Few Souvenirs

The whole day today, the mental me was not "in a mood". During the last few weeks, I had the glorious opportunity to know what some of my 'close ones' actually think about me. But thanks to so many of you, it does not feel bad a second more than it should. Then came the Sunday and it began with a pledge of total relaxation. But with great relaxations, come great idle times. Today's idle time was divided into two things - first,  taking and enhancing photographs. Second, thinking about the 'real stuff' I got to hear.

And strangely, the things which were pushing my mood to something I physically hate, had something to do with the subject of my photographs today - few of my treasured souvenirs. People have been talking about me as a (quote) selfish so-called travel lover (unquote) along with as a few character-slash-habit-wise flawed boy (this later part is like a free gift with any 'feedback' I don't hear on my face, but just 'get to hear' by accident). 

This post is specially for those who are only busy in picking up the means to be happy rather  than going for happiness directly. For someone as stupid as me, collecting the things in the photographs below is a big reasons why I like to see my salary credited. 

A friend of mine says: "...nothing bonds human beings better than the joys and travails of travels. Travel always pushes you out of your comfort zone, teaches you more about life and makes you a better person." and I have been believing this for quite some time now.

Here I go. These babies came the cheapest of all that I have on that rack. Only rupees three each on the beach of Bakkhali. I bought these when I was there in January 2011.

The old lady who was selling these kept saying that I would look good with such white pendants hanging from my neck. I didn't argue. These were cheap AND elemental enough to show which kind of place I had gone to get them.

Later, the same year, Dad Mom and me planned to take a vacation together after a long time (last was Kerala in 2009, this was 2011). It was Guwahati and then Shillong. Near the Mawsmai Caves, the shop owner was showing us all kind of handcrafts, but this small key ring caught my eye. 

It is a carving of a human face belonging to one of the important communities of the hills - Khasi, Garo or Jayantia. Above that face is that of a yak (or a bull or a cow or something similar). What caught me most is the idea and the level of patience the artist must have put on such small piece of a horn along with the hard work.

Guwahati was not as pleasant as Shillong, but did have a place for us to stay, visit, photograph and buy stuff. Most of my time on that day was spent in the hotel we were staying. In the evening Maa had to buy some 'speciality' silk and I too had to let the various joints in my body move a little. The market area had things overpriced. But I didn't think this unicorn was a bad deal for me.

And after I was back from Guwahati, I got to know that my Durga Puja vacations were to be spent outside Kolkata, outside Bengal, outside India. But looking at the fact that Sweden is a kind of place where you cannot "just go" I agreed. A full month long stay (Mahalaya to Kali Puja) and I was back with tons of chocolates, photographs, some show pieces and again a key ring.

Before 2011 could finish, there was again a full throttled Bakkhali trip with the WASE army from my office but in March this year, a tour to Bangkok and Pattaya was in front of me. And there are seldom such opportunities where you get to know some of those basics about yourself and the fellow people on this planet which you promise yourself to remember and respect all your life.

This white shell was one of the numerous scattered along the beach of the main land when our party was back from the Pattaya beach. It had a layer of moss on it when I found it walking half the thigh deep in that clear water. But in comparison to the kind of things which the city of Pattaya sells, this was a lot better choice to bring back home. Moreover, I have a weakness for the elementary. So, could not help. 

But the memory of the first foreign trip (on a traveler's visa, not a business one) had to be a little more glamorous. The Suvarnabhumi airport helped me out here.

Innumerable is the number that could be used to describe the number of 'elephant' souvenirs available there. But for some reason, I wanted to take back home something of what I had actually seen in that country. And this was just the thing. No matter where we went, we got this greetings from the Thai people, very much like we Indians (at least textbook Indians) - The palms pressed against each other put up in front and a bowed head.

Huh... These were the pictures which were clicked till a few complicated things crept in me (my mind is not a soap opera script yet so that it will be able to habituate itself to such melodramatic things so quickly, hence I called the clicking off for the day).

But after I had that an awesome roller coaster conversation with one my friends on almost every topic on this world (I think we didn't discuss only about the medicine for common cold) I can see myself ending my weekend on a good note :)

I am sure, I am still due to get a lot of those not-so-good-to-hear but good-to-know stuff about myself from both expected and unexpected sources. So I will put up the rest of my showcase babes sometime later.

Till then,

Cheers :)