“The whole point of the week is the weekend.”
– Angela Montenegro, Bones
Not even fifteen minutes into our taxi ride to Darjeeling, my pen decides to die.
Maybe it’s the sudden change in altitude – Darjeeling is 6,730 feet above sea level after all, quite a change from where we started in Siliguri.
Or maybe it’s the state of the roads, how we keep nearing the edge and the only thing between us and completely vertical cliff faces are the tiniest little stones that have been set upright in the pavement. Terrifying, really.
Either way, I’m mid-sentence through jotting down what someone said – “I think we’re…” – when my pen makes like a squid and lets out a fantastic stream of ink all over my fingers before calling it quits.
I think we’re what? I think we’re about to head over the edge? I think we’re about to collide with another taxi as it attempts to pass us on a road really only suitable for one way of traffic?
Alas, all I’ve got to go off is I think we’re… followed by a nice trio of blue fingerprints.
On any other day, I’d be scrambling for a back-up pen, resorting to a pencil or even eyeliner if it came to that. I mean, this is Darjeeling we’re talking about – an old British hill station, tucked away in the eastern Himalayas, where my absolute favorite type of tea just happens to hail from.
But this is on day seven of what has been a particularly full-on week. I’d spent the last six days working for The Adventurists on their autumn Rickshaw Run, wearing about ten different media hats to help blog, photograph, film, tweet, post on Facebook and generally do whatever else necessary to tell the world about the run’s launch in Shillong.
And in a week’s time, I’ll turn around and do it all again in Jaisalmer, where sixty-seven teams are due to cross the finish line (assuming they make it, of course).
It isn’t until my pen takes its final breath that I realize maybe it’s trying to tell me something:
Take a day off. Have a weekend. Stop working.
It’s the tricky part of loving your job, and something I haven’t quite mastered yet: learning to cut it off – “it” being your computer or your camera or your mind or whatever it is you’re always on – and allowing yourself to just be in the moment, without worrying about what you’re going to do with that moment later on.
So as our taxi winds up ever more narrow roads, taking us higher and higher until it feels like we’re in the clouds themselves, I close my notebook, put the cap back on my pen (may it rest in peace), and sit in silence by the window.
The notebook doesn’t come out again that day. With my new friends from the Rickshaw Run – Sam, Geoff, and Jason – I give myself a day off in Darjeeling, have fun despite the rain, warm up in Beni’s Café with south Indian coffee and sticky sweet gulab jamun, shop for tea, and eat way too many steamed momos that night for dinner.
On our descent the next morning, I’m determined to take the notes I missed yesterday. With a different pen in hand, I open my notebook and start writing: “Fuchsia plants bloom everywhere, dark pink as well as purple and white. Prayer flags hang damp and limp, next to…”
Darn if the pen doesn’t die.
Next to what? Next to tiered-roof pagodas shrouded in fog? Next to thick bunches of power lines looped across the valley?
Apparently, my weekend isn’t over yet.
Just what those prayer flags were hanging next to, I guess we’ll never know.
What a lovely post! I especially like your opening quote. There was once a time where I wasn’t too fond of weekends and I used to sneak into work on Sunday afternoons. I still love my job but I’ve learned to strike a balance – I work office hours now!
But then there is everything else – social media, blogging, photography, exploration etc. When I went to Catalunya recently I spent hours just staring out at the sea, listening to the waves on the shore, trying to count the various shades of blue, green and azure.
We need the down time sometimes in order to appreciate the adventures.
Thank you for such wise words, Emm! And I’m so glad to hear you were able to turn “it” off in Catalunya and just enjoy the sea for what it is – I imagine that must’ve been quite a refreshing change from busy London 🙂
Loving your voice with each new post.
Thanks so much for this, Cat. Truth be told, I’ve had a bad case of “blogger’s block” lately (if that’s what you call it), and have struggled a bit with picking the blogging back up – so I really appreciate your comment. Hope all is well in Spain!
What a great post … and what a fun assignment! I’m glad your pen died. We all need a break sometime.
Thank you, JoAnna! And yes – I have to admit I was pretty glad it died too. It was the perfect reminder to let my mind rest for once 🙂 I hope all is well with you in Vegas!
Taking a break to enjoy just being “you” is such an important part of life! The problem is that, as soon as we’re given this possibility, we use the time to write, take pictures,… and think. I can’t really remember the last weekend I had without writing or taking photos… it’s about time – thanks for the reminder!
Thanks, Katherina! You are exactly right – no matter how much we may love writing and photography, it can be just as good or even healthy to give ourselves a little break from them. Hope you’re doing well, where are you off to next?
Lovely post Candace. I too shared the absolute fear of those sheer drops. But.. what a great day.. a break from the madness that is/was the Rickshaw Run.
The tea was bloody magnificent too. whether it was chai in Beni’s cafe or fine Darjeeling in the Mayfair hotel they all had restorative qualities in equal measure.
J
Jason! So lovely to hear from you here. Thanks again for such a delightful little day in Darjeeling – against all odds, I really think we made the most of it 🙂 Can’t wait to come visit you guys in HK! x
It’s really hard to turn off but I think the breaks give you the rejuvenation to continue on doing what you love. Remember that the work will always get done and if you didn’t write it down, if it’s worth remembering, you’ll remember it forever (or in time enough to write it down another day). I’m glad you were able to enjoy your moment!
Thank you, Natalie! I feel like we’re really on the same wavelength here. I thought that myself on both rides… that if an image was strong enough, I would remember it once we got to our destination (and me to a new pen!). Hope all is well in Toronto 🙂