to them. It was a sweet life. Or should I say, a ‘suite’ life!
CELEBRATE @ VDEN
VDen, the bar with an adjoining game zone was like a candy shop. Trounced soundly at ice hockey? Move on to the foosball table. Ball jumped out? Go storm the bowling alley. Four gutter balls in a row? Throw a mini tantrum and move inside. Balance a drink on the edge of the pool table and make some noise with your cue. There’s also a DJ and a small dance floor where you can do your victory dance when you win.
The bar menu pays homage to the granddaddy of all games — cricket — with cocktail mixes as creatively styled as their names. Sample this: A whisky, fresh lime juice and orange mix called Straight Drive; Free Hit that combines vodka, basil and cucumber; a frozen punch with tequila, vodka, fresh lime and cranberry juice called Reverse Swing Margarita and a chocolate and vodkatini blend named Doosra (picture left), that jumpstarted my evening.
On the flip side, more the sips more your chances of missing your gaming shots but if you’re adventurous, it could actually define your rules for a new drinking game!
TUCK IN AT BHOOMI
The Amish Bhoj Thali for dinner at Bhoomi, the speciality Bengali cuisine restaurant, was the best treat of the day. From Begun Bhaja to Narkel Diye Chholar Dal, Kosha Mangsho to Aamer Chutney, it was heaven in a thali. I will be back... this time for the Gondhoraj Murgi and Mishti Doi.
READ A BOOK IN THE BATHTUB
I’m not one of those people who like to catch up on their reading in the midst of morning you-know-what. I prefer it when my back is cushioned snugly against a mattress or a couch. But many a time have I fantasised about filling a bathtub with hot water and bubble salts and settling in with a book. It looks deliciously comfortable. So I left my colleagues behind at the bar and trotted back to my room at Vedic Village.
The plug drops into the drain opening. Oops. That seems to be a sign. The warm water rises in the tub. Bath salts seem to be missing so body wash will have to suffice. The book is at hand — Sunset at Blandings. Towels are within reach too; I don’t want the book to get wet. The lamps are perfect. And then I lower myself in. It’s beautiful. It’s long enough for me to stretch out and float in. My phone announces text messages; I ignore them. Page one. An aristocratic girl in love with a poor young man must be shipped off to Blandings Castle where she cannot fraternise with her unsuitable lover. Typical, I chuckle. The water laps around me, warm and soapy. By Chapter II, I think the moment is deserving of a selfie… fine… judge me. At Chapter III, the doorbell rings. Happy endings only happen in books.
THE (OTHER) UNPUTDOWNABLE TT
Like Forrest Gump, I wish I could say ping pong came naturally to me. Of course, it didn’t. I just try to keep my eyes on the ball. I was playing TT after maybe 15 years in the Games Room, and the first few serves were a disaster. The ball didn’t even cross the net and just lay motionless on my side while I prayed it would magically lift itself up and float across.
Suddenly I tried out a fancy backhand serve which swung and spun like a top and did everything right to go past my opponent’s racquet. And that was it, the turning point.
Confidence regained, I picked up a few quick points, got my wicked forehand going, and won the first match after a tie-breaker! Yeah. There was no stopping me. In the second game I was in splendid form and even got my smash going (hope I’m not gloating here!) and won the second game as well! Just as I was dancing around the room, cherishing the moment and dying to start the third match, the lights went out! Chokranto I say!
PAMPER TIME @ THE SPA
In 23 years of my life, I have never been to a spa. I’m pretty sure that I’ve never even received a back massage in my life. So after an hour-long bus journey, the first thing I did was dump my bag in the villa and head straight to the Sanjeevani Spa because you can’t be in a spa resort and not do a spa. Upon entering the premises, I felt a little out of place. It was everything I was not — calm, peaceful and quiet. I was escorted to a room by my massage therapist, Archana, who had been working there for around three years, she said. I was scandalised initially upon seeing the minuscule (loin) cloth I was asked to wear but decided to shed my inhibitions (and clothes) and just surrender to Ayurveda. And boy, was that the best decision I had taken in a while. The hot oil and long strokes of the 35-minute-long Abhyangam Ayurveda spa session helped unwind all the knots in my body, leaving me completely relaxed and at peace. A friend of mine had told me, “You’ll forgive a lot of people at the end of the session,” and that described exactly how I felt. Calm.
RIDE AN ATV BIKE
I remember looking up Google Images to see what an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) looked like, having tried my hands on a similar quad bike three years ago on the Mandarmani beach.
Then in the activity area, when I saw my colleagues experiencing a gruelling time with the mean machine, I was a bit taken aback because the only thing I can — er, could — ride is a bicycle. So I decided to sit on the ATV bike and pose for a picture. But the moment I sat on it, it felt like I rode it every day. The safety instructor patiently explained how to pull the brake, change the gear and how to ride. I took mental notes and revved up the machine... and woohoo, I was on a roll! I rode for over 30 minutes and took more than five laps around the activity field. It was such an adrenaline rush. Honestly, I didn’t want to get off but the Segway looked equally tempting.
SEGWAY IS THE WAY
The Segway looks a bit suspicious, a platform with wheels and a longish handle, without pedals or anything, you steer and accelerate using your body-weight, leaning forward to speed up, standing straight to stop it, and it is so cool when you can do doughnuts (the cool round and round thing sports cars do) with it. Wonder if one can use that for a commute.
The big ball that takes you Zorbing is intimidating. But once you decide to go in for it, you will realise it’s not that scary. You are strapped like Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades (er, with your clothes on) inside the ball before it is set rolling down the grass. The ball takes just two or three rolls before it stops but it does feel like eternity.
Here’s a tip: The brave can keep their eyes open, the not-so-brave can keep them shut!
It took us 70 min to reach Vedic Village from Central Avenue via Rajarhat and 40 min from Salt Lake.
