I never though I could feel so different – Strange

I never though I could feel so different – Strange

I can comfortable boast of been travelling all by myself for over 15 years now. Quite used to the way one has to make oneself sink into the environment of the place and just be there. The best way to experience a place. Some times doing it over and over again one gets quite over confident of oneself till something tells you not always! And such experiences are amazing.

As I try to sink into Orissa environment, on one of my trips, it sure gave me a stare.

It was all planned for me to land in Bhuvaneshwar, take the next train to Balsore or Baleshwar as it reads on the train ticket, well over confident, I still don’t know. Quite unprepared for the delay in the flight and for sure I missed the connecting train. In a way also glad or else would have missed this experience.

My local friend had asked me to reach the bus stop in case I miss the train. So I did dutifully till I realised that I was only dropped off on the periphery of the bus stop. With the first feeling of eeriness, I could not see another women for next 30 min. Standing close to a porch of a make shift eatery. The kind eatery owner invited me for a platter of rice and dal (looked to me like the local staple) he was really industrious to believe I will eat their. (No offences but rather too unclean) But it helped break ice with the place I was in. (thanks to him)

As I start to mingle with the bus agents I also make an effort to understand the local system and also find out that I should be venturing ‘into’ bus stop actually 5 minutes walk further. As I walk into the bus stop it looked like almost any other place. As soon as I get into bus stop the agents hover over me. Till I decide to call the agents number given to me by my friend.

He soon appears to the scene. (I guess not knowing the local language added to confusion, but in all my best linguistic efforts was trying best to understand what was going on). He is not able to say much before is fellow agents but cleverly suggest me to call back to my local friend as getting of place he says is not Balasor. Only then I start fetching into bag for the venue and realise I do not have one. ‘Good’ – or ‘Gooooooood’

Try calling this local friend and he is out of reach. Luckily enough I get through and he asks me to stick with the bus arrangement he has made. He quite insists strangely not sharing why.

After a talk with the agent I realise it’s still 2 hours before we start and plan to have food, now really hungry and tired, as we would be reach only by 8 or 9 in the evening. Next I find an auto and negotiate, and even the lower rate seems kind of high for me.
All this time I have been getting ‘look’ from people not able to quite decipher what it means. New to the culture and place and the language it really had started getting on my nerves. I had started getting restless but holding back. This is what was different this time around.

We travel on this long road he (auto) stops by a relatively descent hotel. As I walk in very unlikely of me – looking for some women’s’ attendance- in the place.

Anyway once there I decide to have food their. As I get more comfortable and tell myself that no one is looking at me I see more and more faces staring at me. One 7-8 year old cleaning boy looks at me and I ask for more dal and try my best to feel comfortable.

Only later when I am here (at the bus stop writing this blog) I realise when I heard ‘Didi’ form the bus attendant, that all those stares was not so much about eyeing but more about being surprised at a women all by herself in pants and a combination one would have seen most unlikely in this environment.

Back at Bus Stop I call the agent he indicates the bus will be soon in place and everything kinda starts following in place and the driver and the conductor make me feel comfortable. Finally there is an old lady in the bus now over 3 hours and to top it all, they play Hindi songs which look very unlikely of them. As most buses have oria music going on.

Finally I get a feeling of a friendly hand extended by the local environment :-) Happy me.