My meaningless wanderings

I had never traveled alone before; however this was a period when I wanted to get away from it all. On an impulse, I set off, travelling to a nondescript beach town. It was awkward because in India, travel is a social activity and solo travellers are either looked at with suspicion or as social outcasts. I was immensely self-conscious and preferred to immerse myself in my books with only a vague idea of where I had to go. I must have presented a strange sight, with only my haversack for company, eliciting open mouths and long stares, perhaps fathoming the reason why a seemingly sane person would wander off alone in a place that did not quite fit into a tourist’s map. To combat the dreaded ‘single’ inquisitions, I made up an alibi, of a travel writer on a project to review this relatively unknown beach town and the attractions it offered. This helped me find a room in an under construction inn after a lot of efforts and wanderings. At the crack of dawn, I tumbled out to take a look at my surroundings. Wandering around the verdant, cobbled streets, with street animals and the odd early riser for company, I felt a strange sense of discovery. Rounding off the corners were school children, their faces reflecting the pure, unadulterated joys of childhood as they marched on. How would life in a laid down place like this be? I mulled as I made my way to the beach, the town’s only connect with fame, its window to the outside world, dotted with soft, golden sands and blessed with clear, turquoise waters. The waves seemed to reflect the town’s character – languid and unforceful, unwilling to break on the shores, even when willed on by the wind and the forces beneath. As I walked over the smooth stretch of sand, with my bare feet, feeling a tingle run up my body, I marvelled at the tranquillity that I felt. I felt that that the sea was my calling and I had been chosen to unravel its secrets. I closed my eyes, as I squatted, my senses in a trance with the wind whispering in my ears and seagulls flying above me. As if willed on by the forces of nature, I entered into a meditative state thinking about my journey. It seemed surreal, did I ever imagine myself to be traveling alone in search of peace, to be a figure, silhouetted against the morning sun on a lonely beach, facing the waves and wondering “how did I end up here?” To break free you really do not need company. Sometimes, a moment is truly worth the whole journey. Sometimes, you have to wander to find yourself.