Road Trip Reflections

I came back from this road trip with so much more than pictures and memories. There are people I met along the way, complete strangers, who probably have no idea how much they became a part of my journey. 

 1. That Dhaba near Mantralaya, where I felt strangely powerful just because I was a woman behind the wheel. 

2. That aged muthaidhe at Huligamma Temple, who blessed me with so much warmth, expecting absolutely nothing in return. 

3. That stranger at a Hampi café, who shared a small ciggie and a little moment of his life with me. 

4. That middle-aged man who stopped to help me remove the wheel from a Honda I had accidentally hit. 

5. That girl near Hospet, who unknowingly taught me to complain a little less and love life a little more, just the way it is.

Five strangers. Five moments. None of them planned. All of them staying with me. I thought I was taking a road trip to see places. Turns out, I needed to meet people. 

People who reminded me of kindness, courage, contentment and the beauty of being a complete stranger to someone. And maybe, just maybe, this was exactly why I needed to take that road trip. 

The roads were beautiful. The people, even more.