Story of a photo: Thiruvannamalai

I searched for the perfect setting. I wanted to show what I was seeing. But I chose this photo for a diferent reason. I chose it for the moment. It was special. I had to venture out to the rock tobe where you see this landscape. Above me, the shelter of a bush. It was a perfect place. I felt the breeze that came with tropical flavor and listen to the music of the city with a unique softness. Seeing it so beautiful, everything stopped. And there I was. In a second out of time.

New Year's Eve

Time for reflection and wishes - like. Day of stress - dislike. Party - like. Artificial - dislike. This is my relationship with the New Year's eve. Always despising, always partying. In this trip it was the same. For a week I struggled to know where I would be on the 31^st of December. Until I got tired. All my life I considered it a party without sense (although beautiful). Now I had the opportunity to choose what to do, I was once again going through the same stress. A case to be studied by scientists.

When I decided to follow my path, oblivious to the day, I had a brilliant moment. I broke the vicious circle of that date. A curse that haunted me for 32 years. Instead of worrying about the New Year's Eve, I worried more about the “like's”.

The first was spent at the computer sending messages. Then, close to 10 p.m., I left the hotel for dinner. I chose a close one that had no New Year's eve program. I wanted something with good views of the city. This was, like many others here, on top of a building.

I ordered my food and let time pass. In between, chit-chat with other people who were sitting at my table. When I realize I was the center of attention. One of the few Westerners here. The atmosphere is lively and festive. I feel the crescendo of the last minute. When the moment finnaly arrives it's party time. Of course here “the moment” begins 20 minutes prior to midnight. So, I celebrated a few between hugs, laughter and wishes for a good year.

Outside, the rest of the city join us. The fireworks illuminates the streets. In the midst of these, the four towers of Madurai's temple that pierce the sky remain calm, just watching the party. I let myself be contaminated by its calm and follow the example. On the streets, people jumping and dancing. The more adventurous have in their hand fireworks that light up their dances of celebration and give a character to the magical moment. I am happy, not because of the minute that passed, but for being at that moment, ar that hour, there to see this happen...

Hard Journey

And there I was. Sitting in the bus station of Munnar, listening to my new "friend" of India. He tried to sell me a trip to the border with Tamil Nadu. I missed the bus, and the next one came only at 1 p.m.. While he was advertising his trip to me, I was thinking about the options I had.

The first - the "official" to my "friend" - was to wait until the bus arrives. This trip was only a third of the way, and this meant that I would reach Madurai at night, in the best scenario. The second option was to accept the journey of 600 rupees to the border and continue by bus the rest of the way. The third option would be to take a taxi to Madurai. Despite the astronomical price of 2600 rupees, this option guaranteed that I arrived that day at my destination.

With the options in my head, I let the time run so I would be less "interesting" to my new "friends" - yes, by this time I had captured the attention of more people. Time heals all ills, and in this case all interests. Half an hour later, I was free to confirm my options and whether the price given was normal. Here, I must confirm the information from several sources. A true lesson of good journalism. Along the way I say goodbye for the second time to Dotan and get a tip to take the collective jeep to the border.

Back to the station, I go towards the jeeps. Find one that is about to leave. "Where do I sit?" I ask to receive the obvious answer "here." With "here" he means a seat in backside of the jeep, in an unexisting space. But in this country there is always room for one more and he arranged one for me, my backpack and a person more.

With only the toes touching the floor, I am in my space. I look around and all the places look occupied. Beginner's mistake. Just because the six places ahead of me are occupied by six people doesn't mean that the Jeep is full. As I watch people around me, I catch the smile of a child admiring this Westerner. Something that touches my soul, and that alone would be worth the trip. When you take off, we are: a driver, eleven adults, three children and a few backpacks.

The trip, by the mountains, passed between attempts not to flying to the place in front of me, holding the maximum time without getting sick and admiring the beautiful view. This was a breath of fresh air in my hard journey.

Two hours and lots of curves later, we were survivers. Finally, the border between states. We tried to recover the sense of direction for the short walk to Tamil Nadu. I smile. Now I just need to take the bus to Madurai. At least that's what I thought. After consulting with the police at the border, I find that I still have to catch a bus to another location and only then I can go to Madurai. While waiting for the bus, I notice the beauty of this border village. The feeling is that we are at the end of the world on the brink of entering another. There is just a road, the border and the high street shops. But it is in the mountains and has a broad view of everything around you, making it very beautiful

I hear the name of the town where I want to go and the driver says to enter. It is a collective taxi. I agree the price and enter the Embassador, a classic. Despite the Indian capacity, with the comfort and space I have, it seems a limo. Perfect way to say goodbye to these beautiful mountains. I now see the plain full of rice fields and palm trees. Scenario that will accompany me the following days.

We finally arrive at the bus station. Nature is now a past memory. Replacing it is the movement and noise of the small Indian town. After some questions, I finally get in the bus. I sit and wait it reaches its final destination. Along the way, time to rest and enjoy a landscape so different from what just lived in

A place called Munnar

Open the Jungle Book. Now turn on the TV and put the movie "The Sound of Music". Try to group them together at the same time and you can get a rough idea of the landscape in Munnar. Munnar is beyond beautiful. Munnar is Munnar. It is also India. After spending nearly a month in South India, I thought I had gotten a taste of the region. And how I was mistaken. Since the first time I saw these mountains, until the time that I left them, my jaw did not leave the ground.

Walking

There is little to write about this area. The attraction is the nature, consisting of high mountains. We reach the small village of Munnar through the roads that cut through the steep slopes, and sometimes deceives us into thinking that we're flying. Here reigns the green. First, in the rainforest and then in the tea plantations.

