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. ;)

18 comments:

  1. Apologies for the comments section being disabled when the post was published. feel free to vent your ire !!!

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  2. sounds soo exiting ans adventurous, and its such a great work ur doin..!!
    remarkable..!!

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  3. Every voyage brings back home a person different from the one who left for it. Whatever your transformation is after this trip, do not entertain any ideas of abandoning the blog ... Bon Voyage! :)

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  4. Hehe..i dare you to try leaving your mobile phone. If nothing, it would at least lead to a very interesting post.

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  6. Sepo, i trust that this is not a sarcastic comment and yes the key word is 'sounds' !!

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  7. Sindu, one of my new year 'resolutions' is to keep writing here till death, grievous injury or intense boredom stops me. Many thanks for the wishes :)

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  8. Snigdha, anything for a good post right ? ;0

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  9. The skiing sounds awesome to me!! I'd love to try that one day. And the train journey sounds like fun. I know some may disagree abt that but I like the whole I'm sleeping while moving thing.The yoga?Not so much. Haha. The last time I tried it I was bored outta my mind. Spirituality eludes me I suppose. But hv fun and most importantly--do something crazy!:P

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  10. @ pan
    hey u r rite.. its nt at all sarcastic

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  11. You seem to live a life I am envious of!. Wow, you don't travel a lot?. then you would consider me to be a couch potato :)

    Let us know how it turns out...

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  14. Jeeves, point(s) taken. want to ski now before all the glaciers and snow melt away.since im already crazy, wont have to try extra hard to do something mad !!

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  15. Gal, its a fact that i travel more in my mind than on the road ;)_

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  16. Sounds fun! It's funny that I live in a place where we get TONS of snow and I haven't gone skiing yet! It's pretty ironic.

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  17. Wow, skiing sounds like a generous helping of adventure and fun !!
    Don't deprive us of the details though!

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  18. *sigh* To go somewhere without a phone... It sounds like heaven. I hate phones. I really do. Except when I really need one and then I become obssessed with them.

    I hope you have fun in Rishikesh.

    Jai

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Thanks for taking the time to write :)