An interesting thing happened to me on the first night. I went a some students to the nearby night market. It wasn't very far from our hotel. I decided to go back early. No problem, i thought. It would not be difficult to find me way back. It was extremely easy, actually.
So i headed back into the direction of the hotel.
Wait a minute. The surroundings din look familiar at all. Did i really walk pass this way on the way there? I decided to trust my initial instincts. i have nothing else to rely on, really!!! I din bother to study any maps nor buy any guide books since the trip would be a busy one with the students.
I walked and walked... and guess what? I ended up at the night market again!!!!!!
Ok. Reset. Start all over again. No panic buttons pushed. I've wandered all alone in bigger cities before and i've always found me way back. Let's just retrace my steps. Easy-peasy!
However, it was just the beginning of my nightmare. It was like i was caught in a Bermuda Triangle on land! In some strange episode of The Twilight Zone. You see, i kept on trying new routes and yet i ended up at the night market. Again. And again. And again. And again!!!!!!
I started to panic a little. It was getting very late. I had ALL my US dollars with me. I was carrying my DSLR with me. I was stupid enuf to bring my hotel room key with me which meant that my room mate was locked out of the room!!!! I was wearing a Les Miserables t-shirt and everyone who saw me with my camera bag slinged over my shoulders knew i was a tourist.
I started taking chances and making detours - just thinking i'm heading the in the general right direction. Finally, i came to a road that leads to my hotel!!!! Woohoo!!!! But wait a minute. Do i go up the road or down the road? I had absolutely NO IDEA!!!! So i just made a call - it as a 50% chance of being right.
No surprises that i chose the wrong the direction. On top of that, it was not yr run of the mill road. It was a super duper extremely looooooooooooooooooong road!!!!! I kept trudging on. Finally, i reached the end of the road to discover that my hotel was at the other end!!!!! I really wanted to cry then. I had to back-track and cover back the same distance that i just did. And it was a long long one. On top of that, i had to cover more than what i just did to reach the other end of the road!!!!
It was way past 1 am when i finally trudged into the hotel. Besides being completed exhausted, the ego was hurt pretty badly. I had always prided meself with my good sense of direction. Now all that is thrown outta the window.
Anyways, there were bright sides to it all. First, i was safe and sound! Really, really thank God for that!!!! Being lost at midnight in a city that i've never been to before is a scary experience. Later, i have heard stories of how dangerous it can get - and some people who work there make it a point not to go out at night!!!!
Secondly, i actually had a nice tour of the city on the first night itself!!! :-) We were supposed to have a city tour on our 3rd day there. To cut the long story short, we missed that. So it was good that i had my own city tour! And it was a night city tour!!!
Finally - and connected to the previous point - i managed to take some nice night pics! :-)
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