It’s been three months in Solan, and my journey here has been nothing short of an adventure. When I say adventure, I don’t mean the thrilling, sports kind of adventure. I mean the kind of adventure that life throws at you unexpectedly—the one that pushes you out of your comfort zone. From the day I arrived in Solan to now, it’s been a ride full of new experiences, of fear and change. It all started in September when I landed in Chandigarh.
Manisha advised me to take a local Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation bus, while Abhishek suggested I wait for a Volvo AC bus. Naturally, I leaned towards Abhishek’s advice. But when I reached the bus stop, I felt completely overwhelmed.
The Fear And Change Of A Bus Journey
Imagine a bus station with n number of buses. A crowded place with noise, barely working fans and vendors selling samosas. And here I am running with two trolley bags and a backpack. Sweaty face, hair all messed up and body barely functioning from the tiredness. At this moment, I could have waited for another two hours for an AC bus. Or I could have taken the local bus.
As I sat down at the bench, I saw a bus right in front of me. Old, partially damaged, wheels somehow functioning with ‘Solan’ written on it. I jumped at the opportunity. Asked the bus conductor if Solan is on their route. Busy talking to other passengers, he haphazardly said “haan, jaldi karo. 5 minutes mein nikal jaayegi bus”. I ran to the counter and bought a ticket.
As I settled into my seat next to a woman, my exhaustion took over, and I started to doze off. The heat was unbearable until we reached the ghats of Himachal. Suddenly, cool and refreshing breeze hit my face. As the bus approached Solan, I sighed in relief. I was safe, and so were my bags. Sitting in the EarthJust office later that day, I realised how spontaneous my decision had been. Normally, I would have never taken a local bus. But something changed in me that day. I hadn’t even informed my parents. It felt liberating. I was nervous but excited to meet this new version of myself.
A Movie At Night
Another very unusual experience I had was that of watching a movie at night. I have watched movies at night. But this was different. I was with Manisha this time not with my family. And we took a rickshaw, unlike other times when I am in my car. The show was at 9pm. Manisha and I barely made it in time. Because turns out Solan shuts down between 9 to 10 pm unlike Indore (my hometown).
At first, I thought that only the street is empty. But the cinema hall was also empty on a Sunday. “How unhappening and sad is Solan!”, I said to myself. Then engrossed in watching the movie, I forgot the outside world.
When we began to return, the initial stretch of the route was fine as a few people were on the street. As soon as, we approached the Chandigarh Bypass, my heartbeats started to sink in. With every vehicle passing, I was praying that we don’t get kidnapped or killed.
Yes, I watch a lot of Bollywood movies.
It was scary.
I noticed that a car slowed down. It felt like my heart was going to fly out of my chest. I pulled Manisha by her arm and we both hid behind a car. It was a close encounter with one my many fears. We reached home safely, and a feeling of gratitude set in. Now that I look back, I laugh it out. But as someone who avoids risks, this experience taught me the importance of stepping out of my comfort zone.
A Prize In A Local Bus
In October, the EarthJust team was invited to a prize distribution ceremony at Rajkiya Kanya Maha Vidyalaya, Shimla. The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh was the chief guest. My teammates had prior commitments. So, I was supposed to travel alone. Of course, this was the first time I was traveling alone in Solan. That too using a local bus. The mere thought of traveling alone was scary. But I didn’t utter a word to my team.
I decided to face my fear and change it in a new adventure. “What’s the worse that could happen?” I thought to myself. On Manisha’s advice, I took the 7am bus from the bypass. Once in the bus, I went to sleep. The bus approached Shimla crossing. I signalled the conductor that I would like to get down. I took another local bus on the local people’s advice. The bus was full and there was no place to sit. When the conductor insisted me on sitting next to the driver, I refused at first. He insisted again. Reluctantly, I sat next to the driver. Thinking to myself, “I was unnecessarily being sceptical. People are really kind here”. A few minutes of gratitude and everything changed after that.
I noticed that the bus driver was trying to take a video of me while driving the bus. Uncomfortable, I turned my face away and got off as soon as I could. But this feeling of discomfort kept lingering. Why didn’t I say anything? Why did I let it slide? I felt disappointed in myself. But I didn’t let this one experience cloud my perception. Later that day, I even accepted a ride back to Solan from a professor I had just met.
You might wonder what’s so special about these incidents. After all, doesn’t everyone face challenges? But for someone like me, who grew up in a privileged environment, these experiences were eye-opening. They pushed me out of the sheltered life I was used to. Over the past three months, I’ve faced fear and change, embraced discomfort, and learned to accept things as they come.
There’s still a long way to go, but I’m proud of the person I’m becoming. I see a bright light at the end of this tunnel, and I’m excited for what lies ahead.
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