The Simple Things in Life

India, being a land of diversity, invokes numerous contrasting pictures in the mind of tourists. From the vast deserts, snow-capped mountains, exotic beaches, azure water bodies, to the green velvet covered hill stations – there are options aplenty. No wonder this thirst for travel in me never quenches.

On a dull evening, sipping coffee, and staring out of the window at the cloudy sky, I thought to myself what great hill-station-like weather this is! It was almost instantly that I decided to pack my bags and head straight out. Without much pondering, I decided to head to Nahan, a picturesque, quiet hill station (I could already smell the freshness, picture those carved river valleys, and the lush green mountains).

A few calls were made, messages were exchanged, and everything was as planned – to the extent of who would be driving, how many pit-stops we’d make, and who would be organizing the poison (to be brought out only once we would reach our destination of course).

The next morning, me and two of my friends (more like family), hit the road after much deliberation on who will be behind the wheel. The 270 kilometer drive – from my home in Delhi to the hotel in Nahan – was so eventful that I could go on endlessly if I were to try and bring out my descriptive best. The driving time was 7 hours – thanks to the numerous stops at the mom-and-pop stores for chips, cokes, and knick knacks – not to mention the insatiable desire for elaichi chai at the dhabas, which thereafter led to frequent stops at the makeshift loos behind stationary cars on the highway (this happens only in India).

We finally reached Nahan, and received a spectacular welcome from the bright sun, which was also strangely accompanied by occasional raindrops on the windscreen. My friends had their heads stuck out of the window, enjoying the chilly wind and its freshness (looking like little pups out on a drive in the process). After taking directions from some locals, we finally reached our hotel, which, unfortunately, wasn’t quite as pleasant as we expected.

The hotel looked a little shady from the outside, though the monkeys were on duty to greet us at the door. As we settled in our not-so-comfortable hotel, my friend had already done his homework on the places worth visiting. Since we were in Nahan for an overnight trip, napping was not on our agenda. So, a quick shower is all it took, and we were off.

We took a somewhat back-breaking trip to Renukaji. The route was a little steep and the roads were slippery, courtesy of a heavy downpour. A small peaceful lake is a perfectly serene spot for a newly married couple perhaps, but it was definitely not what we – three unmarried men traveling together – were looking for. After hurling a choice abuse at my friend who made the suggestion, we decided on visiting the Renuka zoo. We were given an option to boat across the lake or drive to the zoo, which houses Asiatic lions, spotted deer, lion tailed macaques, ‘Nilgai’ Methuen, barking deer, and Himalayan black bears. A unanimous decision was made to drive through the jungle, which was definitely thrilling.

We were dead tired, but the picture of that sweet wine, waiting to be consumed, egged us on to reach the hotel with whatever little energy we had. The night was the usual with three old buddies – getting happy, cracking decade old jokes, and reminiscing through the night.

The next morning, the hangover from the previous night had my head feeling heavy and the exertion from the previous day had my body feeling groggy. No driving today for me, then, and I handed the car keys to my friend to take us back home. This was perhaps the best part of the trip. Sitting as a co-driver, as I bid adieu to the city of Nahan, the mountains, the little streams, the greenery. I was filled with joy, and thought about how the little things in life can bring to you such great pleasure. It was a visual and emotional treat.

The drive back was quite relaxing thankfully. The lush green farms and the villages managed to bring a soft smile to my face – until the harsh reality of the urban life set in that is. We were in Karnal in no time. The hustle-bustle, the traffic, the trucks – everything was back. The occasional diversions we took, the dirty patches that we drove through, and the broken paths that we call roads in our country made me feel sorry for my car.

Anyway, after a weekend of pleasure, I was back home, once again by the window, sipping coffee, and enjoying the drizzle outside. The only difference being – the thought of picturesque Nahan was taken over by the reality of returning to a long work week. Until the next getaway, that is.