Journey to Shimla

I don’t know where to start as I hardly write any article. If I were to speak, I would have been much easier and better for me even though it will be in broken language. Yet I want to write because writing is beautiful art where one can express once inner feelings which will remain when you are long gone.

It is much easier to start with narrative story. Therefore, I have chose to write about my journey from Pemagatshel, my home to Shimla my university, where I am pursuing my master degree.

On morning of 4^th March, 2016 as usual my children are so soundly sleeping just beside me and I was asked by my elder daughter that night to wake her up before I start my journey. As she said I wake her up, I could sense she was not happy and her expression told me that if she had power she could have not let me go. She knew that she had no other option than to let me go. I let her kiss on both the cheeks and on lips. I also gently and repetitively bit her both cheeks. Then I also kissed other two children.

At 5.30 I moved towards road point where Tashi sir was waiting for me. We had made the point that I will be going till Narphung with him as he was going to Gomdar to oversee his construction site. As planed I also met Pema sir on road point who is teacher at Pemagatshel MSS , he is also pursuing master at same University and we started our journey towards Samdrup Jongkhar together.

Inside the car we were talking on various of topics, we never knew how we reached Narphung. On reaching Narphung, we went one of the shops and had hot cup of tea by sitting near the fire.  Unfortunately, that day was Friday and it was zero tolerance day for traffic violation so, not a single trucks was moving towards Samdrup Jongkhar as all the truck had overload in order to escape from the fine.

Finally, we got single cabin FCB bolero who had gone to Dungmin one of the remote geog of Pemagatshel and he was returning to his station. Comfortable we reached Samdrup Jongkhar. We had lunch and did necessary shopping. My father-in-law had also came down to meet me so, by evening we stayed in brother-in-laws house where I and father prepared our dinner. After that we had some local wine, arra and had dinner.

Early morning, we move towards main gate carrying our luggage. It took fifteen minutes to reach main gate. Both of us were tired with carrying our heavy languages. We look for auto but of no avail. So, we continue our journey towards Indian bus stand. As soon as we got into the bus it started its engine and we move toward Guwahati our destination by that bus. Within little more than three hours we were in Guwahati. We could have taken city bus to get to airport yet we took auto to reach us to airport as we have heavy baggage.

We had four hours for departure yet got into the airport and waiting for security check in the waiting room. However, within an hour we were informed that flight will be delayed by three hours. Preferring flight was no better than train services in India. Waiting for delayed fight and train is a big time torture.

Once you are inside the airport you are not allow to go outside again except you take one airline staff.  We went outside for a lunch as it was not available what we want inside the airport more over its very expensive, most probably price would be three hundred percent above the normal rate. Therefore, we preferred to go outside.

We took one auto rickshaw and went to nearest market, entered into one of the hotels in that market. Ordered lunch for us which were totally Indian dish, however, I like Indian dish. After lunch we still had enough time for the flight, we explored the market for some time. After returning back to airport we did not enter into the airport instate we roamed side of the airport. After spending some time it was time to enter inside.

Inside got boarding pass, did our security check then enter into waiting room. After waiting for some time they announced of boarding. We board in, plane took off smoothly. Plane was in the air for nearly two and half hour, by then it was time of descending and plane was descending smoothly for some time but after some time pilot announced with raw voice “fasten our seat belt” usually it was normal call but it was different this time. Plane started vibrating as if car is travelling in rough road in remote part of the country. Suddenly, plane start making unusual sound and decent the plane suddenly for about a minute. It was not normal decent, cabin crew screamed and everyone started looking at each other and I could make out that they have no other option than to pray. On such situation thousand of questions and confusion came into your head. What pilot might be doing and thinking? Is he trained enough to handle such situation? Is plane is in good condition? Shall I trust plane engineer who inspect the plane before takeoff? I felt as if I was watching National Geographic Channel on investigation of plane crash. I could clearly see how plane crash news will reach to my home, will my wife could be the first person to know that but she seldom watch the news or she must get news from other source about my departure from the earth. I thought I shall never travel by air if I have other option.

Spontaneously the vision of Guru Rinpoche came in front of me with Baza guru on my lips. Before I could realize I have chanted numbers of times. I have been travelling by air for many times and I had developed confidence on air plane unlike first time on board.  At first, I had to really hold my breath while take off and until the plane is landed, had mixed feeling of fear and joy as you are flying but if anything goes wrong you are gone forever.

This time I spent my longest one minute on air in my life. Finally, pilot could stabilize the plane. Finally, sky was clear and I could see the Delhi city with sparking light through the window. I was relief yet I was holding my breath until I could see the airport touching the plane’s wheels on the ground. I was much relief, other co-passengers had the same feeling I could make out from there facial expression. You feel much safe on land.  Then I knew why plane was late it’s because of bad weather which made my longest one minute in my life.

We got into city bus and traveled for an hour to bus stand from airport. It was much safer to travel in bus than in air despite reckless travelling nature of the city bus; at lest you could console by saying there is possibility of survival from bus accident unlike plane crash.     

As per plan we could move out form Delhi bus stand by 10 PM towards Shimla. Half of the seat was empty and we had the luxury of sleeping flat on three seater seat. I stayed in the last seat as I can sleep as if I am in the bed as there was no one on last seat. I took out two jacket I used one as pillow and one as blanket. In half sleep when bus bumps in bumpers, I felt as if I was in the same plane which I was travelling in that after noon. I was haunted throughout my journey. After four hours of journey we reach to Chandigarh bus stop. Good numbers of passenger got into the bus yet I had the luxury of sleeping in last seat as they had enough seats in front. 

I had gone into sleep and when I wake up it was bright and time was 6.45 AM and I could see the Shimla town. My sleep was all over and I was fresh. I combed my hair with hand and adjust my coat and pants fully prepared to debark form the bus on station. We took one taxi to get to our home from bus stand. 

Finally, we reach Shimla safely.