Anyone who lived in New Delhi in the mid 90’s would tell you horror stories about the cities Killer Blue line buses and the time spent commuting from one end of the city to another. The smog filled roads, the accidents due to road rage and general everyday violence.
Mid 90’s I was a Delhiite.Traveling from West Delhi, the suburbs, the green and beautiful row houses to Noida.
Of tech parks, glass walled buildings and the famed IT hub. A 2 hour commute each way, changing buses, sometimes hopping onto a rickshaw, running to catch a bus which if missed would mean better stay home instead.
Evenings were worse. The company provided buses were a life saver. If not for them, it would mean a 2 km walk to the auto stand, a haggle to get him to take you to the city and then the bus hop!
And then the walk through the park! A beautiful park, for walkers, children and peacocks during the day, transformed into a hideout for rapists, muggers and thieves during the night.
Walking through the park at 8:00 pm was considered unsafe! And so my dad would wait for me at the bus stop from 7:45 pm till whatever time the traffic allowed the bus to reach the end of West Delhi!!!
I told myself never would I spend my time traveling to work.
As much fun as it was to spend time with friends chatting away in the bus, the strain of siting in slow moving traffic was not an enjoyable activity.
Mid 90’s I was a Delhiite.Traveling from West Delhi, the suburbs, the green and beautiful row houses to Noida.
Of tech parks, glass walled buildings and the famed IT hub. A 2 hour commute each way, changing buses, sometimes hopping onto a rickshaw, running to catch a bus which if missed would mean better stay home instead.
Evenings were worse. The company provided buses were a life saver. If not for them, it would mean a 2 km walk to the auto stand, a haggle to get him to take you to the city and then the bus hop!
And then the walk through the park! A beautiful park, for walkers, children and peacocks during the day, transformed into a hideout for rapists, muggers and thieves during the night.
Walking through the park at 8:00 pm was considered unsafe! And so my dad would wait for me at the bus stop from 7:45 pm till whatever time the traffic allowed the bus to reach the end of West Delhi!!!
I told myself never would I spend my time traveling to work.
As much fun as it was to spend time with friends chatting away in the bus, the strain of siting in slow moving traffic was not an enjoyable activity.
So in my next few jobs I ensured I stayed close to work, so close that I could walk!
It was pleasurable, it was in my control, come rain or shine, all I needed were a good pair of footwear and I would hit the road!!
There came a brief period when I was still going through the confusion of separation and marriage when I got back to my crazy traveling days in Bangalore!
That I guess also firmed my belief that separation was best!!
Oh glorious walks, silent ones, the chatty on the phone ones, the days filled with music! Some in the company of honks and stares!
Yet the feeling of control continued!
Today,
19 years after I had first started my bus journeys, I was back to long distance commute!
I feel lost, I feel forever! My feet itch to get out of the stationary cab stuck in a long queue of irate cab drivers to walk the 12 km to work.
Walking in hot, sweaty, tired into a new job does not seem right.
What would I do for an hour if I had it?
Well, if I had an hour, I would run 10kms or walk 6kms.
Instead of complaining about the bad roads or the slow moving traffic or discuss family woes with my travel companion I decided I would make use of the “me time”
I could read, I could blog, I could make my lists for the day, I could get back to being in touch with friends and the options were suddenly in plenty.
Would I be considered impolite if I were selfish to do these while there was another in the cab?
It was pleasurable, it was in my control, come rain or shine, all I needed were a good pair of footwear and I would hit the road!!
There came a brief period when I was still going through the confusion of separation and marriage when I got back to my crazy traveling days in Bangalore!
That I guess also firmed my belief that separation was best!!
Oh glorious walks, silent ones, the chatty on the phone ones, the days filled with music! Some in the company of honks and stares!
Yet the feeling of control continued!
Today,
19 years after I had first started my bus journeys, I was back to long distance commute!
I feel lost, I feel forever! My feet itch to get out of the stationary cab stuck in a long queue of irate cab drivers to walk the 12 km to work.
Walking in hot, sweaty, tired into a new job does not seem right.
What would I do for an hour if I had it?
Well, if I had an hour, I would run 10kms or walk 6kms.
Instead of complaining about the bad roads or the slow moving traffic or discuss family woes with my travel companion I decided I would make use of the “me time”
I could read, I could blog, I could make my lists for the day, I could get back to being in touch with friends and the options were suddenly in plenty.
Would I be considered impolite if I were selfish to do these while there was another in the cab?
I decided to be selfish then!!
Now I look forward to my unread books waiting for me, my blog which remained untouched for long!
The distance and time seem to have magically reduced!!
Now I look forward to my unread books waiting for me, my blog which remained untouched for long!
The distance and time seem to have magically reduced!!
