So much I wanted to write at the end, but couldn't. Tears would have ruined the pages of my beautiful book. Soggy hand made paper wouldn't have worked, however gorgeous the pink silk cover that binds my precious memories together.
The wave of emotion that flooded my being absolutely, was so huge, it was hard to handle. Same same as the first time I had to say my goodbyes to my special place.
It was Anthony Fernandez who really tipped me over my emotional edge. He was my first Indian friend, the first local I learnt to love all those years ago, having stepped off the plane an India virgin, with a head full of cautionary tales about the dangers for a woman travelling alone in this mighty subcontinent.
But Anthony Fernandez slipped seamlessly through those warnings with his warmth and honesty and simple joy. And on all my subsequent visits, I only learned to love him more.
So ten years since our last meeting, I had to wait until the very last day of our trip. Anthony had been away since we'd arrived, having taken some tourists to Hampi.
Then in last few hours, he finally appeared. Seeing him standing in the shade of a palm tree, more portly than before, hair shorter, but with the same gap between his two front teeth revealed by his gorgeous grin, the same twinkle in his beautiful black eyes, utterly overwhelmed me. My heart swelled instantaneously, forcing a lump in my throat and a river of tears to sting my eyes.
I couldn't contain it, running into his arms and sobbing into his neck.
"I'm sorry. Anna, I'm sorry," he hugged me tight, "I'm so sorry I wasn't here,"
We hugged and we talked. And we galloped through life's biggest events of the decade. We talked of weddings and children and changes to our lives.
He still wears his "Hamish side cuts" with pride. (All that time, we thought Hamish had modelled his sides on Anthony!) he told me news of the possee from 2000. He knew more about our friends from Nottingham than I did.
And what I realised was this: for all the years that I've held the memory of him so dear, and the other local friends we have made on our travels, we too have been a precious memory. I guess I assumed they made friends with so many visitors, so many hundreds or thousands of people who walk through their welcoming doors, that we were just one of the masses.
But we weren't. We aren't. For each encounter where a glimpse of friendship changes the dynamic, making us more than a customer, we have remained a memory. We are part of the stuff that has shaped their lives.
When I said to Abel, Anthony's big brother, on that first night, "I can't believe you remember us,"
His simple reply, "Why wouldn't I?" explains it all.
We have been so very blessed over the years, along the long roads of our travelling, that we have had the privilege to meet so many awesome folk, both locals and foreigners living the dream with us. And of course for them the feeling's mutual.
As we confirmed, reading, by strange and crazy coincidence, in the 12th edition of the Lonely Planet Guide to India, left in our mountain abode by some long ago explorer, "Thanks to the travellers, Hamish and Anna,"
Well I thank you all, each and everyone one of amazing people with whom I have shared the joy...
Tuesday 12 April 2011
Is this really it?
This is finally it. This is our last day. Our last day in Paradise and the final few hours of our monumental adventure.
It has exceeded my expectations on every level. My children have been so amazing at every moment and my soul has been rejuvenated.
Two months in India is my perfect tonic, and being here in Palolem, my most special place on the planet, is the cherry on top.
Every waking moment that we have spent here has been a dream come true. And every sleeping moment has been filled with the same blissed our dreams. Each night I have resisted the urge to go to bed, hungry to fill every second with the sheer wonder of being here. My eyes and ears have not missed a second of the beauty, greedily devouring every detail. And when sleep overcomes me, even that is filled with the pleasure of lieing in my huge comfy bed, under my frothy mosquito net, in my gorgeous hut.
I have loved running on the beach in the early morning quiet, waves lapping at my bare feet. I have loved coming back to my oh-so-gentle yoga classes with Ruban, under the shade of the palms, the view of the river and the jungle my focus.
I have loved playing in the sea, in the warm turquoise waters, with my family, watching dolphins cruising slowly on by.
I have loved lieing with Freya reading books on the beach. I have loved hearing Gus squealing with laughter as he plays with his friends. I have loved watching Martha clutching a ten rupee note and running, naked, as fast as her chubby brown legs could carry her, over the hot sand, around the fishing boats and into the little beach shack to buy Mentoes all by herself.
I have loved hanging out with Hamish, doing what we do best, being in beautiful places.
And best of all, I love that my kids love India. And India has loved them too.
