Priceless hospitaity, the only floating national park in the world and The Unforgettable sunrise at Aizawl.
Before reaching Imphal, I sent a few Couchsurfing requests for accommodation.
As I reached, I found a Bajaj showroom and I went in to check for the oil measuring cap. The people there were so unpleasant, they said the store was closed and they were helpless. It was just 4:30 PM and when I tried to explain, no one cared since it was a Platina. I came out disappointed when I received a message from Sunil saying he could host me. I called him and he shared his location and guided me to his place, a village about 20 kilometres away. On reaching his place I met his father at the entrance who welcomed me in. I met Sunil, he looked charming and showed me the room to sleep in. He had left his room for my use and moved to his brother's room. They served me dinner with fish and we slept.
I relaxed the next day as it was a Saturday while Sunil had work. He said he would join me tomorrow to do some sightseeing. I went around the place, took a few pictures and rode to the city around noon. The market was so crowded that I didn't feel like staying there long. I stopped to eat some chowmein, Pani puri and even tried a few fruits. I pinged Sunil to catch up after his work and luckily turned out he was within a kilometre from me. He was a really fit man. A passionate bicyclist who wanted to tour the country on his bicycle. I guessed he ran because he reached so quickly within a few minutes. We shared another chowmein and rode back home in the rain. He didn't like me smoking or drinking, so I tried to limit myself. We came home and had dinner, talked about travel as I kept pushing him to take on the journey he had been aspiring for.
We went to Loktak lake the next morning and the boat ride cost 300 for 6 adults. I had less cash on me so I said let's skip this and go explore the place instead and sat near the lake capturing the beautiful view. While I smoked, I saw a boatman rowing at a distance. I asked Sunil if he might give us a ride on his boat. He was hesitant to ask, so I helped to start the conversation. I called out 'dada' and then he did the rest of the talking. The boatman simply started rowing towards us making way through the water plants. The boat was hardly a foot and a half wide and about 15 feet long. All three of us had to maintain a balance or it would topple easily. We stayed still till we reached back onshore. After a lovely ride, he dropped us back and I handed him some money. He accepted it without counting and went back on his own.
Later we visited the Keibul Lamjao National park which is the only floating National Park on Earth and also the only place to sight a Sangai. It is believed that the name sangai (sa "animal" and ngai "in awaiting") was coined from its peculiar posture and behaviour while running. By nature, the deer, particularly the males, even when running for its life stops occasionally and looks back as if he is waiting for someone and hence the name. On the way back I insisted on trying some alcohol and he took me to a hotel and introduced me to some arrack.
Sunil and his family were very hospitable and served me very well with what they had. He was working for a mere 7000 rupees, while his father and brother drove auto-rickshaws and lived together. I was really amazed at them for having the heart to host me and serve with such great hospitality. Sunil in his 30's, was lean but as fit as a cheetah. With the passion to live, but being cheated with life, he was surviving each day with hope.
The next morning I packed up and moved towards Mizoram. The ride was simply wow, nothing like what I had ridden till now. So much nature and mountains, untouched by civilization and the roads, neat and well maintained probably because it was the border to Myanmar. As I kept riding I realized it was mostly just me on the road and sometimes in 10 or 15 kilometres a vehicle passed by, sometimes not even that. I enjoyed the mountains to my fullest. I even saw a man walking naked on the road and vegetables planted just beside the roads, I could only imagine their classic, rustic lifestyle. I was lit once again. I ran out of cash in hand and needed to find an Atm. Ngopa was the place to find it all.
I was still riding after dark unable to ride fast with my headlights. Reaching Ngopa I withdrew some cash. I rode straight to a lodge but could find no one around at the reception. I checked with a neighbour and she called the man in charge. He got there in a Maruti 800 and opened the door for me. I asked him about the price, he said 400 for a room. I asked him about the dorm and he said 100 per bed. The dorm it was. The chance of another guest coming there that night seemed impossible. So I had the whole dorm to myself. The place was huge, An old building but maintained neatly. The view and silence, I was in love with it, Just pure nature. I could see the innocence and life in the eyes of people than greed and luxury. Birds, insects, their sounds and nothing else.
I decided to stay another day, washed my clothes n the morning and went to town for some food. I ate and bought some snacks to sustain through the day. I just smoked, listened to music, wrote a little and relaxed through the day. In the evening I took another ride for dinner while I bought some engine oil to replace on the bike, used the burnt oil for the chain and brakes and to oil the cables on the bike. With the bike serviced, I was set for another thousand kilometres.
I loaded and took off to Aizawl in the morning. I had put in a few Couchsurfing requests and received a message from Michael a Couchsurfer from Kerala. He called to check if I had already got a place to stay and I told him I extended another day in Ngopa and was on my way. He said he could host me. I rode through the mountains all day and reached Aizawl around 3:30 PM. I headed to the Bajaj showroom but that small spare part I was looking for wasn't available. I bought some Zu, the local arrack and reached Michael's place.
The room he gave me was one of the best places I've lived in my entire life. I just cannot explain the view. The area itself was at a higher terrain compared to the other parts of the city. The room was on a higher floor, with a balcony, and the view was spectacular. I dumped my luggage and he took me to a restaurant to buy me some food. It had been weeks tasting something like that. He said that was the only place serving good Indian food. We came back, had a small chat and he asked me to wake up for the sunrise the next morning.
The rising sun woke me naturally shining right at my face, It was so beautiful that I couldn't close my eyes after that, jumped out of bed and started taking a video. The day simply kick-started. I did some Surya namaskars, meditated for some time and started writing. The maid came in and prepared breakfast for him while I made some porridge for myself. He went for a jog and returned just when I was done having breakfast. We talked for some time and I got back to typing as I was way behind on my story. Later I asked him if I could cook for both and he agreed. We bought some chicken and fish both half a kilo each and I prepared chicken gravy and fish fry. We enjoyed the meal together. He had his porridge, salad and fruits for dinner while I made some rice and ate with chicken. Asked him to have the remaining fish for the next day. I came up to my room to take in as much as possible of the view before getting into bed.
Michael had a perfect lifestyle. A help came in at 8 in the morning as he wakes up, goes running for about an hour, comes back, has his healthy breakfast with a specific menu prescheduled for the week. She leaves after making lunch which he eats for dinner also. He sits with the laptop, lifts his head up to the view whenever work gets too much and continues to work with his headphones on. Lunch at 1. At 4 he sits on the balcony sipping green tea. Goes out if he feels like it or stays home alone. On weekends he goes mountain biking with some friends. Doesn't drink or smoke, had a girlfriend, went to Kochi once in a couple of months. An architect by profession.
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