Of Family Traditions and Familiarity

Every year, my first week of May is spent in Ooty. Yes, there is nothing new about Ooty anymore, nothing to surprise us and nothing to blow our minds, but isn't there something about the familiarity that makes you come back again and again?

Every year, for as long as I can remember, as soon as our summer vacations begin, we would pack our bags and head to Ooty. We did this so many times that it became almost tradition-like. 

Every year, on the first day of our trip, we would stop at the Adyar Ananda Bhavan at Erode for breakfast and then we would stop for a bathroom break at a small snack and gift shop called Woodlands at Mettupalayam, where you have to pay 2 bucks for using the washroom. 

Every year, we camp at the same place, The Sterling Resorts, where we stay in all day because there is only so much of touristy things that you can do right? We have been there so much that now, even the staff there know us by our names. This resort is definitely the best place to go if you just want to relax. 

They have these 1 BHK cottages, with sofa cum beds which are comfortable enough to live on forever. There is also enough space between cottages for us to get all the privacy we would want. And to make up for the lack of social interaction on our part, we have game nights everyday filled with exciting prizes, which always end with loud music and dance. 

Every year, we have the same sleeping arrangements, with the same people sharing cottages and the same people sharing beds. Every year, me and my cousin would take the sofa bed of our uncles’ room and fall asleep watching TV. And every year, when we wake up in the morning, the TV is always off. 

Every year, on the Friday we spend in Ooty, we have lunch at the Holiday Inn, a five-star restaurant with ridiculous prices. We always go for the buffet where we end up eating way more than out stomachs can take. Those coin parathas and bite sized pastries are a family favourite. 

Every year, on the last day of the trip, at least three of us fall sick, one being my youngest cousin, always. Every year, the 9-hour ride back to town is filled with her constant whining about how her stomach hurts. And every year, the moment we step into home, we want to go back. 

After all, isn't it that familiarity which provides us with something steady, grounding and reliable? And isn't it that safety what we live for?