Lost in translation

I’ve been subtitling a video for an NGO about a remarkable woman in her 50s in a Keralan village. Someone who’s still full of life and laughter despite tragedy being her constant companion in life. People like her inspire me to make the most of my blessings. Also, in the past week, I dusted off a few moldy VHS tapes featuring some ancient home videos and a 1986 wedding and ripped them into DVDs. It was funny to see myself as a gawky teenager (something that I’ve still not outgrown, according to mom) with braces. Even more curious to see my parents younger and surprisingly not bad looking at all! How people change over a decade and half!  The wedding of my aunt, the first in the family to be ‘caught on tape’ was such a simple affair.

Regular readers might have noticed that although the author claims to be a vagabond, he doesn’t actually do much travelling. So to set the record straight, in a few days time, I’m finally planning to move my butt and do things I have wanted to do for a very long time. First I’m off to foggy Delhi, travelling by train in sleeper class. Excitement guaranteed for 3 days! Then the trail leads to Manali and further up where I’m joining a skiing camp. This has been a childhood dream of mine: to learn to ski. When almost your entire life is spent in the tropics, snow takes on a magical quality. Skiing and snow were mysterious things that I saw on TV screens, surreal. I always thought it would remain that way. So improbable. But now with loads of free time, it’s a possibility. After a couple of weeks on the ski circuit, its back to Delhi and then off to Rishikesh where I’m enrolled for a 2 months yoga course. Let’s see if I last that long.

I’m almost sure that the ski station near Manali won’t have internet access. About the ashram in Rishikesh I don’t know if I can sneak away once a week for surfing the net. I hope to log in at least once a week to update this blog.  I’ve almost totally made up my mind that I will not be taking a phone with me. I like these periods when I’m cut off from the ‘media world’, not reading newspapers or watching television. But so far I have not tried to go without a mobile phone.

 I’m already feeling a little nervous and excited. It’s always that way for me with regards to all long term travel. There’s a not so small part of my mind muttering about the craziness of the whole thing. Why leave a warm clime and cozy home to freeze your butt off somewhere?
Ah, the trepidation of insecurity and also the pull of adventure. But I do hope to continue writing and telling everybody else what a wonderful time I’m having. ;)