Spice of Life | A holiday, just what the doctor ordered
My mind went into a meditative trance and my stiff muscles and tense nerves began to loosen up bit by bit as I rode over the crystalline waters to realise the triviality of man and the magnanimity of Mother Nature
Opportunities to frequent foreign shores are few and far between for people like me who are engaged in providing round the clock services to patients. Trust and faith of patients in their family doctors doesn’t let them unwind even in the most splendid of places. Constant ringing of phones and their panic-stricken voices keep us on our toes during the vacation also.
This time around when an opportunity cropped up, my wife played an instrumental role in making up my mind to go to Malaysia for a week-long conference cum pleasure trip with my physician friends. “You must go. Let your senses get some respite and believe me you would come out of the experience refreshed and energised to serve your patients with renewed vigour and vitality,” was her parting advice.
After paying a mandatory visit to Petronas Twin Towers and Sky Tower in Kuala Lumpur we flew out of the populous city for the tranquil and picturesque island of Langkawi. Towering coconut trees, majestic palms, paradisiacal beaches and overwhelming hospitality of the local people left us awestruck. Five days of stay in eco-friendly cottages in a jungle resort by the seaside was both awe-inspiring and relaxing. The educational part of the stay, comprising seminars and discussions by doctors, was for three days and the last two days of our sojourn on the archipelago were reserved for sightseeing and sea sports.
Visiting the Unesco-protected Kilim Karst Geoforest Park, consisting of mangrove swamps, endangered species of brahminy kite and white belly eagles, bat caves and rock formations dating back to 200 to 300 million years, is an enthralling experience that leaves tourists wonderstruck. The world’s steepest sky bridge in Langkawi is another manmade marvel.
Once done with the island hopping, it was time to overcome my fear of jet skiing in deep waters. Though I had frequently done snorkelling, scuba and kayaking under the vigil of coastguards on my previous trips to Goa and the Maldives, I had yet to overcome the fear of jet skiing on my own in an open sea. After struggling with many ifs and buts in the mind, I decided to don a life jacket and venture into the astronomical sea on my own to fulfil my long-cherished dream. Once done with the mandatory paperwork and dos and don’ts, I along with the jet ski was nudged away from the shallow waters, by the instructor. As I drifted towards the boundless sea, I looked upwards gratefully and focused hard to keep myself steady amid turbulent waves of the azure sea. My mind went into a meditative trance and my stiff muscles and tense nerves began to loosen up bit by bit as I rode over the crystalline waters to realise the triviality of man and the magnanimity of Mother Nature.
In the evening, we wound up our trip at the restaurant of the hotel by dancing to the tunes of a live band. Seeing our enthusiasm, young Malaysian girls of the band started crooning a popular song of Alisha Chinai, Made in India. A patriotic fervour gripped us and our loud chants of ‘made in India’ drew tourists of different nationalities to the dance floor. Soon, everyone was singing and dancing in unison to the tune of: “O ho ho ho made in India, ek dil chahiye that’s made in India.” rajivsharma.rs201067@gmail.com
The writer is an Amritsar-based freelance contributor
