Country Roads take me home: Ambikapur 360 Kms

July 26, 2013 4 Comments

"For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move".
Robert Louis Stevenson


There was a time when there was no GPS, no navigator and travel still was fun. It had that mysterious value, thrill attached to it for embarking on a journey and exploring new roads. I am talking about time way back in 1980's when I was in school and often used to go for short-long tips with my maternal uncle whom I used to "Chand mama" (A childhood legend where moon is fondly called Mama- Maternal uncle and I fondly called my uncle as Chandmama).

Those were the amazing trips of my life. Given a chance, I would love to relive one of those trips again. The trips were often routes than destinations. Often the destination was decided during the course of journey, decided and discovered. Companions used to follow. The only definitive used to be the Journey and willingness to venture in a trip.

Road trips are best way to explore the beauty of nature via the nearest route. The inane wish to travel to new lands were best fulfilled by road trips.
Go with the flow, go wherever the roads go.


My idea of a perfect road trip: An excuse to travel


I spent an enormous part of my childhood at my maternal grand parents' place. I was a free spirited, roaming bird and love to explore unknown places. A wild wish that was often given wings and roots by my eldest uncle who was my mom, my pop, my sibling and my best friend all in one. 



If I can beat time and space continuum, I would like to take one of my childhood road trips again. Trips where routes and destination where defined by frame of mind or by mood of weather. When you have a liberty to wish, then wish something unique and quite wishful :) 

"All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware."

Martin Buber

For my perfect road trip, I would prefer my same old routine, the one I used to do in childhood. I will go back to my routes and become the child again and go for destination infinity road trip with my uncle. I would like to re-live those old moments. We would chose the same old Fiat Premiere Padmini- the exclusive grey color car that he bought exclusively for me so that I can go wherever I want in the most exclusive piece of machinery available that time. The car bore my full name in caps behind the back screen. May be in 2013, I would like to exchange that car for a convertible. So that I can lower the roof and sing- Aaj phir jeene ki tammana hai from the legendary movie- Guide. The back storage of car would have the same red color big ice box filled with my favorite cold drinks. There will be no dearth of edibles in my car which would include all favorite finger foods and ready to cook foods while on jungle safari.
I would go back to same litchi farms and with help of farm staff pick up the most juiciest of litchi and dump them in my car rear seat without fear of any distinctive smell. The lovely red, juicy fruit. A taste that still lingers my heart, a taste that I will savor again on my journey.

I would revisit countryside where nature thrives, where nature grows. I would again stop by at the mango orchard and savor the sweet nectar. 

Two's company and three's crowd. We are having fun and you are not allowed!
There are two ways of enjoy a road trip. One either you go alone. Two, in company of fewer yet like minded people. In my case, I would like to resume it back with my uncle who is no more in this world though still in my own world. We both were great fan of Hindi music. From classic to retro to latest, there wasn't any song that we have not heard of, there wasn't any song that did not played on our car stereo. No joy like going round the road, humming. 

Ambikapur 360 Kms

Ambikapur is a sleepy town in Surguja district where I have spent a major portion of my childhood and traveled a lot around for family visits, fun and sheer experience of exploration. One of my memorable trip was way back in 80's when we traveled almost 360 degree angle sides of Ambikapur city. Yes, it was not a cautious plan but we did it. 

Some of my trips were to our neighboring villages like Kusmi, Wadrafnagar, where my grand father has owned lands and had many farmers working on them. I remember, how we used to take an hour or two' break journey at the house of village head, participate in local trouble shooting, sip the "kulhad wali chai" and some local delicatessen from the villages and ah the smell of mud houses of Madhya Pradesh.

When it rains, the earth dispels a very sweet smell. What is trip without getting to stop by a local Dhaba (small highway restaurant). I would like to spot a traditional dhaba, stop by, will sit cross legged on the village cot and enjoy desi food before reconvening my trip. 




Now I really want to go for my perfect trip. Ambipur, thanks for refreshing my memories back.


Lets take on the roads
the country roads
the wide highways
the roads that leads to home
the roads that may lead to Rome
For who has seen Rome yet
There is so much places to roam.







Let's embark on a journey
the route is destination along
the long wide roads of my village
the short narrow lanes of home town
Let's enjoy the rain, if it down pours
follow the water trail, chase the rainbow
passing by the paddy and corn fields
lets throw a glance as long


Let stop by a small hill
let's put a tent on
to rest the spirits for the night
and next morning turn vagabond

Lets cross the desert
let's pass by the snow fall
much away from city traffic
much away from chaos of horn



My perfect road trip will be full of these
Fun, adventure, music & song
nature, beautiful weather, rain & food
and the roads not traveled before

Let's go for a perfect trip
let's make every trip a perfect one
let's relish that most memorable trip
let's add more for memoirs song
***



This post is written for the "Perfect Road trip" contest by Indiblogger and Ambipur. To know more, pl do visit Ambipur' Facebook page here- facebook.com/AmbiPurIndia

The autor is half Human, half machine. Go Figure or just revel in what I write

4 comments:

Hi Folks,

You heard me...now its time for Bouquets and Brickbats!

My Social Media Channels