It all started when the co-passenger, Rheena broke the silence between them… Saying, “You’ve got lovely eyes.”

The compliment was very common for her. Yet Anamika blushed, and turned pink but continued cleaning her spectacles.

On seeing so, Rheena asked “What is the power?”

Anamika’s face changed colour instantly, for she was shy and rather embarrassed to talk about her imperfect vision. A perfectionist like her rather considered it to be a major fault in her. She almost kicked herself and wished she had put on contact lenses instead. “Umm its -4..”

“Oh! That is quite a lot!”

“I usually wear contact lenses, but thought that wasn’t a great idea on an 8 hours flight! So the specs!” Anamika’s interest was visibly lost in the conversation. She hid her face deep in the magazine.

Anamika was on a flight back to her country, when the line in the magazine read;

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in making new landscapes,

but in having new eyes…”

She never really realized the depth of this quote, yet she penned it down in her diary…She somehow had to avoid further conversation from this lady who herself had no spectacles. “How can she even know what an imperfect sight feels like. Let alone the ‘looking’ part!” Anamika’s mind started whizzing with thoughts.

“Why don’t you get a treatment done?”, Rheena persisted in continuing the conversation.

“hmm..” Anamika nodded without looking up.

“Hey! Are you okay?” Rheena saw some water droplets on the pages of magazine.

Anamika couldn’t control back her tears, for Rheena had touched the most sensitive issue in her life. Certainly not a way to begin conversation for a fellow passenger for next 8 hours.

The events of past started lining up before her.

 Anami hoped she could just vanish from her seat and reach home asap!

Rheena continued, “I have a perfect vision now, but my power was -5 when I began.”

“WTF!”, Anamika almost shouted. The passenger across them looked visibly annoyed at the chatter.

“I’m sorry!”, Rheena turned to Anamika and signaled her to lower her volume.

“How on earth is that possible? You got the laser surgery done? I am scared of it.”  Her eyes twinkled with excitement as she talked. “Did it hurt?”

“I am not very fond of unnatural means, dear! I’m a Yoga teacher and my beliefs have spiritual touch.”

“Interesting! I’m all ears!”, Anamika closed the magazine in her hand, and listened intently.

“Since childhood due to many factors my eyesight weakened until I could not really do anything without specs. Lenses were in fashion, but they bothered me to a great deal. Now a days they are pretty soft, but wasn’t so years back.”

“Hmm…” it was then Anamika noticed her fellow passenger closely. She must be about the age of 45years, yet looked much younger. Probably some of  the other benefits of Yoga!

Next few hours ‘flew’ by in the deep discussion about it. Rheena chose to not disclose everything about the treatment, but made sure she conveyed the contact details of the place. Anamika, though skeptical about it all, was excited to try it out for herself. At least she would get yet another vacation on the beach. The beach of Pondicherry! How perfect!

The journey soon came to an end. They both shook hands and promised to keep in touch.

“Voyage à Pondichéry!” Anamika repeated in her mind, recalling her French lessons.

But no sooner she came home that her college had already begun. A vacation was nowhere in sight. Anamika pushed aside the thought of Pondicherry for a while. 8 days at a stretch were nowhere to be found in Architecture, her very own hectic course! Though after an year long of fun, she had decided to get back to school. She better not be absconding for a week to spend time in Pondy!

College had already speeded up by the time she returned. A set of new faces, and a tiny challenge of befriending these new ‘kids’ waited for her. It made her have a queer sensation in her stomach. But she was determined nevertheless.

To focus on the new phase, she decided to cut from the previous one for a while, and hence distanced herself from the social media altogether. Everything else, but Pondicherry stayed at the back of her mind. She would try to ask her new fellow classmates if they would anytime be having holidays. So that she could plan something.

There was no luck, until the favorite month July was sailing though. The good news of a long weekend filled up the air! Everyone at class seemed elated. Anamika knew, that was the time to plan the much awaited trip. She booked an appointment and did the necessary travel arrangements.

She would be travelling alone for the second time, it excited her. She loved the ‘freedom’ that came along with being a lone traveler. The countdown had begun for, ‘Voyage à Pondichéry.’

[…to be continued]