My plan was to catch public transport back home. I was about to ask an auto rickshaw to take me to the KSRTC Bus Stand , exactly then I spotted a truck approaching. Standing into the national highway, throwing my both hands up, I asked for a lift. It stopped around a 40 meters ahead of me.

Not bad!

I got in expecting to meet two-three people in the cabin.But only the driver was there.

Profile

He was Mr. Rasheed. Driving alone form Trivandrum to Calicut. I cut into his loneliness from Alleppy.

The cabin of the truck was spacious. 4 people can travel comfortably in it,apart from driver.

Mr. Rasheed was very talkative man. He got married at  the age of 21 and has 3 kids. He learned driving from his uncle at the age of 13.

I asked him about politics. He does not care.

I asked about films. He likes Mammootty.

He spoke three languages well. Malyalam,Hindi and Urudu.

I asked him about the women in his life. He was shy to share his secrets. That was fine with me.

Eating out

I was hungry. It was midnight,no hope for getting anything from a regular restaurant . He had solutions. He knew a place.There was no enough light in the little ‘road side eat out place’  where we went into. But that was fine. Food tasted so good, especially beef varieties. Well you pay some extra money there- you will get beverages also,usually  Rum. It seems targeting truck drivers.Mind it, the all affair is  illegal.

Music

Mr. Rasheed had  primitive tape recorder fixed in his cabin. He played tapes when  I asked for it. Well the oldies from Hindi Cinema.  I liked them, for it went well with my mood of travelling in that truck

My feelings

My journey in that truck lasted only two and half hours. But as I  got down of the truck, I felt really good about :

1. I had a very comfortable travel stretching out my legs, even there was enough room to lie down

2. I got to know a fine man from a different background and life style.

3. We learned a little  from each other. I got know something more about trucks, and some tips in driving them smoothly.Mr. Rasheed asked me more about films, and I told him something about  world cinemas that I downloaded and watched.

Thought

I decided that I will hit roads unplanned when ever possible.  May be I will meet people like Rasheed again and have fun as we travel.

Values for Travel

If we can share a car in our travel, let us please do it.

Let us use public transport as far as possible.

Let us not call a taxi every time. There are lot of vehicles going to direction we are going. Ask a lift. Be patient, polite and adjustable.

Don’t  cause to burn our natural  fuel unnecessary. Save it for our children and grand children. And for the common good of this planet.