India Trip 2023 - Assam - Chapter 1- Bumps, Blunders, and a Bed at Last
As Anthony Bourdain once wisely said, “Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. But that’s okay. The journey changes you.” Well, after being rudely yanked from sleep for the 200th time by yet another bone-rattling lurch of our trusty Toyota on the way to Manas National Park, Assam, I finally got what he meant—on a deeply personal, mildly traumatic level. Peering out into the pitch-black nothingness, I questioned my life choices. Was I on a thrilling adventure? Or had I unknowingly signed up for a long-haul roller coaster ride disguised as a road trip? Either way, sleep was clearly not on the itinerary. Our trip to Manas was a milestone for me—it was my first-ever visit to a national park in India. Which is ironic, considering I spent the first 25 years of my life in this country without even realizing such places existed! Apparently, I had to move to the U.S., get dazzled by Yellowstone and Grand Teton, and THEN come back to India to finally appreciate its wild side....