I never really enjoyed road trips. And the one I just took from Delhi to Chandigarh did nothing whatsoever to change my views towards them. This particular trip began yesterday morning around 6.30am. The object behind this trip was to attend a Pooja of sorts that some faraway relatives had organized. I left the house with my parents, to find the roads pretty much clear of traffic and a light mist (or something that looked like it) hovering around lazily. Around 7am, we picked up the driver from Naraina and then on were on our way to Chandigarh. I had taken care to burn a CD with 79 of my favorite songs that could be played in the car, along with the 200-something songs on my Nano. Being my usual considerate self, I also burned a dozen Hindi songs to that CD, so as to cater to the tastes of those who don't really understand the unique nature of hard rock, pop and rap music -- i.e., my parents (and the driver). On the trip last to this one, I'd copied to my Nano the audio of a movie and of a few episodes of Scrubs; but I decided against doing that this time round, since listening to audio-only versions gives me a light headache, for hitherto unknown reason.

Anyway, getting back to exactly why I don't like road-trips. To this, I'll have to jerk my head towards the pain in the back that results from sitting with the seat-belt on for 3-4 hours straight; this makes me want to press the red button to release the seat-belt and snap out of it; but, of course, releasing this monster is something that's out of question while traveling on the national highways of India -- the same highways where people drive like baboons, and blindly ignore the billboards that solemnly proclaim that "speed thrills, but kills". So, except for the times when the car is pulled over for snack time and for taking a leak, one has to sit trapped in the seat. And since I can't seem to go sleep while traveling in a car, I'm not able to slip into the world of the sub-conscious that's capable enough to put some distance between the Grey cells and the layer of discomfort. During such times, my iPod's the one thing that I can depend upon to puncture the balloon that keeps on expanding with all the irritation.

-| AG.