This post is about an unexpected detour I had while transporting all my stuff to our farm so I could finally start living there. A close friend of mine recently got married for which I had to return to the city. Before I left, I wanted to vacate the room I'm staying in, pack all my stuff and transport it all to the land. I managed to finish packing my belongings, which fit into a wardrobe and two suitcases, and I hired a pick up truck to transport it over the rugged forest terrain. I followed the driver on my trust two-wheeler thinking I could unpack on the same day, but as it turned out fate had other plans for me.
Around halfway through my commute, my bike broke down without warning, and refused to start again even with exhaustive fiddling with knobs and dials. The pick up truck by this time was already way ahead and as I happened to break down in a network dead zone, I couldn't even call him. Luckily it also happened to be a spot located near the only settlements for miles that housed cowherds and forest rangers.
A resident of one of these settlements noticed my struggle and suggested I park my bike near his house while I find someone that could help. He told me that I could find a mobile signal a short walk away and I should try and call someone while he made sure my bike wasn't vandalized. Having no other alternative I left my bike with him and set off in pursuit of that elusive signal.
My host's beautiful house.
The adjacent cowshed.
My bike is safe and secure.
So I set off on my journey to make a phone call. I kept walking till I eventually reached an area where I could make that call from. I called the pick up driver first to inform him of my misfortune. I also figured rather than searching for a non existent mechanic, I could wait for him to drop off my stuff and pick me up on the return journey. I also called our local workers so they could contact the driver and figure out the unloading between them. With that responsibility out of the way I had a few hours to kill while I waited for the driver to return. This gave me a chance to explore the forests adjacent to the road that I normally zip past on my commute.
In pursuit of a signal.
The forests are protected and no one is allowed to wander them freely, but I still saw a lot of interesting sights on the fringe between the road and the forests.
I eventually made my way back to the house where I left my bike. The house has a gorgeous field in front of it and is right next to this massive tree that's created an impressive root floor in front of the house.
I also explored some of the abandoned buildings around my host's house that had such intriguing aesthetics.
Around 3 hours after my bike broke down, the driver returned. We loaded my bike onto the pick up truck and then dropped it off at a mechanic shop in town. While I didn't get to see my stuff unloaded and unpacked, I did get to spend time surrounded my the magnificence of the forest while also meeting new locals who are making their living in a network dead zone on the fringe of a forest.
I'm currently back in the big city where I'm planning on staying for a week or so to catch up with friends and family and also acquire all the provisions I need that I can't buy in the hills. I haven't seen my finished residential structure or unpacked my stuff yet, but everything is ready and waiting for me to get back. In a week or so I'll finally be living off the land. A little more than a year since it's been the dream. I'm pretty stoked to see what further adventures await me as I live a minimal life in my shack in the hills.
