The Desert Memories

Because I generally do not like forgetting the smallest of details of any good experience, here is a little more about the recent Rajasthan trip.

Two days before leaving I wrote to Prashant in the hope of borrowing one of his lenses - “you still don’t lend your lenses, do you?”. Luck was on my side, and he agreed to lend his Tokina 12-24 mm f4. 

I think my excitement for the trip began only when this news came in. I was jumping in office. Fist pumps too. Small joys, yes? Yes. 

I used it almost the entire time. I later realised that I clicked more pictures than I did even while I was in the mountains. 

As in Lahaul with Swetha, Vidha and I spoke endlessly. About dreams, men, people, work, history, future, culture, dance forms, friendships, music....and we still had more to talk about. 

The masala omelette sandwich in Jodhpur! Someone in office had told Vidha about this shop before we left. But we didn’t think about it until we accidently landed there looking for something else. 98 per cent of the menu had egg based options. Now you know I quit having eggs two years ago because of certain allergies of the stomach. But the warm conviction of the shop owners about how their food won’t do anything to my stomach, and Vidha’s orgasmic reaction to the sandwich had me tempted way too much. So I took the plunge and had half a sandwich. My love for eggs and the sheer time that lapsed since I last had any just added to the deliciousness of that sandwich. It was SO GOOD! It took me back to the ‘cheese omelette and ban maska at Good Luck Cafe’ days spent in Pune. And yes, the stomach was fine later. 

In the desert, I watched the sun set while laying in the cool, fine sand. Such tranquillity. So much peace that I didn’t want to move from there. One of those rare moments when the mind was clear and there were no thoughts. There were no feelings. It was just the horizon I could see and feel. 

Yet again, it was Indian Ocean that matched the mood while on the road. There is something about their music, their sound that blends perfectly with my holiday happiness and rush.