I have been inundated with so many requests from so many from everywhere to write about my travels.I did not think it worthwhile to do so.Who'd want to know or read about my solo road trips across the different US states which to, some were crazy and unbelievable !!!! Well, when the travel bug is in me, I can tell you all, its just unstoppable !!!! I just make plans and go.....!!
My advantage is that I have so many of my home town Manipuri & other NE Indian brethren settled here and there in different cities in the US and they all know my love for travel.So I get invited by them all the time to visit them. I get to meet and eat with them our ethnic foods and have lots of fun , fellowship and laughter !!! They too get the time to do that as they too are all busy with their work, studies and balancing family life in between !!! I tell you its not easy to have kids and work in the US as we have absolutely no help at all.Childcare is very expensive and most of these couples are pretty much able to adjust well....!!! Only 2-3 families are fortunate to have their parents visit them to help out with the childcare !!!! Rest all are dependent on the childcare services out of no choice !!!
Anyway, today I would like to share my solo road trip from Tulsa , Oklahoma to Alaska ( the last US frontier ).I went on this trip in the summer of 2013 after coming back from my visit to India.Another coworker of mine & me had planned together on this trip & unfortunately she backed out @ the last minute. citing some personal problems !!! I was very disappointed since I had eagerly looked forward to this trip all along!! I did not even let my mom and siblings know about it cos of the usual fear and discouraging comments they make under pressure from well meaning relatives !!! I can't blame them !!! lol!!
Well, I had to think fast and plan my trip since this coworker backed out!! I searched for an affordable rental car which I got for $600.00 for a 3 week rental from the Hertz Enterprise .The whole distance was some 3000 miles...I looked up the map & boy!!!! it was thousands of miles and miles of driving into the vast Prairie lands across Canada !!!! It was a little scary to think of it !!! but I had made up mind...." SIRA SU SI CHANGA SU CHANG "( in Manipuri )- dead or alive- I'm going to do it ...."KATHI LE THI KAHIN LE HIN"- in Kuki language..." MORILE MOROK JIKILE JIOK"- in Assamese, " MARE YA JIYE"- in Hindi.......!!!
I don't use any GPS or any sort of gadgets for my trips.I have been offered so much advice and talks/ suggestions by my young friends over this problem !!! lol!!!They can't venture out anywhere without these !!! They are missing out out on all the adventure and the fun!!!
Man, I tell you, I am comfy with my own old school ways...ha ha ha!!! This does not go down well with my high tech savvy millennial generation of young friends & alike !! I think all they do is bring their own worst fears and anxieties out about my Solo trips !!! It strikes FEAR in them to know that I drive to such places "ALONE " with no "GPS".......!!! Its a real treat to watch their ashen expression when they know that I don't use these gadgets !!! I use good ole' plain printed texts as my guide and also a combination of maps and other info materials I get from the different Tourist info/ Welcome centers.....!!! Sometimes I too get pleasantly lost but again I am pleasantly found again !!! I rely on the highway signs and my printed texts and the maps....which is pretty reliable most of the time !!! This is not to say that GPS is not good.Its just that I am still not yet used to the idea of using such hi tech gadgets !!! I am an oldie as you all know...!!!You all got to understand my generation belongs to a different era ...lol!!! My heart's still "JAWAN- young " you are as old are you think"........to put it correctly !!! I don't belong to my generation some of whom are already grand parents....& satisfied with being that !!! lol!!!!
Well, coming to my Alaska trip, I packed up lots of ready to heat/warm foods like the noodles, snacks , beef jerkies, dried fruits , fresh grapes , oranges and what not !!!I baked some chicken with masala .This would serve as a great easy /ready to eat food for my road trip at least for the day !!! 4/5 bottles of tap water from my apartment. I drink just plain water and not store bought water !!!
I packed my sleeping bag & my side kick -the "KHUDEI"- the Manipuri simple multipurpose towel/shawl/ scarf . I also packed so many ethnic scarves and attires to take pictures with along my way !!!...& some light change of clothes too.I put in a bar soap for some light washings which I may need for along the way.My laptop and my 2 cameras all ready !!!
I called up my credit card and informed them of my possibility to use the card in Canada for refueling my vehicle and that I be allowed to use the card there without any hitch.I booked a hostel for $25/night for a shared dorm room in Alaska. I didn't know how long it would take to reach there so I requested them to adjust my booking !!..I always plan to drive /drop/swing by along my route to meet my friends !!! So on this trip, I drove up to Iowa state to meet up with Rosi (from Awang BOC in Imphal ) & her sis Ronika & another Manipuri guy Sahadev from Thoubal.
Day 1- July,2013
I left Tulsa around 7am and drove on the Interstate Highway 44 East and then onto another highway to Kansas City.I took the exit from there to get onto Highway 24 towards Des Moines city. I passed through some lovely rural farms & countryside.I felt so blessed and enjoyed the beautiful sights all along.I ate my baked chicken for lunch and drank water.It was filling enough !!!
It took some 7-8 hours to reach Des Moines city.I drove leisurely and stopped by to enjoy the roadside attractions - its sights & sounds.I went to see the Jesse James Museum and had a good walk around its building.Its a good feeling to know that I am stepping into a place which stores all the Jesse James' memorabilia.I was very much into western cowboy movies /comics during my growing up years !!! I used to go see these movies in the USHA HALL in Paona Bazar in Imphal ( my home town ) whenever I got back from school.I don't know why !!! but it was great fun to peep into the closed movie doors and to even hear the slight sounds from inside the hall.The usher guy would always let me in & I watched quite a good deal of the Western cowboy flicks..I didn't even know who those actors were but I still remember the thundering' words of the main guy "Howdy, Pardn'er !!" now I came to know it was good ole' John Wayne !!! Bless his heart!!!
I reached Des Moines city around 6.30pm.It was a very sleepy town.It didn't even look like an American town.Its pretty much a rural area.I waited in my vehicle for Rosi to come back from her work. She arrived soon after and was so happy and excited to meet another fellow Manipuri sister.She then took me inside her apartment and we made small talk.This was so refreshing and I could see her extreme excitement and happiness!!
Day 2-
We invited Sahadev to join us.This guy is a complete introvert.He is married to a Mao tribal lady and has 2 daughters.This was the first time he was meeting Rosi and her sis even though we had introduced them few months back. Meiteis have a habit of being so hesitant to reach out to each other cos of the fear of what others would think and say !!! Each one thinks the other person should make the first move to start the conversation !!! I find this too dragging and waste of time !!! lol!! Forgive me, ya'll !! I am the "DRONG DRONG" ( open & down to earth ) " JHAT PAT '' type of personality and brook no excuses when making friends or reaching out to anyone anywhere !!! lol !!!
We were so happy making small talks. We ate together the simple foods that Rosi and her sis prepared.
She then took us for a drive around her city to show us. Yes, we all had great fun...!! She dropped off Sahadev @ his apartment which was not too far from her place. She introduced me to her Burmese Mizo friends there . Her name was NAN SIANG.She was so happy and shared her foods with me.She packed dried beef meat for me to eat on the way !!! I thanked her & we came back to Rosi's place.
Well, I had to bid them good bye the next morning as I was on my way to Alaska.They could not help wondering and feeling very worried about me @ the thought of it - " alone, no GPS, no nothing into the wilderness called Alaska !!! " While I was agog with excitement @ the very thought & idea of it!!!! What a contrast !!! I left their city Des Moines with a very happy mind.I took the Interstate Highway 80 West to go onto Nebraska and to cross into the Dakotas.
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