The heat in Delhi and Jaipur was relentless, but it soon gave way to a refreshing breeze as the sleeper train chugged its way up the Himalayan foothills.
The long journey offered little to do other than listen to music and play cards. Every now and then, we’d dangle our feet over the train’s edge. It was wonderful.
A few days earlier, I had ventured up to a street vendor and bought five Pink Floyd albums for just £1. Despite the imperfections of these bootleg tapes, the poetry and ideas in these songs profoundly changed my cautious outlook.
For all their cautions, my parents were brave to encourage me on this three-week school trip to India. Perhaps they wouldn’t have been so brave if they’d known I’d discover Pink Floyd, distancing their ideas from mine.
The bus awaited us at our last stop, Kathgodam. We were on our way to an orphanage in Kausani, a village famous for its panoramic view of the Himalayas. Gandhi dubbed it the ‘Switzerland of India’.
On the bus, my Sony Walkman ran out of batteries. I remember complaining about it. Five days later, in the company of parentless girls, the happiest I had ever met, I never complained about such things again.
One night, the village leader invited everyone to a meal at his home. With 40 of us on this trip, adults sat at the table while students sat cross-legged on the floor. Seven of us – three boys and four girls – volunteered to sit on his (flat) rooftop.
We ate our meal in silence.
Afterwards, one of the girls suggested finding out which boy was best at hugging. Aged 15, it seemed like a good thing to do.
The other boys knew more about girls than me, so I didn’t fancy my chances. They were better looking too. Surely that had to count for something?
One by one, we hugged, let the girls consult and awaited their verdicts. The first boy’s were too feeble, the second squeezed too tight. My hugs were judged to be perfect – firm, warming, not too long, hands in the right place. I was a natural.
In the distance, lightning illuminated the Trisul mountains. There was no thunder – just a perfect silhouette every few minutes.
I hugged four girls that night.
It was one of the happiest moments of my life.
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This “on the road” category is inspired by Jack Kerouac’s classic novel about freedom, rebellion and the search for spiritual fulfillment. Everything I wanted to have when I was younger (but it wasn’t me).