Leaving Arombol

Sometimes the best way to sense the pulse of a village is to just stop. That was a realization on Saturday night when Paul, Leita and our new friends Katia and Sana decided to venture out of Arombol to a city about 50 kilometres away called Aupora. A huge market place on Saturday nights, it attracts many westerners. We decided to check it out and at the same time grab some dinner.

Together, the taxi jeep would cost $1000 rupees. That was for the return fare as well as waiting for us while we played at the market. Once we walked out to the main road, we stood off to one side to wait for our ride. I chose a large rock to sit on as I watched the town in action. That was when I realized how very special Arombol was!

There were motorcycles, motor rickshaws, and bicycles. There were cows and dogs, and roosters and even groups of wild boar. Men were carrying baskets full of fruit on their heads. And elderly women, bowlegged and bent, holding sticks wide enough to fit in their palms and just long enough to avoid any extra weight.

Horns are everywhere. In fact many bumpers in India read, “Please honk” or “Horn please”. The traffic in a small village like Arombol, is restricted to a one land dirt road. That’s for everyone! Horns honk proactively, not just in response possible danger.

My favourite time to be on the road is early in the morning on my way to Yoga. It has given me the chance to see the bustling streets in its dawn. As the shops begin to open, whole families participate in preparing their shops for the influx of possible buyers.

Water is being splashed in the entranceways to prevent the dirt from blowing on to the merchandise and inside the booth. Hundreds of items that have been carefully removed from tables and shelves are being replaced, each in their appropriate place. Long poles with hooks allow the children to re-hang the colourful dresses and blouses that have been taken down the night before. The bare hooks, become re-adorned with hand made sequined handbags and embroidered pouches. And the walls become hidden again with patterned cotton blankets and beautifully sewn Yoga shawls.

The smell of incense that comes from the doorways seems cleaner when the day is fresh. The morning coolness allows the smoke to stream longer and the air has had the night time to clear away the compressed odour of heated bodies from the previous day. The patchouli smell makes me feel at home.

I smile broadly as I walk to my Yoga class. I say good morning to each person I pass. I’m confident that they know I am not interested in buying anything at that time. They don’t harass me to purchase. Instead they respond with a “Good morning” and a welcoming smile.

Even the cows on the road seem to say good morning. I suppose if I stayed here long enough I would get to know them better too. If I lived here longer, I could even bring them the compost from the previous night’s meal. The cows here are very healthy, and friendly too!

We leave Arombol tomorrow. And though we love it here, it is time to move on. There is a free spirited mentality here created by (or maybe resulting from) Yoga, meditation, and regular chanting circles, lots of music, great food, beaches, sunshine and friendly people.

Tomorrow we are packing up. Leita will be coming with us too for three days. We are making the 5:30 sleeper bus to Hampy! It’s a 12-hour ride, and apparently, it’s not easy. I wonder if it will be my like my overnight Megabus rides to New York. And I thought $42.00 to New York was cheap! This trip is only costing us $15! And we even get a bed!!!!

Out into the world of India……