A Leap Of Faith

'Ready... One, Two, Three....!'... & ... Splash!!

The wetsuit was on, the breathing apparatus was on and the hands were over the face to hold the apparatus in place for the love of ones life. Click went the camera. The picture that I have unfortunately not seen yet, I would imagine, will look like darth vader running away from the paparazzi.

The splash was the last thing familiar I heard for the next half an hour or so. The world went all green next as I was dragged into the water by the dive master for my scuba experience.

Winding back the clock to around a month back, same place, different spot in the sea, same dive master, a different set of friends, same breathing apparatus and I took the plunge. The world did not go green after the splash though. Fear and panic was followed by a hasty retreat from the sea to the comfort of the rocking boat.

Back to the present now and there is a coral again, brick red and large, similar to the last one I had seen. There are schools of bright colored fishes all around and the sound of the water as I get dragged along. Soon the sound of water turns into silence and there are no thoughts in the head. The face has a relaxing blank look, I can only assume, and unlike the case on land, no one is around to ask 'what are you thinking about?' after misinterpreting the blank expression for contemplation.

I remember someone telling me that, someone once told that person that one will never know what is there beyond unless you take the leap. Fortunately, I am glad I had a strong diver who could drag me around all by himself to take that leap. Unfortunately, the dive master was a guy, pretty disappointing for guys who come to scuba after having watched 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara'. The dive, though definitely a brilliant experience, was not life changing like for the protagonists in 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' either. Stupid Movies and their perfect stories. Fortunately Discovery Channnel and National Geographic are not so stupid and so the Scuba experience will remain as something I would recommend to anyone looking out for a nice beach vacation on the coasts of Konkan, especially in the vicinity of a small town called 'Maalwaan'.

Winding the clock back a few days in time now.

A back pack on the back and I am running to catch my bus to start a nice little trip home which was to be followed by a mini adventure with a couple of friends.

“Belief and trust are indeed a wonderfully empowering tool to wield. Empowering the person on whom you use it to achieve fabulous heights even!” I didn't know that I would realize this in a few days time from now, as I entered the auto-rickshaw. The auto driver had a white cap on his head, a long flowing  goatee and a mark of wisdom on his forehead which I initially didn't notice. A few hundred meters ahead I leap out to rush to the waiting bus. I throw him the usual twenty rupee penalty for catching an auto for as short distance as a few hundred meters. The driver calls me back and hands me Rupees ten and fifty paisa. Stunned and speechless, I notice the mark of wisdom on his forehead, a mark I have experienced to be a sign of nobility, pride and righteousness, a indication of people who are usually a brilliant friend to a friend and a fearsome enemy to a enemy.

As I jumped on to the Bus and the driver shifted it into gear and we coasted off, I couldn't wipe off the smile on face. I guess the things I was looking forward to the most was the uncertainty and the little surprises that were waiting for us during the course of the travel. A pleasant change from the daily routine of 'punching in' in the mornings all grumpy and 'punching out' in the evenings all 'spritey' but tired.