I had this teacher in highschool who I could never decide if I liked or not. She taught me history, which I enjoyed, but she was also mighty old-school British in her ways. Telling us to sit with our legs crossed and to be polite and demure.

She constantly chided me about having my head in the clouds, asking me to come back to Earth and pay attention. What she means was stop daydreaming, stop being imaginative, stop thinking for yourself. I know she had an impact on me back then.

Anyhow, all this to say, seeing this sight soon after the sun rose, after driving around in the dark for two hours, felt like I’d woken up with my head in the clouds.

En route Chandigarh to Manali, we’re driving ourselves through valleys flanked by blue mountains and emerald rivers gushing by. This is my first time in the hills. I’m excited.

***

Grateful that despite it all, this is a country that’s safe enough and allows me the freedom to get around and explore.

One year ago: It’s dark and I think that I would give anything for you to shine down on me