I eventually see this region in two ways. The first was on foot. I decided on the first day, to follow back the path that brought me to Munnar. It's a slow pace that allows you to enjoy the mountains and its clouds. Contemplating the velvety hills of tea plants. Or just be on top of a stone in meditation. It's a lonely path, but prone to details. It is also a risky path. The road is too narrow to fit two cars. A person is always a plus in this set. Neither the choice of which side to walk is easy. On the one hand I can be flattened against a rock wall that rises over 100 meters. On the other, the slope makes me pray that the Tarzan movies I have seen have not been in vain.

This tour is good for being with ourselves. Allow the thoughts to flow, while we are distracted with the landscape. We feel a quiet difficult to achieve elsewhere. And when I finished the walk looking at a waterfall lost in the middle of nature, I can not stop smiling.

On Tour

Another way of doing this region is on tour. And if the limited time to see each location can make you walk away from this option, the opportunity to meet other travelers is a must. I do not know what it is, but some places seem to be magnets for good people. It had already happened in Goa and Hampi, it happened again in Munnar. I ended up spending the day in the company of three special people. Dotan, Israeli musician and friendly. Dani, Spanish and a lot of fun. Nadeshwari, Sri Lanka, multi-artist and very interesting.

And with the "spend the day", I mean I walk by a small but beautiful garden of flowers. View the lakes created by dams. Visit a tea plantation. Dinner and learn to eat with your hands. And end the night in a traditional play and a Indian martial arts spectacle. It was certainly a very special day. Another of those moments that I cherish as dearly.

And when I left Munnar, one more piece of me was left behind. That place is magical. I know one day I will return there, it's impossible not to....

Le Moi Errant: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Yesterday I was happy, but something inside of me would not let me alone. One thing that I could not grasp. A breath in the moments of happiness. A deafening silence on the others. I sweated, learned and lived. Dreamed and accomplished those dreams. Most of all I smiled. Everything was difficult. Everything was conquest. I walked the dark streets. I hit my head on the wall until I felt no pain. I pulled my limit and found it.

Today is different. I break the barrier of time and space. Meeting a new dimensions in my life. A construction of many realities. A different look. I walk through undefined spaces. In non-existent places. Today I find what yesterday I could not describe. And in this whirlwind I smile.

Tomorrow will be no more. Will delete it out of my life. Will disappear without leaving a mark. Finally will go to its place, to tomorrow ...

Story of a photo: Up there...

I was in India, but not quite. The space around me could belong to many places. The lake, eucalyptus and green mountains made sense there, as in the Alps. And when I looked up the time merged. I was in the present and some decades ago. At that time I was a few centimeters smaller, but the eucalyptus trees also seemed huge like these. Around me, both past and present, a soft breeze touched my face and the sweet sound of the picnic came to my ears.

And for a few seconds, the time froze in many times and different places. I was alone. Between two good conversations, a ceiling of eucalyptus and a inside smile. I slowly walk around the details. The smiles, naps, and familiar voices. At that time I was untimed and unplaced. And when I returned slowly to the tops of eucalyptus trees, and to the sunbeam that touched my face, I thought how nature is beautiful and magical.

On the way to Munnar

With the indications of Firoz in my mind, I tryed to reach the bus stop. Lost, I had to ask for help. It should be nearby, but I couldn't find the place. "It's there" tells me one seller of a mini-grocery store. And asa soon as he points, I see the bus pass by me. A short race and arrive on time. I say, wondering, my destination to see if it is the correct bus. The swaying of the reviewer's head confirms me that I am. Along the way I say farewell to Fort Cochin.

I leave the stop that the reviewer tells me, but I can not find the terminal. Jumping from person to person with my question: "where is the terminal?", I follow a narrow road that directs me to my destination. I just need to find the correct bus. Amid the confusion, I see the bus there. It is not very attractive to look at, but once inside it doesn't seem so uncomfortable. There are no glass in the windows, which allows air to enter and observe the landscape at will. And if the sun is disturbing you, just pull two tabs and the automatic-by-gravity blinds go down.

I have ripped a smile. I can't believe it. I'll make the first trip on this type of bus. I prepare for the best, and mostly for the worse.

It follows some towns, until it reaches the mountains. There are few words to do justice to this path. A small road winds the rugged hills of the mountains. Around me the jungle swallows almost everything, and I only see green. I can not stop smiling. Neither the forced 20 minutes stop affects me. How could I worry when I am in eden?

The rest of the trip was just amazing. And the smile remained until I reached Munnar. A village in the mountains. Question here, rickshaw trip there, I arrived at the door of the guesthouse. "We have no rooms," he tells me without disclosing any more. "Yes, but Firoz told me that I could find places to stay, even if not here," I reply, already feeling the nervous of whom is about to loos the Sun in two hours and has no place to sleep. "Here everything is booked. No rooms anywhere" I realize it's not worth staying here, so I go to the tourist house that I saw along the way.

Inside three people playfully decide which tour they want to do. Their good mood calms me a little. With the tour decision taken, I can explain my case to the person behind the counter. She says she thinks that all is booked and suggests they try a little further, on one of the existing guesthouses. Meanwhile another traveler, who heard my talk, give me the hint of a hotel that still has rooms. I ask the worker to make the call. While it occurs, the tip is multiplied by three travelers who are in the same situation as mine.

And there we go together, eager to know if there are rooms for all of us. Turns out there are. No one would sleep on the streets that night. And when I came to that small hotel room, everything seemed perfect. Grew within me a feeling that Munnar would be special in my journey ...