Trip Odo: 450kms
From: Gurgaon To: 60kms before Ajmer.
It was undecided where I'd head to. I had jotted down itenary for 10 locations in a radius of 1200kms.
I also wanted to go somewhere I'd not gone before.
While I was browsing thru the web an advertisement that talked about Udaipur, Mount Abu, struck me.
I immediately googled and chalked out a rough map.
I got late and left at around 7, slogging thru gurgaon traffic up until the rewari cut.
Trance music blasting my ears, with no worries on my mind. Highway was my home.
I vroomed my way to my favourite spot. I get goosebumps everytime I see this stretch and I fall out of words to describe how I feel.
After that it was a bliss, scenic landscape and pot hole free roads. I covered alwar, dausa, jaipur, met Saurabh after about 10 months. I had last met him at Rohit's wedding.
I left for Ajmer, while I was on my way. I saw something I never saw before, roadside. Restroom, spotless to perfection. I hail rajasthan govt. for making them and maintaining them.
In the background are the restrooms on th go.
While I moved on, I was again taken by surprise. I saw a truck drivers lodge, owned and maintained by a renowned packers and movers company.
The welcome starts by washing feet of the drivers, they then have a saloon for shave, haircut and massage. Then they have shelter for overnite abode. ALL FREE. Delicious sumptuous meal at super low price and not to mention, great company of local people who come from different parts of India and have great stories to tell.
I sat down and relaxed with a glass of amazing tea and Parle-G.
There was a small ditch filled with water for irrigation and I saw these two romancing. I couldnt help but to imagine the story.
Bird on the left imagined to be the shy male gathering courage to talk to her love.
Finally buckles up to talk :)
I had to seek permission to put up my tent as they insisted me to stay in the lodge that was well equipped with ultra modern facilities. But after a while they said YES.
The day turned into dusk and I clicked some picture and spoke to some dear friends.
Someone truly said "Happiness is only complete, when shared".
After which I sat down with the caretaker and a couple of drivers and we exchanged views different hot topics.
I met, Rajesh, from gujurat. Anna from Mumbai. Ravinder from Punjab. They all drove trucks on highways with hillarious messages painted at the rear end.
Discussion varied from "Why I travel the unconventional way to how human values have degraded over the past few years."
While, Some blame it on politicians and government, I blame it on us. While I sat between people who were mostly forced to do what they do.
One of the driver's curiously questioned "A driver asked me akele kyon ghoomte hoon, kisi ke saath mein kyon nai. Another driver said "sher jhund mein kahan chale hain, bhed chala karen"
Translation :
Driver: "Why do you wander alone, why not with a group of bikers ? "
Fellow Driver: Tigers wander alone, sheeps walk in herds.
These small moments make you feel so grand and at large at your life and the decisions you make.
Truly special !
I had made a conscious choice to meet them, see if I can mix with them. Probably my test for my own self, to know if I still am human.
It's fascinating how your needs shrink from a KFC bucket to a rich over the coal cooked bread.
It was these small moments that we either overlook or fail to acknowledge in our daily hustle in the metros.
Life is simple, sweet and full of non watsapp forwarded jokes.
Then came the sumptuous dinner, some besan ki sevai cooked like kadi. It was served with bajre ki roti and was finger licking good.
After a stomach full of good meal, we had some inhouse prepared gur and I felt like a king.
I bid goodbye to the cook, thanked him and his wife for the sumptous treat.
As I walked towards my tent, I looked at the clear moonlit sky. I almost felt content, away from the city chaos, dust and hipocracy.
That's all for today, I'm tired and will retire to bed now.
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