One for the Road

In less than a week, I'd have bid India adieu.
("Adieu, adieu to you and you and you! *trill*) 5 points for getting the Sound of Music reference.

I'm trying so hard to be serious and responsible, but I feel frivolous, flippant and a little crazy.

There are so many things I'm going to leave behind: My parents, a small pet sister, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, my baby bird and the best 5 years at IIT that anyone could ever ask for.

It seems funny that in spite of knowing all this, I don't feel sad or worried or scared, just excited! Those 5 years were precious because of the people they were composed of. Now that all those people have started on with the next phase of their lives, all I feel is an intense desire to get my show on the road!

I can't seem to view this 2 month holiday as 'Life' but as a temporary lull, a sort of tea break before work starts again. (Is work becoming life?!) Or am I so excited about going to study at Oxford, that I've viewed these 2 months simply as preparation for Oxford and not as a break in themselves?

This is not to say, that I haven't slept, eaten and enjoyed myself in this holiday! No siree! It's just that, these 2 months have not seemed real to me.

Well, dear kind readers! My next post shall be from Oxford. Are you as excited as I am? (Don't answer that. I know you're not. I just had to ask)

Driving

One of my worst fears is that I'll never be a good driver.

I'm uncoordinated, careless, a day dreamer and mild. None of which are exactly the hall marks of a great driver; Especially if you're going to be driving in Mumbai. I watch my mother expertly navigating her way around rickshaws, trucks, BEST buses and secretly wonder if I could ever do all that AND yell at a daughter sitting in the next seat.

But to Roll Over and Die is not the deSouza's motto. I don't really know what our motto is, but it is definitely not that! No, we deSouza's face our Fears. Or in my case, we bypass them entirely.

The way I do this, is to pretend the opposite! I sat up at nights and thought fiercely, until I allowed my imagination to convince my brain, that I was actually not afraid. I goaded myself into believing that I was not only good at driving, but I was the best! The only reason my burgeoning skill had not been revealed to the world was because I hadn't had the opportunity!- The cons of being burdened by highly skeptical parents who are fiercely protective of their cars.

What could I do then?

The next best option seemed to be: go-karting!

After months of raving about the social, economic and environmental advantages of a go karting spin, I managed to convince my wing mates that the old Hiranindani arena was the place to be! We crowded around the ticketing counter one evening. "8 laps or 12?" asked the lackadaisical voice from behind the window. "12", I said firmly. "Are you crazy, Priyanka?! We've never done this before. None of us know how to drive and you want 12 laps," came the furious chorus. "12," I replied inexorably. If I was going to showcase my skill to the world, I was going to do nothing by halves!

We put on our helmets in grim silence. And all of a sudden we were off!

Dear Reader, I never felt such a thrill before in my life! For three seconds down that smooth, straight track, I had the wind in my hair, and stars in my eyes. I WAS a great driver. How could I have ever doubted that? And then came nemesis in the form of- A Turn.

Three seconds later, I had crashed into a cascade of tires.

While waiting to be extricated, I watched my other wingmates despondently, as they skimmed around the arena with skilfull ease. By the time a grinning agent had got me and the car back on track most of them had finished their 12 laps and were talking about it gleefully. They waited and watched in awe as I, determined to get my money's worth, painstakingly completed each lap at an average speed of 10 kmph. 20 kmph on the straight parts and ~0 near corners.

At long last I drew the car to a halt and got out. Maybe, I was a really good driver, I guess I just wasn't good at go-karting.