I am clumsy with luggage; it always ends up weighing more than I can carry.
I am clumsy with zippers; they take focused attention of both my eyes and hands to work their way. Put in a strong wind as well, with snowflakes in flight and a long knee length jacket. I put down my luggage, focus my entire being to the task in hand and yeah zip out the crazy wind.
Now to the next task in hand and make the trek to the apartment. Naah! it wasn’t going to be easy dragging my luggage in the snow; the wheels of the stroller were just piling up snow.
The flashy glazed paper bag, I was carrying thought this to be the opportune moment to come falling.
I balanced the stuff from the torn package on top of my stroller, lifted it and made my way to the apartment. I rested and looked around when I reached the steps of my apartment. Not a soul in sight, not a sound, no colors rebelling the serenity of white. I walked up the steps, after two shifts I finally stepped into my apartment. I smiled, as I answered the phone I was happy to be back to the nest after insane travelling for a month.
17th Dec, Camarillo it was, the sprawling outlets and the multitudes that walked in and out the stores. Walking around in malls tires me, window shopping ain’t my taste and buying is beyond means for now. We drove to Malibu beach and pier. It was my second drive here, the mountainous route that alternatively conceals and reveals the Pacific Ocean. I was now familiar when to anticipate the ocean but the beauty betrays any signs of familiarity. We stayed till it was all dark when you could register the presence of the dark waters only in their stirrings.
18th Dec, it was an early morning drive to Santa Barbara, for we wanted to drive back to San Diego in the evening. We left the waters in the dark only to revisit them in the morning. The sunshine snuggling comfortably in the wooden pier and lazy birds posing for the shutterbugs, you could almost feel time slowing down its pace a little. The quaint little place had a strong Spanish influence in the architecture. Everything around you confirms that all you need is lots of money to live in that picturesque place. And perhaps you will be all old and grey before you see that day!
On our way back to San Diego, we visited the Malibu temple and the LA Griffith observatory. Saw the LA city lights (you don’t show that to people who have seen Chicago skyline!) Late night drive back to San Diego.
Instead of counting the places and the dates when I visited different places in San Diego, I would rather put down just my general impression of the place. I loved the place. It was beautiful and within reach to afford a living. It had lots of different flavors to offer. The Hispanic influence comes across strongly, in the architecture, the language and the general vibe of life there. Topographically it is beautiful with the hills, lake, coves, ocean, beaches and the sun. Interestingly in that far flung place, I met a fellow pahari, who swore she could identify my native place seeing my face.
Post the San Diego leg, there is Christmas in San Francisco and Lake Tahoe. New Year in LA & Ventura and then another short spell in Racine Wisconsin before I am back in Champaign. Calls for another blog post.
I was carrying footwear for the sun and the beaches, another pair for a quick stroll in the evening chill, another one to trek along slippery hill sides, a pair of heels for a fancy evening and just the one I needed now to walk in snow and drag this heavy load to my apartment. I am sure the snow underneath quickly worked out the math as I tried to wheel the bag across.
I am clumsy with zippers; they take focused attention of both my eyes and hands to work their way. Put in a strong wind as well, with snowflakes in flight and a long knee length jacket. I put down my luggage, focus my entire being to the task in hand and yeah zip out the crazy wind. Now to the next task in hand and make the trek to the apartment. Naah! it wasn’t going to be easy dragging my luggage in the snow; the wheels of the stroller were just piling up snow.
The flashy glazed paper bag, I was carrying thought this to be the opportune moment to come falling.
I balanced the stuff from the torn package on top of my stroller, lifted it and made my way to the apartment. I rested and looked around when I reached the steps of my apartment. Not a soul in sight, not a sound, no colors rebelling the serenity of white. I walked up the steps, after two shifts I finally stepped into my apartment. I smiled, as I answered the phone I was happy to be back to the nest after insane travelling for a month.
I visited so many places that I cannot even rattle off their names in one breath. I saw new places, met with new people. I made this long trip banking on old friends and acquaintances. And I just realized that trusting old people in new places is a risky bargain. The world, the relationships as we know them are ironic; they hold both beauty and ugliness in equal measure.
The journey ‘timeline’ started with 15th Dec 5:30am for 8:00am bus to Chicago, I was bound for Los Angeles. The actual travel hours would add up as Champaign to Chicago: 2:30hrs, Chicago airport via local transit train: 45mins, Chicago to Los Angeles: 4hrs, LA destination 1.5 hrs. in traffic. However with my nervous nature to buffer in the time that I am wont to getting lost, I clumsily travelled for a day. Smiled and hugged an old lady who needed help with her luggage coming in the carousal. Big cities, lonely old people.
17th Dec, Camarillo it was, the sprawling outlets and the multitudes that walked in and out the stores. Walking around in malls tires me, window shopping ain’t my taste and buying is beyond means for now. We drove to Malibu beach and pier. It was my second drive here, the mountainous route that alternatively conceals and reveals the Pacific Ocean. I was now familiar when to anticipate the ocean but the beauty betrays any signs of familiarity. We stayed till it was all dark when you could register the presence of the dark waters only in their stirrings.
18th Dec, it was an early morning drive to Santa Barbara, for we wanted to drive back to San Diego in the evening. We left the waters in the dark only to revisit them in the morning. The sunshine snuggling comfortably in the wooden pier and lazy birds posing for the shutterbugs, you could almost feel time slowing down its pace a little. The quaint little place had a strong Spanish influence in the architecture. Everything around you confirms that all you need is lots of money to live in that picturesque place. And perhaps you will be all old and grey before you see that day!
Instead of counting the places and the dates when I visited different places in San Diego, I would rather put down just my general impression of the place. I loved the place. It was beautiful and within reach to afford a living. It had lots of different flavors to offer. The Hispanic influence comes across strongly, in the architecture, the language and the general vibe of life there. Topographically it is beautiful with the hills, lake, coves, ocean, beaches and the sun. Interestingly in that far flung place, I met a fellow pahari, who swore she could identify my native place seeing my face. 
Post the San Diego leg, there is Christmas in San Francisco and Lake Tahoe. New Year in LA & Ventura and then another short spell in Racine Wisconsin before I am back in Champaign. Calls for another blog post.
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