Chapter 7 : This is it
{Previous Chapter : Fight Response}
señor: Mi familia acqi, usted con su companero orita si
me (thinking): my….. family….. here…..<ok I understand this>,
you….. your…. friend… <dont know this word> yes….
Hmmmmm…
me: nosotros familia en la India {our families are in India}
señor (speaking slower): no, no, Mi familia acqi, usted con su companero orita si
me: tu familia acqi, si… mi familia en la India
señor: nooooo…..
me: lo siento señor, no eniendo… {I am sorry, I dont undestand}
<2 mins later>
me (looking at the phrase book): Podría usted hablar más despacio por favor? {can you please speak a little more slowly}
señor (speaking still slower): Mi familia acqi, usted con su companero origa si
me (confused): no eniendo senor…lo siento…
me (thinking): does he want to know about my family or not…let me try to ask him this.
<refers dictionary>
know: saber
about: acerca de
me: Quieres {want} saber acerca de mi familia?
señor: no no..
<señor was disappointed>
This was the conversation I was having with GG on our way back from Chapala to Catavina. The motorcycle was securely tied in the back of his truck and everything seemed like a breeze. Only that I still did not know what was he trying to ask. He definitely was not interested in a small talk and had something significant to ask. “My family here,… hmmm,… My family here”, I was thinking. Clearly ‘here’ did not mean Mexico or Catavina, as my family being in India, was not an apt response. The came the Aha! moment. Maybe ‘here’ literally implied in the car. Thus he was actually asking me, if he could bring his family with him in the car and I could ride with Ankit. CRACKED!
Soon we were in Catavina. After a quick word with Ankit it was decided that he should bring his family – his wife and two daughters – along. Only that I would not be riding with Ankit – another six hours of motorcycle ride what not what I was looking forward to. I would rather take a place in the back of his pickup truck. His compassionate wife also got us a small mattress to ease our journey. It was about seven in the evening, half an hour before sunset. Fortunately for me, an offer to ride the motorcycle was declined by Ankit.
This was it. This was the dream. This was the dream come true. This was the ultimate. I can not ask for more. Lying down in a pickup truck, with my broken motorcycle beside me, in an alien land, a desert landscape, an enchanting sunset, a camera in my hand and the feeling of going home. Fathomless satisfaction. I will let the pictures do justice. (all pictures taken from a moving car).
Soon the dream became dark and cold. We reached El Rosario where Ankit and I exchanged hands. Our next stop was San Quintin. There, GG took us to a hole in the wall taco shop. Ankit claims to have never had better tacos than those. I on the other hand, being a vegetarian, had to miss out on that juicy, tasty, inviting (Yucky!) meat, and stuck to bare basics salsa only taco. Finally, at around one in the night we reached Ensenada, exhausted enough to call it a day. More than ready to retire. Hah! another adventure was store in for us. Sleep was still another twelve hours away.
wow nikhil! i’m just over th world after reading ur article and seeing th snaps. both transported me to an unknown living world so effectively, as if my soul was thr. ur words so simple yet so cativating and ur pictures !- just happy tht ur eyes hv actually seen this!!
Thanks for those words mausi, thanks a lot! A trip gets its true meaning only when its shared and enjoyed by everyone.
Pictures really do the justice! They truly do. amazing journey!