A journey to remember

I have traveled to South India quite a few times in my life and every experience has been a fascinating one. But the one which will be etched in the annals of my mind forever will be my trip back in October 2009.
That year I had no plans to visit South but I did so for the sake of a friend. Her name was Katja Kohl. A German national who was studying at the University of Mumbai as an exchange student. It was just over two months that we had known each other and here we were, travelling together to dwell into the land of the Gods.
We started from Mumbai to Mysore via Railways. The best way to travel in India is by trains. We braved the cold at night without any blankets. Reached Mysore after a 24 hour journey. For me it was just another vacation but for Katja it was about exploring another culture. She was marveled by the Dravidian architecture. From the hustle-bustle of Mumbai to the palaces of Mysore it was a happy transformation. We spent two days purchasing the famed Mysore silk Sari for her! She wouldn't have got them in Germany!
We want ahead in the heart of the Nilgiri mountains to Ooty. She was lost in the beauty of the hill-station. We spent three days wandering and both were refreshed to the fullest. The final leg of our tour took us to Kochi in Kerala. We wondered only if we could sail the vast expanse of the ocean.
We became so close to each other that we shared everything. Deep down I knew that I had started to like her but stopped short of going a step ahead. With this trip I understood one thing, traveling with a person of another culture is enchanting. It makes yo look your own culture in a different way.
Travelling in India is always a cultural shock for foreigners. She summed-up our trip perfectly, "We both saw the world with each other's eyes & we will continue to do so, albeit together or with someone else. Life never stops because at the end of one journey is the beginning of another". That trip is etched in my mind forever.