Tête-à-tête

 

Tête-à-tête  

 

It had been snowing all night at Zojila Pass; the army convoy was still stuck & the traffic movement had been restricted on the Sonmarg – Drass Highway. This was what Prashant had heard from the BRO personnel at the barricade. It was 8:00 am & all plans to start early & cover a few extra kilometers; had to be put on hold. Waiting & wishing for BRO to clear up the stretch was all we could have done. As time passed by, vehicles started queuing up at the barricade. Trickling between the stranded cabs; a few bikers managed to move ahead in the queue & with them, came Gaston & Vanessa.

 

While everybody was talking to anybody who was available; the BRO commandant hinted that road was not opening anyway before 5:00 pm & even if it happens; the army convoy would cross first & later on the civilian traffic would be cleared.  With our plan down the drain, it was time to make the best out of the situation. Our group decided to go for a hike & explore what’s around us. By the time we came back, the entire scene had changed there. Everybody had found a way to keep themselves engaged & the locals got an opportunity to make some extra bucks. It felt like I was in “Woodstock”, here in 2015. You could hear people singing & playing guitar in groups, football game on one side & volleyball at other & few makeshift shops selling chai, Maggi & water bottles at a premium.

 

After a game of volleyball at 2370 meters above sea level. I was falling short of breath & felt like smoking a cigarette. Bad advice but a scientific fact; as an effect of nicotine, your lungs expand hence increasing the inhaling capacity of the lungs. Unable to find my lighter, I looked around nearby for options.  The warm smell of burning tobacco, rising up through the air got me. I walked up to this girl, who was smoking there nearby; I remembered seeing her & a guy talking to Prashant, near the BRO Check Post,   “Can I get a light???” was the Ice-Breaker; and the “Pink Zippo” in her hand was a ”Conversation Starter”.  The setting sun painted a million canvases in the skies. The lush green grass below your feet & the cool breeze in your hair; the sound of water gushing through the stream & boulders as your chair; was a picture-perfect setting for any movie.

 

A sipping gesture I made & she nodded. We walked to this makeshift arrangement & waited for our chai & Maggi. The cold breeze laced with the aroma of continuously cooking Maggie masala & boiling tea leaves; started tickling our taste buds. All this while, at various instances, I could see Shani aka “The Saturday” & Sumit aka “The Neelkantha”, The Nikon boys looking at us with their smirking grin, talking to each other & fidgeting with their DSLRs. As evening skies started growing dark; we exchanged our bandannas exchanged, as a token of friendship & it was time to say goodbye to Vanessa. The boys & me parked our bikes at the hostel, settled down & headed for dinner.

 

“Tu wo firang k sath kya kar raha tha???” asked Prashant & anxiously waited the Nikon Boys, for an answer; showing proofs. I told them her name was Vanessa, she was from Spain. She works as a waitress at a French Diner, for a living. She is a painter, writer, yoga trainer & a trained professional ballerina. She has been traveling across India. She has visited & conducted various workshops in Goa, Gokarn, Rishikesh & Manali; and dreams to make it big as a dancer or a painter.

 

“For heaven’s sake…  What the F@#$ was that…” exclaimed Prashant & others looked curiously towards him. Evident from his reaction, they could guess; something unexpected was about to come. “You don’t know Spanish & as per Gaston, she is not comfortable with English. How & what were you guys talking???”

 

“She used Words to say Nothing & Silence to explain Everything…” was the best I could have described those 90 mins. To sum it up, in the words of Metallica...

 

"With the echoes of the amplifiers… Ringin' in your head.

You smoke the day's last cigarette… Rememberin' what she said… What she said…"

 

Below are a few stills from Sonmarg.

What do you have to say about this??? Do let me know in the comments section below. 

Vanessa & Me... Bandannas Exchanged

Mountain lady, stranger to the waters...

Queuing up at the BRO Check-post...

With Gaston...

Shani aka "The Satuday"

Football at 2370 meters above sea level...

Kuch bhi karega...

Under the Sun...

Zojila Top

Dining with a view...

If you see it; You can Achieve it...

 Puff.. Puff.. Pass...

The Squad...