Rides

knbg · Feb 12, 2016

Rides...

Horse back rides, elephant rides, bullock cart,bike, car and other vehicle rides, piggy back rides and the amusement park rides!

Have enjoyed most of the rides from childhood...

The piggy back rides on the backs of daddy, grand parents, uncles....joys of a first born in a joint family indeed!

The cycle rides as a toddler- perched on my special,soft, 'baby seat' in my daddy's cycle-going around the town- with my daddy repeatedly reminding me to keep my legs crossed around the bar and me turning my head right n left and capturing all the sights and sounds and smells of the town and chattering non stop...With pride when daddy's students wished him.

The 5mile bullock cart rides to our native village from the bus stop- rickety rockety on muddy road- watching the pair of white bulls nodding their head rhythmically and walking in unison...with their bells jingling melodiously...

My first cycle ride, scooter ride and car ride...I could sense an almost visible special glow around me, the glow of pride that I can ride, on my own!.

The regular rides in buses and office cabs- like clockwork. Watching and acquainting with fellow busy bees and the wait in the evening for that specific train, for which I would forgo my comfy office cab ride, so that I could meet my best friend- 45 minutes of bonding and joy- unaware of the surroundings.

The long train journeys....to Delhi, Northeast and scenic Alaska!
With the rhythmic rattle of the train, rocking me to a trans....gratefully gulping all the beauty of pristine nature, houses ,schools and playgrounds looking magical in misty mornings,passing lakes and rivers, witnessing a small spec of a wedding, a festival a funeral...., mighty structures and humble settlements- all pass by in a moment's notice...like the changing slides of the view master!

The aeroplane rides, helicopter rides- watching clouds and sun and moon at eye level!

The boating and ferry rides n cruises....with water splashing...watching huge blue whales so close and fishing for glacier ice blocks for mock-tails....

And the jeep safaris...watching huge one-horned rhinos at close quarters-sitting beside a talkative driver( says who?) who had to share stories of jeeps toppled down by rhinos and tyres being bitten by them...elephants charging the jeeps and tigers crossing the path..thrilling ride indeed!

Each ride is etched in my memory and takes me back to those beautiful memories instantly.

But I was not much of a fan of the 'rides' in the amusement parks. Have always bailed out such trips during college days and later. But, offlate, had to experience such rides with my DS- mmm, motherhood..!
The sudden 50 ft drops, the crazy rocking and shaking, the huge giant wheels, the carousels and the roller coasters...Have always made me tremble before entering, scared and screaming during the ride and dazed and relieved when they ended.

Each ride transports us...
Each ride gives us an unique experience....

Be it the reassured piggy back and baby seat cycle rides.....
Pride instilling cycle, scooter and car rides with us behind the wheels.....
Utilitarian rides to work...
Pleasure rides in trains, cruise boats....
Life transforming rides in aeroplanes, transporting us to the other corner of the world in hours....
The scary chute drops in amusement parks....
The comfy carousels in the beach park...
The ultimate roller coasters that make us scream in fear and thrill....

I believe, to some extent, it is upto us to choose the rides...and mostly it is upto us to choose how we experience the rides that we had to take, or have been made to take....
We can either choose to enjoy or endure....and I understood, enjoying is better than enduring...
Enjoying makes time fly....
Enjoying brings beautiful sights and sounds, a different perspective...
Be it in the above rides or the ultimate ride- the ride of life...
Though in amusement parks I avoided the giant wheels and roller coasters, life did give me giant wheel and roller coaster rides ...
I was flustered initially, screamed a little later...and now learned the art of putting my hands up and flashing my excited broad smile..!
Enjoying your rides friends?

vaidehi71 · Feb 12, 2016

Nice Narration,

You took me on those rides with your nice narration, though some rides I have never done before...

Thanks,
vaidehi

knbg · Feb 12, 2016

@vaidehi71 Thank you very much for the sweet words dear! Glad to get your feedback.

twinklingstar · Feb 12, 2016

wow all your rides made me feel nostalgic ..hmmm.
ya most of the rides are good and me too dont like amusement park rides they are like :shock: and i also avoid most of them. but to make my DD strong and courageous i accompany her to few but make sure will be comfortable for both of us gigglingsmiley

Lathasv · Feb 12, 2016

Hi @knbg
lovely narration on rides.when I was a kid enjoyed bullock cart ride with cousins. During aero plane rides up to some time I enjoy watching clouds after that I feel when it ends like that. I enjoy train rides because I watch nature as long as I want to so It is worth for me

I enjoy some rides in theme parks but Always screams when I on big rides like roller coasters but Have to go because of my son.

Thanks for sharing because I too recollect my old sweet memories with your snippet

Viswamitra · Feb 12, 2016

Dear Bhargavi,

Learning horse-back ride on my own was a secret dream I had in my young age which I knew well my parents could never afford. Instead, now at the age of 62, I watch the children taking a nice horse-back ride in the summer camps. Like you, I am also a person who shy away from roller-coaster rides in the amusement parks as I couldn't stand any type of such rides.

Thank you for bringing pleasant memories of my first tricycle ride to bicycle ride. Bus, train, private plane, commercial plane, helicopter rides, boat, cruise ships, etc. came much later.

But roller-coaster rides in real life are the best that gave me wonderful lessons as to how to balance while in the ride. Initially, I was also screaming during those good and bad rides but later I realized that enduring them gives us lessons and enjoying them quietly gives us humility. It builds our character.

Holding the hands of the better-half while having wild rides gave me confidence that someone is there with me and laughing aloud when we had nice rides gave me happiness that I have someone to share it.

Difficult life rides are mostly not our choices and are wired for bringing experiences commensurate to our past actions. How we accept them gracefully helps our growth.

Viswa

periamma · Feb 13, 2016

Bhargavi how many rides in life?I too avoid roller-coaster or Rangaraatinam in village festivals but can't escape riding some rides in life .when we ride in Bullock carts we scream as the wheel rolls on the uneven roads and our heads bang on the side of the cart .oh what a jolly ride.Those days newly married couple travel in the carts to their in-laws home and have an excited journey .wonderful narration .

suryakala · Feb 13, 2016

Dear @Knbg,

What a beautiful collection of rides you have in your memories! Have you ever had a Camel Ride? I could never forget my experience of Camel ride in Agra!

The ride of life is surely roller coaster for everybody. Companions join and leave us during the ride while we move on. The ride of life gives the rider opportunity to go through all the 'Navarasas' of mental state.

We can enjoy the ride if we keep ourselves cool through out!

Srama · Feb 13, 2016

Dear Bhargavi,

I have to tell you that my first cycle ride was with my DS when he was 4!! It motivated him to learn and I became that adult in the neighborhood who had that same glee at the age of...well you know what I mean. Now even after 10 years friends in neighborhood speak of that look on my face! And kids from the neighborhood still ride with me and they get joy letting me win a race every now and then! I am riot to sit with on ride in an amusement park - my FIL always insisted he wanted to sit with me just because I believe I had so much fun not caring about who thought what. I always thought if you are on a ride everyone must be having the same fun!

Enjoyed reading your snippet!