“Dakshinayan” - Road Trip - 21
31st December, 2015
I was up before the dawn when it dawned upon me that it was the last day of my first Solo Road-trip. I felt sad, as I always felt on the last day of my adventures. “छुट्टी खतम, स्कुल शुरू”, as said by the character Arjun in the movie ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’, the depressing Doordarshan tune started echoing in my head. Coincidentally it was a last day of the year too. My cousins had made plans to celebrate the New Years Eve at my brother’s place. I decided to join them in the evening.
I ordered my morning breakfast in my room. Got ready, finished my breakfast, loaded the gears on my bike and hit the road. My bike’s tire was punctured at Coorg but since it was tubeless tire I had continued my ride in the same condition by filling it up every morning. I filled up air at a local shop and from there in about 2.5 hours I reached home.
It was an overwhelming experience. I unloaded my saddle bags and backpack from the bike and carried it to my apartment. As I opened the door and stepped in, the memories of the morning of my departure rushed back in my head. I remembered me convincing my self on the first day by saying “Pranay, you are going have an awesome trip”. I was back home after 20 days and told myself, “Indeed I had an awesome trip”. I put all my stuff where it belonged, took a well deserved hot shower bath and then sat on sofa contemplating the last 20 days.
This trip had given me so many memories in such a short time. I remembered the boring highway, numerous meals at roadside dhaba’s and restaurants, meeting a childhood friend, catching up with old colleagues and friends, the new friends I made in the trip, Paul uncle and his home-stay in Coorg, the unforgettable sunrise of Nandi hills, the magnificent boulders and ancient ruins of Hampi and countless other beautiful sights I witnessed while travelling on the road.
I laughed at myself because I had cancelled this trip to save funds for a cycling trip in France the next year, yet the restless adventurer soul in me had made me make this short trip instead, and I’m glad I made it. I promised myself that the rest of the road-trip will be completed eventually. I had engrossed so deep in my thoughts that I didn’t realize that the afternoon had turned into evening. I got ready and went to my brother’s place to meet my cousins for New Year Celebration. The evening went on in me narrating my whole trip experience to my cousins. The next couple of weeks went on doing the same with my colleagues.
This solo road-trip may have come to an end but it gave me an experience and confidence to have many more amazing solo-trips in the future.
Until my next Solo trip… I’m signing off for now. Yes, a video journal on this trip is coming online pretty soon. Keep Travelling… Keep Learning.. Keep Smiling…
… End of this Solo Trip… Until the next one… Good Bye…
-Pranay Meher