The Plan : The plan is conjured originating as a twitchy seed in one's mind and snowballing into a monstrous collective apparition as the travel date approaches. The ideas floated go through a demanding screening process filtered by various criteria including novelty, timelines, stamina, resources. Depending on the group dynamics, the plan can be as intimidating as the will of the strongest member or as moderate as the view of the weakest link. And what emerges is the skeletal structure of the rough-edged game plan, with the details fleshed out during the actual trip itself.
The Driver : The driver is the lord of all that he surveys. The immediate fates of all the inmates of the car are dependent on his effective functioning. He needs to be at the zenith of instinctive reflex and cutting-edge execution at all points of time. The finesse or the lack of it in the recalibration of the driver's driving mode from the inviting highways to the plodding inner streets is one of the key deciding factors in the safety and comfort of the ride. The driver is the ultimate machine in absolute cybernetic synergy with the automobile. The road is his bride and he is it's star.
The Navigator : Underrated and unappreciated. Doing the thankless job of providing the directions for the road ahead, the navigator is expected to be right every single time with demonic accuracy. Anything less is chastised. Perfection is neutrally tolerated at best and smugly downplayed at worst, with silent non-acknowledgement in between. The navigator doesn't have the luxury of switching off even for a split second. Apart from the real or perceived probability of missing a turn, there is the added threat of the driver losing his concentration. The navigator is not a hero. He's a silent guardian. A watchful protector.
The Passenger : Unburdened without expectations, the passenger goes through the motions in quite the figurative and literal sense. Having all the time in the world, he is spoiled for choice with options ranging from stealing short naps, shooting with the camera and pondering about that surreal phenomenon called life while staring out at the flora and fauna the passing place has to offer. He can be like the pesky house guest, demanding the choicest of music numbers and frequent breaks as per his whims and fancies. The passenger is the prodigal son, the wasteful prince.
The Pitstop : A term rather giddily adopted from the world of motorsport, the pitstop has come to denote any stop-over for reasons not necessarily being changing tires, refueling or any other mechanical adjustments. A break for responding to the nature call or for bringing the phantom legs back to life or for the consumption of stimulants to reinvigorate the drowsy mind is also referred to as a pitstop. It is the blissful oasis in the ocean of hazy blur for the disoriented inmates to reaffirm to themselves that the world is still there and it is stationery.
The Enablers : In the distant past, around the Stone Age, there were these huge rectangular sheets of paper we would spread out and immerse ourselves in to figure out where we were heading in relation to the general direction of the immediate stop point. This was of course before Skynet plotted every damn place on the planet and spoon-fed unsuspecting humans to the last t with interactive charts and seductive voice commands. Screw you, Google Maps! Even you can't comprehensively chart every intricate detail of my impenetrable country and you can never fully replace the supreme confidence with which the friendly stranger advises us to go "seedha".
The Destination : As cringingly cliched as it may sound, the journey itself could be the destination. That is not to say that the end-point is not something one should look forward to, but a thoroughbred enthusiast with a passion for the open road would never treat the journey as a necessary evil. On the contrary, for the free-spirited rover the travel fits into the theme like a hand in glove and amplifies the overall experience. And more often than not, the trips are round in shape and nature and therefore one goes through the experience two times. I like to think it's twice the fun.
The Aftermath :Are you still unsettled and disjointed from the extensive travel undertaken? Are the images of the hills, roads, dhabas, clouds, strangers, lakes still haunting you? Do you feel like the experience has changed you psychologically and you are richer and stronger for it? Has the trip further fueled your appetite for travel or are you repulsed at the very thought of getting into the car anytime soon? If no, you are probably just a tourist who undertook the trip to show off to your friends or to get some good photo ops.
If yes, you are a true-blooded road trip aficionado.
Miner's Wife : "Are you looking for work?"
Ernesto : "No, we are not looking for work."
Miner's Wife : "No?...Then why are you traveling?"
Ernesto : "We travel just to travel."
Miner's Wife : "Bless you....Blessed be your travels."
The Driver : The driver is the lord of all that he surveys. The immediate fates of all the inmates of the car are dependent on his effective functioning. He needs to be at the zenith of instinctive reflex and cutting-edge execution at all points of time. The finesse or the lack of it in the recalibration of the driver's driving mode from the inviting highways to the plodding inner streets is one of the key deciding factors in the safety and comfort of the ride. The driver is the ultimate machine in absolute cybernetic synergy with the automobile. The road is his bride and he is it's star.
The Navigator : Underrated and unappreciated. Doing the thankless job of providing the directions for the road ahead, the navigator is expected to be right every single time with demonic accuracy. Anything less is chastised. Perfection is neutrally tolerated at best and smugly downplayed at worst, with silent non-acknowledgement in between. The navigator doesn't have the luxury of switching off even for a split second. Apart from the real or perceived probability of missing a turn, there is the added threat of the driver losing his concentration. The navigator is not a hero. He's a silent guardian. A watchful protector.
The Passenger : Unburdened without expectations, the passenger goes through the motions in quite the figurative and literal sense. Having all the time in the world, he is spoiled for choice with options ranging from stealing short naps, shooting with the camera and pondering about that surreal phenomenon called life while staring out at the flora and fauna the passing place has to offer. He can be like the pesky house guest, demanding the choicest of music numbers and frequent breaks as per his whims and fancies. The passenger is the prodigal son, the wasteful prince.
The Pitstop : A term rather giddily adopted from the world of motorsport, the pitstop has come to denote any stop-over for reasons not necessarily being changing tires, refueling or any other mechanical adjustments. A break for responding to the nature call or for bringing the phantom legs back to life or for the consumption of stimulants to reinvigorate the drowsy mind is also referred to as a pitstop. It is the blissful oasis in the ocean of hazy blur for the disoriented inmates to reaffirm to themselves that the world is still there and it is stationery.
The Enablers : In the distant past, around the Stone Age, there were these huge rectangular sheets of paper we would spread out and immerse ourselves in to figure out where we were heading in relation to the general direction of the immediate stop point. This was of course before Skynet plotted every damn place on the planet and spoon-fed unsuspecting humans to the last t with interactive charts and seductive voice commands. Screw you, Google Maps! Even you can't comprehensively chart every intricate detail of my impenetrable country and you can never fully replace the supreme confidence with which the friendly stranger advises us to go "seedha".
The Destination : As cringingly cliched as it may sound, the journey itself could be the destination. That is not to say that the end-point is not something one should look forward to, but a thoroughbred enthusiast with a passion for the open road would never treat the journey as a necessary evil. On the contrary, for the free-spirited rover the travel fits into the theme like a hand in glove and amplifies the overall experience. And more often than not, the trips are round in shape and nature and therefore one goes through the experience two times. I like to think it's twice the fun.
The Aftermath :Are you still unsettled and disjointed from the extensive travel undertaken? Are the images of the hills, roads, dhabas, clouds, strangers, lakes still haunting you? Do you feel like the experience has changed you psychologically and you are richer and stronger for it? Has the trip further fueled your appetite for travel or are you repulsed at the very thought of getting into the car anytime soon? If no, you are probably just a tourist who undertook the trip to show off to your friends or to get some good photo ops.
If yes, you are a true-blooded road trip aficionado.
Miner's Wife : "Are you looking for work?"
Ernesto : "No, we are not looking for work."
Miner's Wife : "No?...Then why are you traveling?"
Ernesto : "We travel just to travel."
Miner's Wife : "Bless you....Blessed be your travels."
