Come Fly with me..........

I like travelling. Driving, I like even better. 

Problem is, I still haven’t got my driving license due to that fiasco which Saj mentioned earlier.

So I’m forced to use the public transport for commuting to and from my college. Not that I mind. I get extra time to sleep and observe “human nature” up close out in the urban wild this way....... It gives me food for blog....thought.

We have the tired, rusty, creaking, groaning vans which leak when it rains; with the Indian film posters stuck over the windows to hide the cracked glass. These monsters are just like adventure rides in theme parks. Just jumping over all those seats to get to the back of the van will get you hyper-ventilating!

Up front we have our driver, multi-tasking all the way! Cell-phone in his right hand; talking to his wife, his children, aunts, uncles and probably his neighbours too! He does that and also finishes his second pack of cigarettes for the day. His left hand manages the wheel, changes the gears, honks the horn and alternatively bangs on the dashboard as he swears at his neighbours for stealing his vegetables!

Driving is a perfected art for him. Honestly I’m sure he could give Michael Schumacher a run for his money if he ever gets a chance!

He’s interested in looking at everything apart from the road in front of him. Dodging cars going in the opposite direction and overtaking other cars is his specialty! And here I still have trouble reversing!

If you ever get the privilege to sit up front in a van you’ll see what I’m talking about. It’s an eye popping experience and I mean that literally!

The various people getting aboard are like different pieces of the mosaic; each telling his or her own individual story and yet blending in together too. People going to weddings or just visiting relatives, children going home from school, commuters; everyone just hails the van and it responds automatically to his command.

There is no concept of physical space. “Agar dil mein jaga hai to van mein bhi jaga nikal aye gi” is the motto of these “van-walas”.

Squashed people not so amiably chatting with one another, chewing pa’an, munching on chana’as and bars of mr’undas, slurping down the thandi doodh ki botal; crying babies, blaring music. The symphony of the dialects and the loudest of all the creaking of the van are all homely noises; weaving together into a relaxing background lullaby driving me to drowsiness after a long week at the hostel.

This is my commuting world. Dangerous yet peaceful in its own unique way.

And now there has been an invasion of the territory! Another species is trying to take over! They’re huge! With claws and beaks! And a strange hypnotizing gaze which is quite overwhelming!

Apparently poultry is now travelling with us too!

Okay, so there was just this one chicken. But to me it looked like a cross match between a turkey and a hen! Need I mention that I’m mortally afraid of everything alive other than plants and humans!

And this cross breed turkey-hen kept staring at me with its huge beady eyes. We had quite a staring match. Fortunately it soon got tired of staring at my petrified face and took a liking to my bag and spent the next half an hour happily pecking holes in it. Don’t believe me? I’ve got proof!!!!

So I’m giving my driving test again in about two weeks and hopefully this time I’ll pass. Maybe mum and dad will let me drive to college then! Hmmmm keeping my fingers crossed!