An uncomfortable happy journey

After a weekend spent well with my niece Avyuktha, I had to start from Nellore to Chennai for work. Our regular automan Salim Baiya dropped me at the bus stand by 4.10 AM on Monday morning. I enquired for the timing of the next bus to Chennai. A half awake attendant informed me that there was a private bus by 4.15, a volvo bus by 4.30 and a normal APRTC bus by 5.30 am. I had bad experiences travelling in a private bus from Nellore. The bus would stop at every possible place and make a 4 hour journey 5 - 51/2 hours. So, I decided to take up the volvo bus.

I imagined an extended sleep for 3 more hours. The bus arrived at the bus stand by 4.30. To my shock, the bus was already full. The attendent had missed to informed me that it was an enroute bus from vijayawada. Checking on my luck I asked the driver if there was any seat available. The driver showed me the engine. I thought for a while on taking the next bus. But for that I should be waiting for one more hour and the travel time would be 4 hours. By this bus I would reach Chennai in another 3 hours. With little hesitation I got into the bus and occupied the royal engine seat.

Though I couldn't lean back and relax, couldn't also escape the influence of sleep. I started sleeping once the bus moved out of the bus stand (talent uh!!) . Suddenly felt a hit on my head and woke up. The driver had applied for a sudden brake to stop at a toll plaza. I got annoyed and felt like jumping down from the bus. After a while I could listen to the birds chirping. The movement of bamboo trees created a sound accompanying the chirping of birds. It was wonderful like music. I felt the cold breeze on my face and that was refreshing. The bus speeded tearing the darkness after paying the toll fee. The stars smiled at me. The moon asked me to wake up.

I decided not to sleep but to look around. The darkness unbundled to twilight slowly like one's life's purpose getting revealed to self. The palm trees at distant looked like sepoys standing and listening to their leader. The fields were so green and beautiful. The height of the sky was inspiring. The Sun that was hiding in the forest slowly rose up and lighted the world. The lakes which were filled with silver water started to have golden water too. There were mountains around so dense that I wanted to get lost in them.

When we complain of going to office for work by 8.30-9.00 the farmers started to the fields around 6.30 AM. The white cranes decorated the green field carpet. The scenes repeated but with people doing different activities. The tea shops and idli shops were getting busier. I could see mothers getting their children ready for school and later little kids with bags heavier than them heading to the school.

Slowly started to watch the much busier city life when I reached red hills...

I enjoyed the treat of nature. This way my uncomfortable journey was a happy one.