Day Zero: Trade Offs

This day was filled with trade offs. First instances traced to the list of things that were to be taken and not to be taken, while packing. The rush to the airport in an auto caught me by surprise. The time for travel was the surprise, not the auto.

Oneiro was already at the airport. Air Deccan closes check-ins 45 minutes ahead of departure. When I entered the airport, the aircraft was to depart exactly 53 minutes later, if on time. After a few, "excuse me"s, "there is a queue!", "is it free seating?" the great security check, "thank you"s, we found ourselves in the bus carrying us to the aircraft.

1. Trivandrum:

Flight was normal, except for the occasional bursts of energy and talk that followed. We didn't yet know what was coming in the days ahead. Reached Trivandrum and as we "de-planed" (Oneiro says, this is a cool word) the cool dry breeze hit us.

Here we were, ready to travel India, far and wide, this well built citizen of Trivandrum offers to take us by the pre-paid taxi! As if we were on a pleasure holiday filled with luxury! Pah!

But no! we being we, traded with the bumpy auto ride and minutes later found ourselves seated inside the Toyota Qualis, hoping this would be the last "comfort" thing we're going to do. What did we know!

Upon reaching the bus stand, to catch a bus to Kanniyakumari, we were pleasantly surprised with a direct bus that was waiting for us to ferry us there. But hunger also called us okay. There we traded the only direct bus to Kanniyakumari, and headed to gorge on food.

Indian Coffee House, a unique structure was standing right there in front of us and in we went. (Btw, since this is an interesting structure, as you can see in the photo, with your own eyes, I strongly recommend you to visit this place the next time you're in Trivandrum. In my 26 years of restaurant visiting experience, I haven't come across such a design. Yeah, yeah, you can also have food there). We promised ourselves to eat quickly and leave so that we could still catch the bus, but, what did we know! The bus had left off!

The old man behind the SETC counter was more than glad to help us and suggested what we already knew – go to Nagercoil and then to Kanniyakumari. The only help he provided was to point at a bus that was right in front of us. People were not just sitting inside the bus, but also, standing, sleeping. Even outside the bus, the lungi-lifted-and-tied men, smoking beedis were standing and waiting for the driver and conductor. We with our backpacks didn't seem to "fit in" and traded this off with the next bus, which was probably coming an hour ago.

Things turned themselves in, another bus came and we settled, mingled with the lungi-lifted-and-tied men, some of them drunk (country liquor I presume). The third row from the last had us seated.

It was then that I came into contact with, what is generally called in one word for the act of moving from one place to another, usually in a public utility vehicle, sometimes run by the government, sometimes private, travel. Clothes becoming stickier, cold wind carrying country liquor smell, unshaven beards (white) pricking the shoulders when the co-passenger used my shoulder as a pillow, intermittent bursts of sleep, filled the time between Trivandrum and Nagercoil.

2. Nagercoil

Now, the bus stand at Nagercoil is something worth a mention. In my 26 years of bus stand visiting experience, this is the best bus stand I've ever visited. Clean and Organized. Spic and Span. This and that. Very nice. We walked around the place, enquired around the place and squatted around the place (yes, we had to move three times, twice because of bus, once the police)

We did talk about spending the night in the bus stand. We decided to decide about this at the time the bus to Kanniyakumari arrived. We really didn't want to go to the hotel and stay. As if we were on a pleasure holiday filled with luxury! Pah!

3. Kanniyakumari

Along came the bus, and just like that, without speaking a word, we sat and just like that Kanniyakumari arrived. As soon as I stepped down from the bus, I saw Oneiro mobbed by three people. Two of them went away as if nothing happened. One particular character went on saar, saar, and saar and upon listening to him for a full 96 seconds, we were given to understand that he was offering to take us to a hotel for stay that night. As if we were on a pleasure holiday filled with luxury! Pah!

But no! We being we traded a possible but a promisingly adventurous stay by the beach side to a cozy, super comfortable hotel rooms. We unpacked, pulled out this and that, spoke about him and her, while I devoured the apple I bought at Kanniyakumari bus stand, while Oneiro did something (secret).

Having done the above said,

Ritual warranted, we hit the bed

Experienced comfort like never before,

While the time showed zero-one-three-four!

We had to catch the sunrise the next morning, the sunrise that would set the tone for the trip. And just like that, sleep came and I think I dreamed of her. I'm pretty much sure I did

Next: Day 1: Cleanliness Comes