Fallen too far

by Aditya Itagi (India)

A leap into the unknown India

It all started when my partner and I decided to go to this dreamy destination called Ooty located in the Western ghats of the southern India. The ghats(Twisties) have always been an amazing holiday destination, an escape from all the hustle and bustle of the busy crowded city life. I named this piece 'Fallen too far' as this trip was as far as I could go with my partner, who isn't anymore. I have relived this trip a thousand times in my head, thinking about alternate realities where things didn't go downhill. Pun intended. We rented a Royal Enfield, geared up and rushed towards the ghats. A 200km ride couldn't have been as bittersweet as this one. We had less time, even though it was a strain on her, I had a blast riding. Passing a forest area, spotting elephants, deers and bisons, we were content with the wildlife we saw on the way. After escaping the long straight highways and passing through the beautiful wildlife reserve area, we started ascending the hills. The bike started acting weird, little did I know about riding in a different pressure environment. I feared for my life and my partner's as we could get stuck in the middle of nowhere. Two 20 year olds getting stranded, is a scary thought, in India. Gathering courage, we finally reached a nearby tea stall which stalled us for a while. While my partner drooled on gummy bears, I drooled on the hot chocolate TEA, yes flavoured tea, which also is a specialty of the hills. The sudden drop in temperature and the hot tea with the sun in her eyes, I felt contented. It felt like it was all worth it, she was worth every bit of the effort. Sometimes, a blurry memory with distant laughs and random sentences are all you've got, of that person. It can never go back to the way it was, until Musk invents a time machine, I hope. Our two day trip consisted of visiting the botanical garden, a lake 50kms away from the town of Ootacmund(Ooty) and to spend a lot of time together. We had a beautiful room with a view of the while town glimmering in the sun which had probably come out after days of overcast weather. It felt as though we were welcomed and belonged in this magical kingdom. A budgeted trip can't have all flowers and no thorn, eh? We hadn't considered the sky high prices of the food which left us with mediocre food choices. Not holding back, we still enjoyed whatever we got, warming each other and sipping on tea. I fell in love on those hills, as they are magical. The 50km ride to the 'Avalanchee lake' was totally worth the effort. We passed through the magical eucalyptus trees which gave us a canopy and had that chilly wind with a fragrance while passing by them, it made us feel positive and left us smiling. The forests seemed serene, while we had a small fall on the way to balance it out, it became dreamy when it drizzled just the right amount for us to look into each other's souls and fall harder for each other. She walked through the tea plantations, I followed. We just sat and looked at the lake far away, which was in between the hills. This looked like the drawing I used to make while I was a kid, only I was complete. She completed me. Never had I dreamt of a partner so fitting and pure. I fell too far. The lake trip was beautiful but my jittery mood ruined most of the experience. Exactly while we were at the peak of the safari, while the view was unfathomable, my emotions went haywire. This affected her as well and ruined the feel of the moment. The walk in the garden left her contemplating if I was actually even worth the effort. Turns out, I wasn't. Till date, it's been years. I still am in hopelessly in love with her, and this trip, which had some of the best memories of my life.