Day 1 – 26/12/12

Mumbai:

I leave with a mind full of things- clutter, inspiration, awe, hope, excitement, fear and expectations… I hope to come back with a far simpler, cleaner mind.
Traveling gives me a sense of anonymity via meditative tranquility. I don’t have to worry about daily hassles and deadlines. My agenda simplifies and I act.

From this trip I wish to develop  a sense of sustained and consistent action that I will inculcate in my life everyday…. Not just intermittently but regularly… Until every cell in my body and being understands my purpose.

I am clear about what I want and where I want to go… I will no longer hide behind silly walls of excuses and prolong a decision of being the best I can be.

I would like to be calm, objective and patient….

I am blessed with love around me that propels my efforts and aims…Be this in the form of parents, friends, well wishers or coworkers- For this I am ever grateful.

I leave with an open heart and will come back with strength and energy and learn as much as I can in the upcoming African Drumming Workshops.

Wassa Wassa

Ethiopia (adis ababa):

My first breaths in East Africa seem very familiar… The chaos and energy could verily be of  a place back home. There are a lot of Indians everywhere, going to the remotest parts of Africa for work I presume. I wait to board my next flight to Dakar via Bamako (Mali). I am sufficiently tired after my first flight but I look forward to what lies ahead. Ethiopians are very beautiful people… I think, as a race, they are a good looking one.

In the flight:

There was an announcement, a very nonchalant one at that, saying that due to a technical problem, the flight was going to fly to Mali via Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) and THEN go to Senegal. I smiled to myself at this very straight forward and affirmative announcement. Obviously, none of us had a choice in the matter and I noticed that we had in-flight entertainment, so I was ready to catch up n my movie watching. My flying time just increased from 14hours to 18 hours. ‘Welcome to Africa’ I thought to myself.

I landed in Dakar and was very fondly reminded of the Pune airport. It is a rather homely, do-it-yourself kind of airport. After changing some money I took my first cab to the hotel. And in typical style that was the first and the last time I will get ripped off by anyone in Africa. After paying him an insanely high amount for the cab I went into Hotel Kingz Plaza to meet my roommate Tannis Zimmer (my friend from Canada who I had met in San Diego)  who had already checked into the room. No sooner did I say hi  to her than I realized that I did not have my passport with me… A silly tourist mistake that could possibly end badly. Before I could ask the receptionist to call the cab driver (who had called the receptionist to get directions to the place) the driver had called saying he is on his way to return my valuable possessions. (well worth the extra I had paid him for the ride back I thought impishly;) ). God bless that good samaritan.

Now that I had already experienced my ‘don’t I could look forward to a safe and awareful travel ahead. No more buffoonery I promised myself… Let’s see how long that lasts.

After informing the folks back home of my safe arrival and catching up with my dear wonderful and bubbly friend Tannis, I retired to look forward to the next day and what Mama Africa had in store for us.

Come. Drum. Be One.

Taal Inc.