Long Drives
One of the desires that people usually mention during talks
or moments of ‘baring the heart’ is the intent to go on long drives. It has
always intrigued me as to why people desire to go on long drives, what is that
really impels them or produces a kind of solace even while contemplating it. I
have had the good fortune of doing long drives on numerous occasions in my late
20’s and mid-30’s. This basically began when after education we started working
& found the world granite under-foot, not the grassy knolls we were used
to.
I have been driving off to far-flung locales in groups of 4 to 6 persons
for reasons unbeknown & beyond comprehension it was more like a running
away from the present– but it certainly did give me a feeling of respite so as
to recharge our batteries & come back to the same high strung work atmosphere.
Before we drive off or during the planning stage itself I ask my companions
what is the motivation of the drive? 1) Is the motivation to go for the drive
to take rest a break from the back-breaking work we do? 2) Or is it to see
& enjoy the beauty of some scenic spot? 3) Or finally is it the journey which
is important than the destination? Ones this is clear in the mind then we can
decide on where to go & how far so as to decide on the location.
If & when the decision is basically with the intent to
go for a long drive & have rest at the destination – our usual destination
was Goa – the booze was cheap & there were other recreations too, from
Bangalore it took us roughly 10 hours to get there. Hence ones in a month (one
weekend) was spent in Goa. With 2 or 3 persons in the group who can drive, 10
hours drive was not too much ado. As I did most of the driving, what I realized
is that during the drive we got to keep our mind off all the other things which
would otherwise cram for space in the cranium & it absolutely had to be on
the road. Am sure most folks will agree that in India doing long drives, is not
like in other developed countries where the roads are super paved & the
traffic light.
In India the traffic is crazy, the roads are bad & there isn’t
much space of the road either (with most roads being 2-way). Keeping a good 60
kmph average is very commendable indeed. Hence while driving, our mind of devoid
of all the stuff garnered over the week or month would be calm. Driving was certainly
cathartic to me. It was more like a mediation, we all know that meditation is
not for the young, its really difficult to keep the mind absolutely empty &
from straying.
Hence what happens during long drives is what should happen
during a meditation, we keep the mind literally empty, keep it from the
straying & this could go on for more than a couple of hours. This certainly
has a very salubrious effect on the mind, brain, the persona & telling
effects on the physical being too. And these long drives exhausted you so that
you had pretty good sleep at the destination. Overall a rejuvenated you.
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