Spur of the moment!!

Spontaneity is a wonderful concept... sometimes things done at the spur of the moment end up being our fondest memories for years to come or might give us the jump start that most of these pseudo-spiritual new age fads promise but never deliever...
Last weekend presented me with such an opportunity and thankfully I grabbed it without thinking twice... A friend of mine was driving down to Aurangabad from Bombay to meet his folks and he suggested that I join him. To me, the open road has always seemed like such an inviting yet challenging place. Of late, however, given the nature of lives, I haven't found alot of willing company for such escapades and thus hadn't indulged myself in a long time. Realising this, I accepted my friend's inticing offer.. We set off for Aurangabad on Friday evening and were well prepared to drive all night. We did stop once every 2 hours to recover from the constant jerking and pot holes. Just before entering Aurangabad we stopped at a local dhaba for the most delightful cup of masala chai and the most wonderful sight of cotton fields at the break of dawn.
Upon arriving at his folks' place, my friend hit the sack... I, on the other hand, decided to take in the local sights and sounds. First on my list was the much ignored 'Bibi ka Maqbara.' Built by the son of Emperor Aurangzeb, Azam Shah as a tribute to his mother Bano Begam, I was told it was built to rival the TAJ, but because of its similarity, it has been overshadowed by its more picturesque rival. It was certainly the highlight of my day, although it does bring with it an obvious sense of deja vu. The rest of the day was spent in and out of some temples built during the days of maratha rule.
Sunday began with a 25 km bus journey to the Ellora caves. These caves are so spread out that most tourists hire cars or auto rickshaws to see them in their entirety. I, however, decided to make a walk of it...and I must say, in retrospect, it was a good decision. I had a local guide book so that I wouldn't be staring aimlessly at the sculptures which given that they were built between 7-9 A.D. have been remarkably well preserved. The caves are like a picture book explaining the emergence of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism... Very vivid and beautiful. The caves are numbered so one doesn't loose his/her way. As the afternoon progressed I met this lovely Australian couple (R and M)... Apparently, they were in India because of a promise R had made to M as a part of their first anniversary. We spent the rest of the afternoon together, talking about many things while walking from one cave to another. We eventually went our separate ways when I decided to see a temple a few kilometers down the road which they had already seen... But to be honest, the conversation was probably the most open and delightful I have had in a while. Finally after a short trip to the temple, I got a ride from a cab-driver in a nearby tea stall back to Aurangabad.. To my surprise he charged me next to nothing because he said he was on his way to Bombay anyway and the only reason he took the money is because I kept insisting... After such wonderful experiences, I decided to call it a day.
The final day was spent with my gracious local hosts... My friend's father (an army man) told me stories which made me wonder how in our mad pursuit for riches and comfort, we barely take time to truly experience, to truly live...Apparently after college he decided to see India and set out with whatever little savings he had. The only reason he joined the army was to continue his journey of discovery...When I told him that I was there on a whim, he said "You have to start sometime," and smiled... Eventually we set out for Bombay again, but this time instead of anticipation I was filled with the best experiences I have had in a very long time...