I'm not a fan of throwing darts at a map, I consider myself more of a gut instinct kind of person. But In a land of a billion people you can't always get the train ticket you want, so sometimes it's a mix of both can and want.
On a last minute-gut instinct inspired-change of plans, I decided to board a 23 hour train from Chennai to Gokarna, where I quickly reaped the benefits of my ever improving 'good time radar'. It took me almost 2 weeks to escape the grip of that little beach town, but more so it was the grip of the amazing people that I met which really kept me put. New friends, new memories, and a new appreciation for this lifestyle I'm currently enjoying.
At the start of my trip I felt that anyone who could handle India for 2 months should get a medal or trophy of some sort; my jaw would almost drop when people told me they've been here for 3,4, or 5 months. But 2 months in and I'm nowhere near ready to return home, not in the slightest. I do find myself getting ahead of myself sometimes by day dreaming of breezy Vancouver Summer nights, weekend camping trips with friends, and bike rides on non-chaotic streets. I say this because I haven't even scratched the surface of Northern India yet, and if all goes to plan I still have another 2-3 months to go.
It's not homesickness that's making these thoughts. I know it's not. It's just me getting excited for a future chapter in this fun filled year I have planned out. British Columbia will always be my home and it's perfectly normal to miss something you love when you're separated from it for months on end. But sometimes I need to give myself a smack across the face to refocus on what's relevant (always have been a bit of a mind wanderer).
That being said I'm back in Bombay, the place where it all began 2 months and 4 days ago. I've hooked up with a friend whom I met in previous travels 2 years ago while in Brazil. The randomness of life has made sure we'd meet almost 2 years later to the day in India (where else would we have met?). From here it's on to Udaipur where my next adventure begins.
I look forward to getting back into photography mode and updating this blog more often as my Northern travels progress. I find the beach life a bit bland to photograph and write about....apart from the odd beach cow and sunset that is.
On a last minute-gut instinct inspired-change of plans, I decided to board a 23 hour train from Chennai to Gokarna, where I quickly reaped the benefits of my ever improving 'good time radar'. It took me almost 2 weeks to escape the grip of that little beach town, but more so it was the grip of the amazing people that I met which really kept me put. New friends, new memories, and a new appreciation for this lifestyle I'm currently enjoying.
At the start of my trip I felt that anyone who could handle India for 2 months should get a medal or trophy of some sort; my jaw would almost drop when people told me they've been here for 3,4, or 5 months. But 2 months in and I'm nowhere near ready to return home, not in the slightest. I do find myself getting ahead of myself sometimes by day dreaming of breezy Vancouver Summer nights, weekend camping trips with friends, and bike rides on non-chaotic streets. I say this because I haven't even scratched the surface of Northern India yet, and if all goes to plan I still have another 2-3 months to go.
It's not homesickness that's making these thoughts. I know it's not. It's just me getting excited for a future chapter in this fun filled year I have planned out. British Columbia will always be my home and it's perfectly normal to miss something you love when you're separated from it for months on end. But sometimes I need to give myself a smack across the face to refocus on what's relevant (always have been a bit of a mind wanderer).
That being said I'm back in Bombay, the place where it all began 2 months and 4 days ago. I've hooked up with a friend whom I met in previous travels 2 years ago while in Brazil. The randomness of life has made sure we'd meet almost 2 years later to the day in India (where else would we have met?). From here it's on to Udaipur where my next adventure begins.
I look forward to getting back into photography mode and updating this blog more often as my Northern travels progress. I find the beach life a bit bland to photograph and write about....apart from the odd beach cow and sunset that is.
It was so good catching up Chris. So so good. Looking forward to your future updates. Jealously of course!
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