http://picasaweb.google.com/meenal18/RoadTripMe
so i exceeded the word limit of the last post and am continuing here. the first couple of days we drove on the CA-1 and the last couple of days on the 101. although the CA-1 is very scenic it has several curving and winding roads and they get to one after a point. if you want to take your own sweet time and make many stops then take the 1 else stay with the 101 or do we like we did - combine the travel on the two :)
the 101 too has given us some extremely beautiful views and vistas. oregon country is gorgeous, the redwoods have been replaced by the cedars but the rock formations in the ocean are spectacular and often to the left are other water bodies like lakes or rivers, also the beaches only get better as one travels up north. we have not yet taken the plunge or even a dip, but that shall be rectified soon enough.
the afternoon was spent in a town called 'coos bay', lunch at a german place called 'the blue heron'. there seems to be some connection between the town and a call to war. the blue heron had several posters of 'uncle sam wanting you' and all the ideals that one can fight for "plenty to eat", "safety and security" combined with framed old covers of 'the post'. a place with character, unlike the other two cafes we ate at rather too touristy and the decor a trifle overdone and kitschy. but what is wrong with kitsch? it can be celebrated too.
four days on the road and my chakras are whirring big time. now and then when i am still i can feel my self returning to my body, or after i eat something substantial, or manage ot take a deep breath unawares. my cuz is moving her legs about, probably in her sleep but i wonder if my activity is keeping her awake. after all we are all connected, and our energies interpaly with each others'. as a kid she used to thrash her legs about in her sleep and i often took her kicks in bed but my fondness for her remained intact. as it does even today, although i am glad i do not have to sleep in the same bed.
it is time now to take a bath. the campground had the facilities of a slot machine shower and i was rather keen to have that expereince too, but not enough to wait in a queue for it. so good night world tomorrow i see you again in the form of a road that i need to traverse to get to my destination.....could i be more profound?? :)
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
on the road
http://picasaweb.google.com/meenal18/RoadTrip_medha
the journey has begun and has been on for three no four days now and i need to remind myself to cheer it and be excited about it every now and again. why is it that the anticipation of a desired event is more exciting than the actual occurance? and later there will be the memories...but in the moment is just the moment. this moment of sitting at the laptop after a day long's driving; there i am out of the moment already and into the day that came before. but what the hell if i am writing a blog about something surely i need to travel back to the occurance of it. so might as well start at the start (a very good place to start) {ofo ab aage bhi to bolo na!} of the road trip.
but that is not how i want to do it either - a recounting of names of places and date and time logs and some descriptions...so what then? the experiencing of it. the first day was the happiest as well as the most anxiety ridden. right from buying a GPS that included getting a costco membership, to going back home for lunch of mutton rassa and fish curry, returning to base even before starting out...then the jokes just a wee bit self-deprecating but with the good humour intact. second day also good, slightly guilty about spending the night at a cosy inn in a cute lavender room that was almost made to order...the talk or chat between two cousins full of childhood reminiscences, laughter at memories of events that might at one time have even been painful, thinking fondly of other cousins and imagining them getting hiccoughs, also this and that, some spontaneous ramblings, lots of singing of shared favourite songs and the theme song is
"suhana safar aur yeh mausam hansi,
hume dar he hum kho na jaye kahin"
roughly translated - 'this lovely journey and the beautiful weather,
we wonder (apprehensively) if we will not lose our way'
so okay now the names and logs - the place with the lavender room was called 'tomales' and it had a way that led to the beach called 'dillon beach'. the next night we stayed at 'humboldt gables' a cheaper motel though still decent and fine, in a town called 'rio del'. and the third night we finally managed to reach the redwood national forest campgrounds at del norte. setting up the tent was a piece of cake though falling asleep proved to be a much more difficult job. but then i have insomnia of sorts. my insomnia is dependant on several factors - what i have eaten and how much of it, if i have had any physical exercise, if i have had any alcohol, or if hubby dear has had any, if we have fought, if he is mentally active or fast asleep, etc. etc. in short a far too many factors and quite a few that i cannot control.
though i ate well and exercised well too last night the ground was too hard underneath. the exercise had come from the hike on the trail in the redwood forest along the coast. a pity that one could hear the highway for a good part of the way. ut we did not stay on the trail, the beaten track and took an off-shoot which was some abandoned old road and not quite as steep. i could climb fairly effortlessly as long as i maintained the rhythm of my breath but when i lost that the struggle began. and i lost it when i chased after "fun" and played the fool.
the journey has begun and has been on for three no four days now and i need to remind myself to cheer it and be excited about it every now and again. why is it that the anticipation of a desired event is more exciting than the actual occurance? and later there will be the memories...but in the moment is just the moment. this moment of sitting at the laptop after a day long's driving; there i am out of the moment already and into the day that came before. but what the hell if i am writing a blog about something surely i need to travel back to the occurance of it. so might as well start at the start (a very good place to start) {ofo ab aage bhi to bolo na!} of the road trip.
