On the road!

I'm an incurable romantic, as far as long road trips are concerned. In particular, I love the feeling that I've left work, home and boredom behind, and I help things along by pretending I'm never going to return to them again :)

There are so many things that change when I'm on the road, or travelling, in general:

1) I have meals at normal hours: At home, there are a thousand distractions, and then there's laziness, and there's sometimes just nothing to eat till Ankur comes home...but, when you're travelling, food rises in the priority list to near the top, because there is nothing to wait for except for the eating joint of my choice, and if it's hot under the Sun, then a brief respite is always welcome.

2) I'm not online: Yes! That is a big deal. I think I shouldn't bother to explain this one!

3) I can hum songs with no fear of being laughed at: This isn't really true, because I'm not afraid of criticism, especially about bedroom and bathroom singing, which makes no sense anyway. However, under the cover of the roar of the engine, I am virtually fearless.

4) I can call people up and tell them what they're missing: Truth be told, a good fraction of the enjoyment of travelling is its capacity to generate anecdotes, often massaged with a more than a pinch of salt. And if you are out to do better things than visit relatives, then you have a greater chance of seeing beautiful places, taking breathtaking photos and eating weird food. Your pals at home, meanwhile, are unanimous in their envy.

5) I get to read maps: I'm a map fanatic. I just love journeying through towns with quotable names; I love drawing up road maps, navigating, looking forward to the changing landscapes, checking the odometer for the miles travelled, and all that kind of (so you think) pointless stuff. No wonder the Casio Pathfinder PAW-12001V is the watch on my wrist :)

6) Some trips turn into battles of attrition: And then it's the survival of the fittest. Mostly, I come out looking better than the rest of my gang. Adverse conditions bring out the masochist in me, and it's very ugly. But, I still don't mind it. Makes for amazing tales to tell!

7) The radio stations: Some of the FM stations are simply fantastic, and normally you get a bunch of them, so if you don't like the music that you're hearing, you simply twist the knob.

I'm sure that isn't all, but I think I've covered most of the important things. Oh wait, did I mention the rather obvious fact that I get to sit in a respectable car?

;)