I traveled to West Bengal and Sikkim, for about a week, soon after an exam (Yes, still good at exams). This is the longest voluntary trip I've gone so far. I had googled the photos of the places I'm gonna visit, which left me dream about letting go of all my life sorrows. I thought I would come back as a new me. But no. Nothing changed my spirit. I'm wiser by a half millimeter though.
Trips are fun. But you need to save up for them. You need to plan well and know if you need a permit to visit some border areas. You need to find a good company or learn some karate to save yourself. I can now think of me carrying my 11kg trolley bag in pouring rains, spending one night in a pungent train compartment, being humbled on the second seat of a bike on the steep difficult-ish roads of Darjeeling. Also the coffees that didn't find me, and the milk cream on the surface of the coffees that I could find (hate it), dropping my new phone on the toilet floor and getting two rows of subtle scratches, arguments on the prime minister of India, and also discussions on whether MBBS graduates need an exit exam or not. I got a sun burn too, right on my nose and one cheek, as I fell asleep on the side seat of an evening flight.
But yes, the red hue on their cheeks as they smile, hot food when it gets cold and dark, my host filling hot wager bags for me every night, warmth of those who live by the mountains, calming breeze that slowed my heart a few times, the children of North East, Cold water of Teesta river.. Once in a shared taxi, a few of us random travelers started humming together. Beautiful right? An old man from another country said: "Bangalore and Bangladesh", as he sat next to me in the taxi.
There was snow and I didn't know about arranging a prior permit, so either ways I couldn't get to see the beautiful lake with me standing by it with wet eyes and an uplifted heart. Haha. Take notes when you go.
Comments