The HitchHiker's Guide to Udupi

One thing , being a LOCO@NITK, that I'm proud of, can boast of, can flaunt, etc etc, is that I can visit my house anytime I want.
After a Long period of hostelling, a bit of Home-Sickness started to seep in. This adding to the other obvious factors like shortage of paisa and seeing the dirty clothes stack becoming taller day by day, made it absolutely necessary for me to pay a small visit.
So I started off on what was to be a long journey; with Vinayak Kamath [ VK in briefs:)] . There was this strike. Protests against SEZ-Nagarjuna power project.The mob was headed by Ms.Manorama Madhvaraj .Noble thought, but we know that the elections are coming near, don't we? Noble , none the less.
The lifeline of DK, NH-17 was blocked. National Highway , and not a soul in sight.
A long stretch of beautiful bitumen.

The Hitch-Hiking Begins....
We boarded this tempo in full tempo. Much to our delight, the driver was tight.And he was driving Shhhteady. I sorta hoped that we didn't crash onto something before reaching Udupi.
Hardly had we warmed the seats, when the Police stopped us at Mukka, yes, Mukka; just 3 km from NITK.
So , we got down at Mukka , and seeing a long chain of trucks and some 20-30 constables , thought that it's gonna be a long day's wait.I managed to gulp down BABA's competitor- JOY Cola, and then we sat at the bus-stop waiting for some movement.
Just then , this friend of mine , messages me,"hi are u free". Here, I 'm marooned in Mukka, with no-where to go, arbit Tamil Officers [ from Rapid Action Force] telling,"they are burning vehicles in Hejamady", and so on,and I get this msg.. No wonder, I'm pissed off.So, I sent a sarcastic reply. Then I remember," Oh, she can't figure out sarcasm", so send a correction msg.
Meanwhile, things clear up.We climb aboard the same vehicle., and start off.As the pace picks up, I begin to get the whiff of burning rubber..For those of you, who're thinking , that he was going formula-1 fast, or something to that effect.... well, NO. It was from the burnt tyres on the road.
So, we landed in Katapady,and having paid monetary respects to the driver, stood there waiting/hoping for a bus.
I wonder whey they call Konkanis a minority.They're friggin' everywhere. VK started kutching, and got kutched in return by arbit three konketeers.
So, got a bus finally.It was Jam-packed.The conductor was literally overjoyed, and was a bit worried too, that he'd not be so busy the next day.He moved through the mass, making arbit jokes along the way.
As I stood on the foot-board, it reminded me of good ol' MGM times.On the way, I saw a beam of orange sun-light bounce of the river, and glide against the surface as we moved .
Man, That was stunningly Beautiful.

So, finally made it to Udupi, Safe, and without a sound.

To flick from Robert Frost...

The roads are empty,the cracks are deep.
But I have promises to Keep,
Miles to go, In the bus I'll sleep
Miles to go, In the bus I'll sleep.

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