After a fun and relaxing day spent in Jaipur with my dear friend after a very long time, I left on a beautiful Sunday morning to take my flight, and before I almost had taken the 6th step outside the gate. I received a WhatsApp notification “functional team can perform testing in 20 minutes”, Testing?? (wait, what).
“Three days back, Me: Sir, I will not be available for Testing on Sunday.
Manager: You can’t act as a college student anymore and have to be professional.
Me: but, Sir, I have a flight to take on Sunday. And I didn’t receive any mail regarding this before.
Manager: The mail chain has been running since last week, and if you can’t be available, then at least pass it on to a colleague with steps documented.”
More than panic, it was a moment of Oxytocin for me as the time scheduled for the Testing was the same as that of the flight, and I didn’t want to pass it on or miss my flight. With 3 hours left, I still had a chance to do it, thanks to my previous team’s work and planning. After half an hour, it was my turn to test. Practice from the last day could be seen in my work that day. With things done in a flash(including grabbing some breakfast prepared by my buddy), I was ready to take on the journey with a sense of accomplishment.
The time was already past 10 o’clock, and I had yet to go through formalities at Airport. Hurriedly we took an auto and left for the plane station.
Journey begins
Dropped off by him, I quickly went inside & entered the line for formalities. Luckily it was not crowdy, and things got done an hour before the flight. While waiting at the gate, several things were going through my head, but I was certainly much more excited than the day before and satisfied with the job I got done.
The skies were clear and blue with large white clouds when I looked through the window and were as fascinating as they were when I saw them the first time I took a flight in the year 2020(Though this was just my second time). Seeing everyone eating and buying snacks from the service trolley, I felt like taking something. I was expecting something better than cup noodles at such a high price in the name of veg noodles with chai. While thanking my friend for the breakfast he fed me this morning, I thought about keeping myself energetic by eating the noodles for the long distance I still had to cover.
After getting off the flight and taking the bag, I took a small break at Chennai airport. Then booked a ride to the bus stand, for our first travel destination was still five hours away.
Yet to Reach
Riding over 3km on that scooter, even 1st BGM in my head didn’t end, and it got stopped while riding up on a bridge. The driver called his friend for help, and after waiting for some 20 minutes on the bridge watching people going here and there, a person came on a bike and started speaking something with his buddy in a language I couldn’t understand but got some idea that it must be something relevant to scooter only.
Sitting on the bike and holding my bags, we moved towards the bus stand again while toeing his friend’s scooter. It was around 5:00 PM when we reached the bus stand, and as I still had a long distance to cover, I hurriedly started looking for the bus to destined place.
To get a window seat on the bus while traveling solo is the most basic rule to go by, as per the sayings of past Ramta Jogis. Carrying out that, I received a text from a friend ” Bro, where are you going? Me: Soon, you will get to know. He: But, for how many days will you be on the trip? Me: Don’t know, I haven’t booked tickets to return. After all, this is not a trip. It is a ‘Raman’ “.
Meanwhile, I was chatting with him bus was already on its way. I was looking at buildings going by and getting my face washed with evening air. I realized that the decision to travel solo on this journey was one of the best decisions I have made in my life.
Seeing people getting up and down at every stop bus started to fill more and more with locals and students. While I was thinking about things I would do, starting tomorrow. After some time, It was getting dark, and while looking at the timing. I was estimating the time it would take to reach. And then, I received a call from the hostel I booked for the upcoming stay, and I confirmed that I was on my way to the hostel.
The Arrival
With earbuds on and listening to music, I witnessed the bus cover the remaining distance and enter the destination city.
Though It was around eleven at night, some parts of the city were still lively. Getting off at the bus stand, and after checking my stuff. I took an auto to the hostel.
Check-in and putting my stuff on the bed, I rousingly started exploring the hostel and went on the terrace. And found Some guys chilling there and sitting around the table. Invited me to join, I asked about the city and things to explore and do here. Apart from getting some native information, we discussed what we do, where we are from, etc.
Taking leave from them, I went to another side of the terrace, standing alone near the railing. I was looking over the city and feeling the fresh breeze from the sea. With a heart filled with emotions and my mind flowing with thoughts, I was ready to explore my first place on my journey, Pondicherry.
This one was nice. Keep on sharing more experiences.
Sure Buddy !!