Furthest Travel: A Journey Through Unknown Roads

I love travelling and exploring new places. I have travelled a lot within India and abroad. If we measure the physical distance travelled, may be my travel to US was the furthest, but it was never felt in the minds as furthest. We were well aware that we will land after 22 hours of travel, so our mind was clear about the distance.

When we travel through a unknown territory, whatever physical distance we travel, it is perceived as long travel. When the path is unknown and the destination is unclear, the travel becomes longest or furthest. I have experienced this once during my travel from Nashik to Pune. In normal times, this travel is known to be for 5 – 7 hours based on traffic congestion.

This is the story almost five years back, I was returning to Pune from Nashik after Diwali holidays. I left Nashik at 3.00 PM in the afternoon and was expected to reach by 8.00 PM. But due to holidays and huge traffic towards Pune, I got stuck midway because the traffic was standstill. When I enquired with the vehicle owners, they said this traffic will get cleared only by next day morning, because there is accident on the way and big trailer has toppled and the road is blocked. It was already 8.00 Pm that time.

I was clueless as to what next. I never wanted to spend whole night on the road, wating for the traffic to get cleared. I was supposed to join office next day morning. Then I got down from the vehicle and enquired with locals about alternate route so that I can reach home early. The locals explained that there is alternate route available to reach Pune but you will have to drive through the forest and extra miles. I requested them to explain me the route and decided to drive with alternate route. I have to drive my car in reverse direction for 5 – 6 miles and then I got the diversion to the place locals suggested.

Then I started my Google map but the map was showing me the usual route and Google did not know the alternate route. Then I checked with locals and modified my destination to the nearby village. Then I started driving, I was following maps and driving, the drive was through dense forest and there were no lamp post on the road. It was pitch dark on the route and I was the only person driving on that route.

Surely the route was scenic and full of dense shrubs and bushes on both the sides of the road. The road was completely empty, there was no other vehicle on the road, other than my car. The only noise was the insects calls. I did see snakes crossing the road twice. Overall the drive was scary.

I remembered the story of highway robbers and was bit scared if I encounter with someone. Then the news of a leaopard moving in this jungle area came to my mind and I was only praying god that the travel should be safe. Then I saw dim light in the huts and I was happy that I will get some help for the direction. I reached a T junction, then I checked in the map but unfortunately the map was stuck at some point due to no mobile network in that jungle. It was scary moment for me. Not clear which route is right in absence of map. I was alone in the car and the path was through dense forest area.

Suddenly I saw a village boy coming towards the car. I was so happy to see him. But looking at him I was not sure whether he knows the road or not. But I asked him about the route to Pune. To my surprise he was clever boy. First question he asked me about Google maps and I said I have. Instantly he said, what is the destination you have entered, I told him Pune. He laughed at me and said, please enter this xxx village as destination which is near to the Nashik – Pune highway and which will take you closer to Pune. I said there is no internet available here so maps are not showing me any route now. He said you start driving to your right and enter the destination I told you, the internet will be available after few minutes of drive and you will see the route. I was so thankfull to the boy, and amazed to realise that the internet and the Google searches have reached to the interiors of villages also.

Then the drive was bit easy for me because the map started working and I was heading towards the village the boy told me. Once I reached the village I realised that the highway is very close and then the road was familiar to me. Then I reached home by midnight. Later on I came to know from newspapers that the traffic was cleared only next day morning. I saved from overnight stay on the road.

For me the travel through dense forest was furthest and I felt like it is never ending road. My mind was yelling at me continuously that staying on the road was better than staying in the mid of dense forest amidst wildlife. But I reached safely due to grace of god and help from the village boy.

Based on this experience, I would say more than the physical distance you travel, it is your mental state decides the distance you travel. Our mind always compare the travel time with the reference set in our mind and the conclude near or far. At the same time if the route is unknown then the reference point cannot be set and then there is feeling of uncertainty and the travel becomes endless.

Thank you for stopping by and reading my post.

Stay Happy and keep smiling 😊