India still calls me back. I still have things to do there, people to see. But even if I did those things and met those people again, I doubt the ache to return would diminish. More probably, it would increase. India does that.
This is where we stayed the night before continuing to Leh the next day.
All content © 2014 Pete McGregor
India's siren call is strong isn't it? So very strong. It is now twenty years since I was there, and she still nudges my heart.
ReplyDeleteDo you know, Pete, I have an image very similar to this, taken as I was approaching Arthur's Pass in NZ.
ReplyDeleteIndia is actually closer to me than is your country, but NZ would be "home" if I was a younger man.
"The grass is always greener......"
EC, I do hope it doesn't take me anything like 20 years to get back to India. I've heard claims about how small the world's becoming, but India's too far away for me.
ReplyDeleteAvus, I know exactly that view coming into Arthurs Pass (although it's been too long since I've seen that, too). The big difference, however, is the way the lower mountainsides around Arthurs Pass are densely forested with Southern beech — a far cry from the sere and overgrazed country in this photograph. You might be right about the grass being greener but, taken literally, it certainly doesn't apply to northern India. Metaphorically, though, ... well, that's another story.
The allure of high mountains and green valleys, worked on me. I grew up on the low flat, and now I live among the Rockies. And I miss being near oceans and large lakes.
ReplyDeleteThat's humanity all over.
Zhoen, I grew up near the sea and I miss it here — rocky coasts in particular. At least in New Zealand the sea's within at most a few hours' drive.
ReplyDelete