How Travel Teaches

The (mis) adventure, in a sense, started at the word go...almost right from the moment I was to leave home.

Decision was to take a day bus..... an anytime preferred option, but especially so as I'd never done the Bangalore - Chennai stretch on road. I booked my cab on time, but there was a technical snag and the booking didn't get logged with the cab. Ten minutes of frantic effort and I realized there was no quick fix. So I started off by walk, a good distance to the nearest auto..... and as you can imagine, it wasn't a pleasant walk, what with luggage and being rushed.

I get to the bus stop, and the guy at the place says 'aap ka bus tho gayaa' (your bus has left).

I could only stare in disbelief....my watch showed 8.07, and the bus was scheduled for 8.10.....and I was left wondering if clock settings could have messed things up further. I was standing there wondering what next.... few minutes of total cluelessness. Then a bus drives in, and I was so relieved to hear that it was my bus after all..... the guy at the counter had made a mistake. Gosh, breathed again.

I reach Chennai at two, and then figure I need to get to a local bus stand to catch a bus to Mahabalipuram.  I ask around, and a guy there says it's just around the corner, very close......and I guess it was, except that with a bag, and straight off a six hour ride.....and in the blazing heat of Chennai it just didn't seem so close :(

I get to Koyemveedu bus stand, to find that the only buses to Mahabs are the rickety, open windowed, district buses. It was so hot I would have given a lot to get an air conditioned bus, but I decide to chance it....no energy to go searching.

And it turned out to be one of my craziest drives. I took the first seat behind the door. (rather the space for the door....there is no door :). At first it was exciting....but as you hit the east coast road which runs along the shore, you also realize what you need is not as much air conditioning, but basically a shutter to the window and the door, there was neither. I felt I was going to get blown off the bus.

And then there are the thoughts. If I can get the focus off the wind, and the dust, and the grime.....and look just beyond...there is the beauty of the road, the shore, and the sea.

If you can alter perspective....... you can alter the entire experience.

I did....so instead of getting off all dusty and upset and tired, I got off all excited, exhilarated and breathless. I was in perfect mood to see diksha and deepak who came to receive me.

They then took me through town.....through narrow winding streets of the fishermens colony..... and through a lane that seemed to reach straight into the sea, and was also entrance to Bob Marley's.

An eventful day...in terms of experience and learning. Stay focused on objective, and the little difficulties cease to distract...better still, look for the beauty in things, and chances are you'll see it :)