I think one of my biggest learnings this year has been to find my own company enjoyable. It's not that I don't like being alone. In fact there are times when I love being alone since it gives me the freedom to mould my day as I wish. But what I mean here is that there are certain things which I can never do on my own, like going for a movie on my own. But there was a time when even travelling on my own was added to that list and I would think of ways to fill up my evenings after work, judiciously noting down phone numbers of friends whom I planned to call after work. But it all changed this year. Forced to fall back on my own companies in far-away lands I have gradually come to a phase where I can even begin to think of roaming around unknown cities on my own and take pleasure in it.
I remember spending three days in Bangalore sometime in April this year, and taking off to Brigade Road in the evenings to explore bookshops and pick up stuff from KFC because no company was available except my own. I found much pleasure gallivanting on my own in Ghana. In Johannesburg, I booked on on sight-seeing trips, and I surprised myself by having a lot of fun while learning about the city and its history in the process. In Uganda, I took off on my own again to trace the origin of the White Nile and to see the gorgeous Bujagali Falls on Lake Victoria slowly being killed by the dam being bult on it. I am already preparing myself for a tor of Frankfurt (provided I get the visa) by reading up on the internet about places of historical and cultural interest.
This is a welcome change. I remember last year when I was in Nairobi I e-mailed a barely known acquaintance just to help me see the city in the night, and how I anxiously waited to hear back from him. I even decided not to do Masai Mara since I was sure that I would not enjoy it on my own.
I am glad that things have changed, and now before leaving for any new or old place I don't have to pour over e-mail lists or phone books just to make sure that I have a good time. I know I'll enjoy myself as long as I have places to see, food to eat and money enough to support my travel.
But going to a movie on my own? Nah. Not yet.
1 comment:
this is just such a timely piece! esp. for me! we can compare notes on how we get along in our own company :). u know- i actually tried the movie thing alone. for the Last Samurai in Bombay...ws such a totally depressing experience- though i cud see lot of other singles around. i dunno how they do it. i cant. thats proved.
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