Picture Pefect

Nothing like a good vacation to beat the..err..blues? I am slightly apprehensive about using that term because, well, I don't usually have them. Workwise, life isn't hectic at all and yes, maybe the traffic woes do suck in all my energy and the long distance traveling get on my nereves from time to time but hey, you can't have it all, can you?

I had been away for a social obligation, also known as "family function" and decided that if I were to travel outside the city anyway, why not pull in some extra days of leave and convert it into a vacation. There was another reason for it but I failed miserably in that so let's not bring it up here.

My trip covered Udupi, Sringeri, Horanadu and Kudremukh. I won't convert this into a travelogue so more information, if needed, can be found on many good blogs and websites, but not here. Talking of travelogues, I really like them and would definitely do them one fine day, but when I am more prepared with facts, figures, anecdotes and passion.

All this traveling made me think about the one concept that may not hold much relevance these days - picture postcards. Actually, do you ever remember using them? The only time I bought them was when in dire need of good pictures for a Holiday Home Work project or some assignment for the House bulletin board. OK, maybe once or twice my parents were forced to buy the ones sold outside places of interest where we went as tourists. But even then, it was just the lure of the glossy finish. I had no clue then what you are supposed to do with them and I have no clue now.

Sure, I know that when you visit a place you buy postcards of that place and mail(old school) them to your friends, relatives and well wishers. But..umm..why? That is my question. Is it a direct "haha!we are here and you are not" rubbing it in action? Or a more cruel "you might never be able to afford coming here, so here is how it looks" pity gesture? So does that mean the list of people you mailed it to comprised of the same list of people you despised? Olden days, olden times. I guess we shall never know.

PS: I think if I search long and hard enough, I can find an old book of these picture postcards. The keywords are "hard enough". Yeah right.