Against the setting perfect ball of orange Sun ,the blue
canvas of sky has wisps of white clouds smudged here and there studded with
flocks of birds flying back home in the flawless ‘V’ shape. And me? Down, with
the wind whipping my face gently, my hair flapping back and forth keeping up
with the wind and I am bumping up and down sitting in the back seat of the bus
beside the window. Sitting next to me are strangers, but the road I am travelling
is no stranger to me.
I have lost count of the number of trips I have taken on the
NH4. But every time that I travel, it has a new experience in store for me. Getting
unplugged from everything- the internet, the headphones, the depression, the regrets
and basking solely in nature’s resplendence.
Through the window, I watch the
world pass by. As a bus or car passes by, I steal a glance inside. There would
be families going on vacation or just friends having fun or just people dozing
off. On the sides of the roads, I see dog playing with its puppies, kids
running behind the cotton candy Walla, farmers returning home with their harvest
or in rare cases, monks going on padhayatra in white clothes and sacks. The
teashops have stories to fill in two large volumes of books. My favourite part though
is the tin full of cookies and candies they sell and the steam drifting from
the boilers.
There goes a truck! Oh wait,
there’s another one. And another. Dang, there are so many but each has a
character of its own. The cool graffiti and the play of desi colours on them is ravishing.
As the truck passes, the moor comes into view stretching as far as it could. Then
there are the fields with the promise of profuse greenery.
It’s not always that I get the
window seat. Once during a festive time the bus was so crowded and I had to
sit on the engine block in the front. It was so hot that I had to stand in
frequent intervals to cool down my back. LOL It was so funny and I even made
friends with another girl who shared the same seat.
As I frame this writing, the sky
has turned to a darker shade of blue with streaks of pink and purple clouds
sketched and the violets blurring down the horizon. It’s time for me to get down
from the bus and I already look forward to the next trip.
Of freedom, realisations,
experiences and happiness is what the NH4 has always been to me. I suggest you
take the ticket to happiness too. Travel, Travel alone and enjoy the world
becoming your friend. I am certain you would fall in love with the NH4, like I did.
And you would want to come back for more, like I want to.
Happy Journey!
I am posting two of my works here inspired by the NH4..
This is a storage truck. It even has a secret compartment when you open the front part. (Oops! did i just reveal the secret?!)
'
And I made a storage trunk out of junk.
