I have a travel day planned. And that means I’m leaving Mumbai. An unforgettable week full of intense moments. I couldn’t have wished for a better start and city to begin with. This is exactly what I wanted to experience and feel. If I had to return now for whatever reason, nobody could take this away from me. To summarize it in one word: contrast.
On this travel day, I do notice that I feel empty. The realization that Mumbai was full throttle with all its new experiences, smells, colors, people, and places. Also the blogging, all the sharing, and responding to so many reactions. I’m simply someone who bursts out of the gates and then adjusts the pace afterward. I realize this is a marathon, not a sprint. It feels like I’ve lived a month in just one week. There’s no right or wrong in something like this, and at least I felt alive. It hits hard, and it’s certainly not all sunshine and roses. A growth moment for sure, as I ask myself where I’m heading next and where I’ll end up. Then you realize you’re on your alone and have only your own thoughts to calm yourself down. Take it easy.
I buy a train ticket, no idea… 90 cents for 2 hours. Must be fine, I think. I sit down and soon a conductor comes by. I’m in the wrong carriage. People here are lying down under blankets, looking quite comfortable for a few hours. I had a 2nd class ticket… I can pay extra, so I upgrade myself. No desire to make any effort and get up. Neatly on his iPad and with a carbon copy, the conductor writes out my receipt, and it comes down to 4euros extra.
After 2 hours, I arrive in Lonavala, recommended by someone at the hostel. My first thought: “What the f*ck am I doing here, and why did I decide to go away for 6 months again?” It’s part of it. The top of one mountain is the bottom of the next. The profound thoughts on days like this is simply to “be” and allow it.
The streets are different, and after I walk out the train I enter a café. With my Hindi word Shukrya—Islamic-Hindi for “thank you”—I get lots of smiles and helps me pretty well. My presence doesn’t go unnoticed when 3 young boys come in. They kindly ask where I’m from. Much less “Snapchat vibe” than the previous two chaps earlier. One of them quickly lets me try some food his mother made. Super sweet. I exchange it for some of what I ordered, and later I buy them 3 cookies, immediately after I get their favorite sweets in return. It’s a lot of give and take here, and the fact that this is programmed in them from such a young age makes me feel good and burst my mood. To top it off, my now one-week-old “stroopwafel” also goes around the café in pieces and is enjoyed by everyone. A quick selfie, and my mood and sugar level are right back up again.
After checking into my hotel, I walk into the first restaurant around the corner. A kind young guy tells me he’s the owner. He worked 8 years for the JW Marriott in Pune and now started on his own. 28 years old. The story sounds familiar, and I think: the thirty-dilemma applies here too. He’s a kind, calm guy. He gives me some tips for my route, and with a full belly, I head back to my hotel. Once alone in my room, that feeling creeps back in from earlier that day… I write a bit, accept it, and go to bed early.
The next day, I decide to walk to the viewpoints he recommended. I walk 12.5 km uphill, yesterday’s thoughts still in my mind, step by step, as many cars pass me by. I notice I’m the only one walking. I stop at points, and at one lookout I realize the result of my step-by-step climb. This is life too: small steps, slowly upward, and enjoying along the way. Easier said than done. At the top, I’m rewarded with an incredible view. Moisty green, beautiful waterfalls in the distance and scenic views. Free cows and sweet monkeys in the wild. The rewarding doesn’t stop there, girl hands me a yellow flower, she wants a photo with me. A little flirt move from her and when I say goodbye and wish her a good weekend, she replies: “I already do.” A great view, my ego boosted, a little snack, well-earned reward.
It starts raining, and I still need to get back. On the way up, several taxis had offered rides, so I figure it’ll be fine. I keep walking until I’ve had enough. I do have a jacket, but I’m not in the mood to get completely soaked. I decide to hitchhike—something I’ve never done in my life—and it’s a great experience. Soon I’m picked up by a sweet couple with a driver and their parents in the backseat. They’re on a weekend trip exploring the area by car.
During the ride, a video of Chris Zegers (Dutch Traveljunkie) pops into my head, where he talks about bringing coffee and croissants to drunk/high tourists sleeping in Amsterdam, which he describes as giving them a memory. With that in mind, I decide to eat again at that same guy’s restaurant. He had promised to take me to a viewpoint if I was still around. I arrive, but he’s not there—his colleague is, the same one from the day before. He walks upstairs to wake him up, telling him I’m there. Two minutes later, straight from his nap, we’re on his scooter. So sweet—he treats me to chai, and we give each other a memory. We talk about how he’d love to go to Japan one day, and when I leave after dinner, I give him a tip and a note wishing that he’ll make that dream come true someday. He helps me find the right train and explains how to get to my next destination: Pune. In the middle of nowhere, but hey, since I’m here anyway…
Nature plays, nature wins!
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