The fun of travelling was the plan that were never made. Such travelling brings much of challenges and some travel fun memories that remain for long. This weekend was a surprise packages waiting for me too, and it was unfolded right sharp at 8.30.AM on Saturday morning.
While we brothers were having some conversation in our courtyard, suddenly one of them popped up with travelling plan. and no second to waste me and my younger cousin ser up ourself to make the plan. My brother runs a banks in village, and at moment of second he was ready too for the outing. We decided a plan to travel to puri, a place famous for pilgrimage site and also famous for beaches.
However making plan and its execution requires a lot of challenges. And that too happened to us as well. The biggest challenges was to look out for train reservation, the convenience of travelling lingbdistanves. This has been a point of concern, as it is next to impossible to have a quick same days reservation on any any day in Indian railway. Still we made several attempt to make reservation.. we tried multiple option but miserably failed. We were running out of time and there were many things to cover. From packaging to transport to lodging nothing was planned nor ready for us. We were made up our mind to travel at any cost. It was like unwinding ourself at all possible means.
Puri has been a dream destination for people of all ages. Last time I went there was in 1989 aling with my Dad, while my brother went there in 2008. So we were already desperate to have this trip. While we wanted to enjoy in the beach at the same time also wanted to take the Lord Jaganath blessing. When we failed to get any train booking we opted for bus, such was our desperation for thr travel. The bus service to puri was available from the capital city of our state, which was good 350 km far away from our home. Yet we make sure to reach before the last bus depart. We took the local passenger train at 10.AM to reach there.
Lucj was little on our side, as there were only two tickets left in the evning bus. We boarded this bus at 6.30 PM. This was going to be my my first long distance bus travelling. It was going to be a 14 hours inside the bus. That is why for long distances travelling railway has been a good option. The bus that ply on long distances have good setting arrangement. Seats were comfortable and there were few sleeping seats too at the too Which were built on the top of the seating seats.
Traveling in bus at night give you some pleasant memories, while it makes few stoppages in between, for breaks, it also allow you to see things and roadside motel set up. These motel opened up 24hrs. Our bus stopped at a motel for passenger dinner at 8.30 PM. But it is a choice to have it or not. So we just wander outside for fresh air, while other passenger and driver took their meals.
What, I like the most about the motel were the old cot system to sit and enjoy the meals. Though the the meals cost little less more than usual rate, the set up sometimes inspires to have a meals.
Our travel begins after a quick 30 min break. The driver made honking to call the others paseengers who were roaming. And we once again start our journey. At 1.30AM (Sundsy) the bus again made a stop at a tea shop. While there was a lunar eclipse visible up innthe sky few people enjoy some hot sip. It was mild cold, as winter is just begining up in India. It was good little time and break for driver who were driving continously.
It was fun joy full night and our journey getting little interesting. Though we hardly had enough sleep, we enjoyed watching netflix and some chit chat about how to spend next couple of days. Finally, we reached our destination 8.30 AM. We soon started lookjng out Looked out for some lodging arrangement..Being a pilgrimage location, if you could cravk a good deal. You won!
However the fight just beguns for us....and we have more stories to share. As we are traveling to this far eastern side of India, after long time. We have more struggle and challenges to to share, but we need to enjoy first..completelly surrendering ourself at the beauty of the beach
Our journey was unplanned and full of challenged, yet we reached so far. Writing this post from the beautiful beach of Puri.
