My Solo trip ;-)

So this used to be a long standing joke between an old friend and me.. That I will undertake a solo trip someday.. and whenever I would talk about undertaking this 'solo trip', my friend would trip over me, cracking a lot of mean jokes at my expense.. Well, for those of you who know me closely probably know about my terrific sense of direction or rather the lack of it! I'm just terrible with directions.. I just can't seem to remember routes/roads/places/landmarks.. I'm directionally challenged.. so much so that another friend would joke saying that if she took me outside office and just swirled me around I wouldn't know in which direction to proceed in order to reach my house.. and that's precisely why Google Maps was invented.. To lead the 'blind' people like me.. lol..

Recently went home to Bangalore for a bit.. The normal mode of transport between Bangalore and Hassan used to be the Airavat (sigh! how much I miss you Airavat).. However, owing to the present scenario I thought it would be safer to drive down to Hassan.. I had spent months fantasising this moment.. Where I would load all my luggage in the car and just drive away from home, with my family waving to me from the balcony.. And I would zip through the highway all the way to Hassan.. And complete my 'solo' trip in 3 hours flat.. Ahem! I need not remind you all that reality is much different from fantasy..

So at first when I announced that I will be driving back to Hassan my husband was surprised.. sorry I meant 'shocked'.. he was shocked! anyway it was a risk we decided to take.. And so, before undertaking the drive to Hassan I was given a set of instructions by hubby darling.. Some of them were:

1. Do not drive above 60kmph.
2. Do not slow down the car or stop for anyone.
3. Do not roll down the windows for anyone while slowing down the car.
4. Do not listen to music while driving.

Do wives ever listen to any instructions given by their husbands? (This is a rhetorical question.. Besides we all know the answer to this question.. lol) 

Well honestly,  I meant to follow all the instructions my hubby gave me for the drive.. See, I thought "Google lady" would talk to me throughout the drive from Bangalore to Hassan.. But the moment we reached the exit to Bangalore "Google lady" said "Now drive straight for 150 kms".. and then she went to sleep.. 3 hours of silence is just too much for anyone to take.. So I decided to listen to songs from my special playlist.. 

So I was driving, carefully.. Wasn't really paying attention to the playlist.. It was only when I heard, Flo Rida crooning "Can you blow my whistle baby, whistle baby, let me know..." I began to pay attention to the lyrics.. And then my thoughts wandered to an imaginary conversation with my daughter who, if she had heard this particular song, would ask me things like "Mama, why is this man asking for someone to blow his whistle? Is he a PT teacher? Can't he blow his own whistle?".. This would be an embarrassing conversation to have with my daughter.. and so I was making a mental note to delete this particular song from my playlist when I was suddenly woken out of my reverie.. A 2 wheeler behind me was zipping at breakneck speed.. He wanted to take over.. and I made way for this guy to overtake me.. Once he overtook my car he turned back twice to look at me.. I wonder if he was expecting an applause since he overtook me.. Well I saw the same guy at the toll booth.. wanted to wave at him.. But then I didn't want to appear too cocky.. so I just continued driving at a comparatively slow speed of 80kmph.. the minute I got too confident and wanted to step on the gas so to speak, suddenly I could hear this music which those men holding a coffin dance to.. That was enough to bring me back to reality and shift my foot from the accelerator and move it nearer to the brake..

Well, the route to Hassan is picturesque, what with all the greenery and the clouds.. So I was taking in the view when I caught sight of 3 cars and 2 buses behind me all trying to overtake each other.. Scenes from F1 racing! So I slowed down, let all the vehicles pass.. and continued my slow drive.. Yes compared to all others I was driving at a snail's pace.. But I believe it's better to reach late than never! 

The only exciting thing that happened on the drive was when a lady was trying to cross the road with her sheep.. Yes! scenes straight out of a village.. Also a man was crossing the road like a tortoise.. He looked at me and for once I thought he was challenging me to run him over!.. Well, I'm too pretty to be wearing prison clothes so I decided to exercise 'patience' and let the guy cross the road and then drove away..

Finally Google Lady woke up and announced "Turn right - in 100 mts your destination will be on the left!"

So thus ended my first 'solo trip'.. I did enjoy the drive.. Although it's very tiring.. I wonder how people regularly undertake long distance drives.. They probably have more stamina and definitely a better sense of direction, than me!

Well I'm happy I reached my destination safely.. 

Google maps ki jai!!!!

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