Yelagiri

While Pondicherry was my first road trip, Yelagiri signified an important milestone that validated the traveller in me. The context of this road trip is as impromptu it can get. It was a normal day of the week. I was on a call with my friend, who lives in Tirupati. Out of nowhere, we decided that we would go somewhere. Yelagiri, a quaint hill station, was about a 5 hour ride away. It was the perfect choice. The problem was that, when I had this conversation with my friend, it was already midnight. As students, we had a several financial constraints. We had no buffer money, just as much as was needed. The bike, was an old Royal Enfield, whose reliability we were not aware of. As you read my story further, you’ll realise that we were wrong about this bike. This bike was as out of its mind as we were. It was a horse and a tank at the same time and would propel us to many places in the near future. So, two eighteen year olds, with little money, an old bike, and zero experience set off riding into the night to a relatively far off destination.

This trip taught us many important bike riding basics. From the importance of helmets to the value of a tooth brush, we learnt it all, the hard way. This trip materialised out of the pure will and grit of two teenagers, who wanted to go on a road trip.

We could have played victim to our circumstances, and settled for spending the night at home, the much safer and feasible option. We did not and here I am, 6 years later, the memories fresh in my my mind, not regretting a single decision that I made. Life is similar to travelling in many ways. If you victimise yourself, it will seem like the end of the world. If you persistently brave through life’s uncertainties, you will view every obstacle as a moulding tool to your character.