but that is not how i want to do it either - a recounting of names of places and date and time logs and some descriptions...so what then? the experiencing of it. the first day was the happiest as well as the most anxiety ridden. right from buying a GPS that included getting a costco membership, to going back home for lunch of mutton rassa and fish curry, returning to base even before starting out...then the jokes just a wee bit self-deprecating but with the good humour intact. second day also good, slightly guilty about spending the night at a cosy inn in a cute lavender room that was almost made to order...the talk or chat between two cousins full of childhood reminiscences, laughter at memories of events that might at one time have even been painful, thinking fondly of other cousins and imagining them getting hiccoughs, also this and that, some spontaneous ramblings, lots of singing of shared favourite songs and the theme song is
"suhana safar aur yeh mausam hansi,
hume dar he hum kho na jaye kahin"
roughly translated - 'this lovely journey and the beautiful weather,
we wonder (apprehensively) if we will not lose our way'
so okay now the names and logs - the place with the lavender room was called 'tomales' and it had a way that led to the beach called 'dillon beach'. the next night we stayed at 'humboldt gables' a cheaper motel though still decent and fine, in a town called 'rio del'. and the third night we finally managed to reach the redwood national forest campgrounds at del norte. setting up the tent was a piece of cake though falling asleep proved to be a much more difficult job. but then i have insomnia of sorts. my insomnia is dependant on several factors - what i have eaten and how much of it, if i have had any physical exercise, if i have had any alcohol, or if hubby dear has had any, if we have fought, if he is mentally active or fast asleep, etc. etc. in short a far too many factors and quite a few that i cannot control.
though i ate well and exercised well too last night the ground was too hard underneath. the exercise had come from the hike on the trail in the redwood forest along the coast. a pity that one could hear the highway for a good part of the way. ut we did not stay on the trail, the beaten track and took an off-shoot which was some abandoned old road and not quite as steep. i could climb fairly effortlessly as long as i maintained the rhythm of my breath but when i lost that the struggle began. and i lost it when i chased after "fun" and played the fool.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
and i am on my way and won't be back for many a day. my heart is down my head is turning around .....
so i am planning for the road trip i will be making with a cousin of mine. we go up from san jose all the way to seattle and back. mostly along the coast on the 101. it is a 101 for the both of us neither have made a trip like this ever. we will be driving and don't really know a whole lot about cars. the plan of action is that there is no plan - just play it by the ear, follow the heart etc. there are some wonderful parks, national reserves on the way where we will camp or find motels and just drive through the countryside. that has been my picture of america in any case thanks to tonnes of films "thelma and louise" primarily but also many others prequels with male protagonists.
i would very much like to take along a comp with a wi fi so i can maintain this blog on the road but that may or may not be possible.
the cousin i am going with is just six months younger than me so as kids we were in the same age group. we were best friends and the highlight of my summer vacations was that i would get to meet her. that and the one 'enid blyton' book that my aunt was sure to get for me. the treasures.
i remember going to the beach with her and also having communal baths in the bathroom that had a copper stove (bamba) for hot water with live coals going. we went in with our panties on of course and sometimes even the little white petticoats (slips really) that we wore under the frocks. giggling away to glory the baths were splashing times. i still enjoy the water immensely but don't have such boisterous company with me anymore.
just today i went for a swim. finally after days and days of longing. even then i had to just sit by the pool for quite a while then gingerely step into the spa with warm water. i was planning to leave after but tested the pool water with my toes decided it would not be too cold and jumped. am i glad i did. where and why the hell have i acquired all these needless inhibitions along the way? anyhow point is not to lambast them but to observe them, accept them, and overcome them. cheers to summer days and warm waters :)
Monday, July 7, 2008
a start
and this is my first blog. what shall i say that is suitably profound or spontaneous or deep and meaningful without being too ponderous and serious?
firstly that i am inspired to blog my dear friend manju's blog Baktoo.blogspot.com
and that i have had this idea for some time now to write an open journal a sort of stream of consciousness diary that explores the self and the Self underneath or rather pervading all through, in the surface as well as the depths, in the self as well as the other and the world or rather the universe at large. therefore the title a take on 'i am that that thou art'.
that is the goal and if you can imagine and believe you are there, then that is where you are.
the writing may not always be so deep as i will attempt to put forth all that comes to mind and at times it might be just the tv serial i watched this morning, 'dharma and greg'. i enjoy the play between the contradictions yin and yang 'ultra rich and not so rich', 'conservative and experimental', 'hip and yuppy', 'profit motivated and the nature nurturers' etc. etc.
possibly because my marraige plays between the 'scientific and spiritual' 'rational and mystical'
'intellectual and emotional' axises or is it axii?
and now i am hungry and also ought to have a bath.
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