It has exceeded my expectations on every level. My children have been so amazing at every moment and my soul has been rejuvenated.
Two months in India is my perfect tonic, and being here in Palolem, my most special place on the planet, is the cherry on top.
Every waking moment that we have spent here has been a dream come true. And every sleeping moment has been filled with the same blissed our dreams. Each night I have resisted the urge to go to bed, hungry to fill every second with the sheer wonder of being here. My eyes and ears have not missed a second of the beauty, greedily devouring every detail. And when sleep overcomes me, even that is filled with the pleasure of lieing in my huge comfy bed, under my frothy mosquito net, in my gorgeous hut.
I have loved running on the beach in the early morning quiet, waves lapping at my bare feet. I have loved coming back to my oh-so-gentle yoga classes with Ruban, under the shade of the palms, the view of the river and the jungle my focus.
I have loved playing in the sea, in the warm turquoise waters, with my family, watching dolphins cruising slowly on by.
I have loved lieing with Freya reading books on the beach. I have loved hearing Gus squealing with laughter as he plays with his friends. I have loved watching Martha clutching a ten rupee note and running, naked, as fast as her chubby brown legs could carry her, over the hot sand, around the fishing boats and into the little beach shack to buy Mentoes all by herself.
I have loved hanging out with Hamish, doing what we do best, being in beautiful places.
And best of all, I love that my kids love India. And India has loved them too.
Is this really it?
This is finally it. This is our last day. Our last day in Paradise and the final few hours of our monumental adventure.
It has exceeded my expectations on every level. My children have been so amazing at every moment and my soul has been rejuvenated.
Two months in India is my perfect tonic, and being here in Palolem, my most special place on the planet, is the cherry on top.
Every waking moment that we have spent here has been a dream come true. And every sleeping moment has been filled with the same blissed our dreams. Each night I have resisted the urge to go to bed, hungry to fill every second with the sheer wonder of being here. My eyes and ears have not missed a second of the beauty, greedily devouring every detail. And when sleep overcomes me, even that is filled with the pleasure of lieing in my huge comfy bed, under my frothy mosquito net, in my gorgeous hut.
I have loved running on the beach in the early morning quiet, waves lapping at my bare feet. I have loved coming back to my oh-so-gentle yoga classes with Ruban, under the shade of the palms, the view of the river and the jungle my focus.
I have loved playing in the sea, in the warm turquoise waters, with my family, watching dolphins cruising slowly on by.
I have loved lieing with Freya reading books on the beach. I have loved hearing Gus squealing with laughter as he plays with his friends. I have loved watching Martha clutching a ten rupee note and running, naked, as fast as her chubby brown legs could carry her, over the hot sand, around the fishing boats and into the little beach shack to buy Mentoes all by herself.
I have loved hanging out with Hamish, doing what we do best, being in beautiful places.
And best of all, I love that my kids love India. And India has loved them too.
It has exceeded my expectations on every level. My children have been so amazing at every moment and my soul has been rejuvenated.
Two months in India is my perfect tonic, and being here in Palolem, my most special place on the planet, is the cherry on top.
Every waking moment that we have spent here has been a dream come true. And every sleeping moment has been filled with the same blissed our dreams. Each night I have resisted the urge to go to bed, hungry to fill every second with the sheer wonder of being here. My eyes and ears have not missed a second of the beauty, greedily devouring every detail. And when sleep overcomes me, even that is filled with the pleasure of lieing in my huge comfy bed, under my frothy mosquito net, in my gorgeous hut.
I have loved running on the beach in the early morning quiet, waves lapping at my bare feet. I have loved coming back to my oh-so-gentle yoga classes with Ruban, under the shade of the palms, the view of the river and the jungle my focus.
I have loved playing in the sea, in the warm turquoise waters, with my family, watching dolphins cruising slowly on by.
I have loved lieing with Freya reading books on the beach. I have loved hearing Gus squealing with laughter as he plays with his friends. I have loved watching Martha clutching a ten rupee note and running, naked, as fast as her chubby brown legs could carry her, over the hot sand, around the fishing boats and into the little beach shack to buy Mentoes all by herself.
I have loved hanging out with Hamish, doing what we do best, being in beautiful places.
And best of all, I love that my kids love India. And India has loved them too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)