A South Indian Road Trip That Never Ended
There is always something special about a journey through South India.
This Friday evening, however, we decided once and for all to pack our bags, fill the car’s petrol tank and set off on our adventure the following morning.
We had no real plans.
Actually, that turned out to be the best decision
The Road Trip Begins
We set off before sunrise.
Through Kerala
It hardly was anything special, but I liked the simplicity of the place, the way the ceiling fan kept spinning in the background and the number of local people who came to sit at the same table as us.
Maybe it’s when one is hungry that one can appreciate food the most, or maybe it’s the fact that we were so far away from home already.
Either way, I liked the food.
Crossing Into Tamil Nadu
By afternoon, we had crossed into Tamil Nadu.
The landscape gradually changed as we left the thick greenery of Kerala behind.
Open roads, rocky outcrops and dry land took their place.
We passed by colorful temples, villages and roadside fruit stalls.
By now, we had developed a kind of tradition.
Whenever someone in the car wanted to stop somewhere, we stopped.
We stopped for coffee.
We stopped for pictures.
We stopped at a roadside stall because someone had seen bananas for sale.
We bought way too many bananas
and
twenty minutes later, we were all laughing because no one had actually thought about what they were going to do with them
That kind of banter always stays with you as one of the best parts of a trip.
An Evening Surprise
By the evening, we had reached a hilly area surrounding a small town.
After checking into a guesthouse, we were all too tired to do much else except plan our early bedtime.
However, the moment we passed a roadside eatery, the plans were immediately changed.
We ordered ourselves some hot bajjis and tea and sat cross-legged on plastic chairs by the roadside, a dog sleeping under one of the tables.
Someone in the car had brought along a music player and, occasionally, a passing car would provide some background music.
Nothing special happened really, but I think this might have been one of the nicest evenings I have ever had.
Sometimes, it’s not the famous sights that one sees on a journey, but rather the calmness of being somewhere one has never been before.
A Morning Walk
The next morning, we woke up early and went for a walk.
The streets were still deserted, only to come alive as the morning progressed.
Everyone was going to the temples, shops were opening and the sky had a refreshing coldness to it.
We stopped by a small eatery for some idli, vada and coffee.
The owner there struck up a conversation with us and told us to follow his directions on the way back because he thought he knew a different and better route.
We took his recommendation and, on our way back, marveled at the beauty of the place.
It hadn’t been on our itinerary, but that didn’t change the fact that it had become one of our favorite parts of the trip.
Returning Home
The return journey was much quieter.
After being tired for the whole day, we all wanted to get some sleep soon after the meal.
It was an enjoyable one, though.
I watched the landscape roll by outside the window as I thought about the last two days.
We hadn’t managed to see all the important sights.
We had taken wrong turns, stopped too much and eaten far too much.
But somehow, it had all been wonderful.
When I unpacked my bag at home later that evening, I found two bananas at the bottom.
I had totally forgotten about them, but it seemed like they had enjoyed the trip as well.
It might take a while before the next road trip happens, but I am sure it will involve many more wrong turns, roadside tea stalls, interesting local conversations, good food and quiet mornings.
Sometimes, that’s how travelling through South India is supposed to be.