The Moment

If you are fortunate, there is a moment on a trip, an adventure, or perhaps even in life, when you realise that you have arrived. A moment when you know you have found what you are looking for.

It might not actually be a place, it might be a person, an experience, or even a feeling. A feeling of liberation, of freedom. You are in the right place, you are where you meant to be, you have done what you have to do.

Its more than just a sense of achievement, when you have completed a difficult task. It is perhaps when you have learned something about yourself or the word, or even realised it directly.

I treasure these moments. For me they are what going away is all about. I have had them in many places, often walking down a deserted beach on a far flung island, deep in the mountains, once whilst watching a Buddhist nun, walking through the summer rain, smiling and serene, on hot and sultry Bangkok night.

For me it usually happens when I am somewhere beautiful. I will have been on the road for a good few weeks, when no one from home knows where I am, and when I am not exactly where I set out to be, It has to be beautiful, in whatever form that takes.

Today, I was blessed with that moment.

The morning was filled with chores. Getting the bike sorted. Having a hair cut and shave. Going round the Golden Fort and Old City of Jaisemer. Avoiding or joking with the touts and trying to convince countless shopkeepers that I didn't want to buy their shawls, bedspreads, carvings, jewellery, pictures, musical instruments, t-shirts, hats or general rubbish.

Just as I was picking up the bike, Sachin and Bart, the Knights Black and Saffron, pulled up on the Thunderbird.

"You are ok?, we were so worried'. 'Yeah, no worries, I'm fine. I'll explain what happened later'.

'You didn't miss anything in Sam', Sachin said. 'The dunes were FULL of tourists And the Sunset and sunrise didn't happen. I didnt get any good shots'.

'Where's the hotel! And restaurant! I'm starving!' said Bart.

'Just down there. I'm going to get my bike. I'll meet you there for lunch in a bit'.

The Punjabi brothers who had been working on Amblis had very little English. She sounded good, everything looked clean and shiny, the electrics were working, and yet she didn't look quite as before. I couldn't work out what.

'The handlebars! They are short'.

'Spares no have. Enfield not in Jaisemer. Handlebar Pulsar', said one of the fearsomely bearded, orange turbaned brothers.

'Never mind. It makes her look like a racing bike. She feels great'. I said when I returned from a test drive.

Over lunch, I explained what had happened. 'Shit man!' Sachin exclaimed. 'You were lucky. And the bike as well. That is the main thing. Don't worry about the tractor man.

'Good job the Police didn't get involved. You would still be there filling in forms!' Bart laughed genially.

'Ok, this is the plan', Sachin explained. 'We are going to the dunes. I have a friend in a village out there, Khaldi, it is called. About 50km away. You will come?'

'For sure'. So we set off, Bart pillion on me for a change.

It took a good hour and a half to reach what I thought was the village. Down a very narrow road, winding its way through the desert scrub, We pulled off this road, onto a track, and stopped only when we it ended. The dunes were ahead.

'So this is it then', I said.

Sachin grinned at me. 'No, we leave the bikes here. But we go on. Its about 5km further'.

'Walking? over the dunes? 5km? Okaaaaay....;

Bart also grinned. 'No man. We have Camels!'.

And there, coming over the hill, were three camels led by young men.

I was really surprised. There are adverts for camel treks all over Jaisamer, but I had not really considered going on one. It all seemed too much of a tourist package, Rajasthan, deserts, have a ride on a camel, see some traditional music and dancing. I was here for a different sort of experience.

And yet, there was a part of me that really wanted to ride on a camel through the desert as well. To be like Lawrence trekking over the sandy hills on a camel. I just couldn't handle being one of a coach full of tourist cattle shipped off for a brief and routine performance.

But right here, right now, it was just right. I was over moon with excitement.

'Yee ha!' Bart was already up on his and racing off.

So we set out over the dunes to the village. It is difficult to describe riding a camel, its a bit like a horse on a trampoline.

The village was straight out of a postcard of what you might expect. Mud huts with thatched roofs, but very cosy and comfortable. I have no doubt that a lot of tourists visit the place, but we were the only ones there then. We met some of the village elders and played with the kids.

'I am going to start bringing bike tours here'. Sachin explained. 'I met my friend here through a motorbike forum. He wants to arrange motorbike safaris here'.

We had chai, and then as time was getting on, we headed back to the dunes to catch the sunset.

There were a few other tourists, but we headed off to a quiet spot by ourselves. The sky was over cast, the sunset disappointing, but it still felt amazing to be there.

And then, all of a sudden, the moon appeared low over the dunes. A bright full moon, pushing the clouds away, and lighting up the gloom in silvery shadows.

It was breathtaking.

I hadn't known it, but this was the moment that I had come here for. Somewhere deep in the desert, I wouldn't be able to find it again, completely unexpected. The troubles and the danger of the Crash were all leading to this. They were a part of the journey that took me to this moment.

This is why I had come to the Deserts.

'We didn't get the Sun, but we got his reflection!' Bart commented. Sachin was happily snapping away.

I was taken back to a Moment in a desert seven years before, on the other side of the world when my life changed completely. Perhaps it would do so again.

There were other moments too. We drove back to the village by motorbike, churning up the sand in paths around the dunes. Eating with a family out under the stars. Walking out through the camels, sheep and cows to take a leak in the desert, still lit in a ghostly light. And then driving back to Jaisamer, in the warm desert night.

These are the moments that make not only travels, but our lives. The moments that will flash before us when we die. I hope you get to witness and be part of Moments like these as well.