Daily writing prompt

Share a story about the furthest you’ve ever traveled from home.

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Dear friends,

I hope this blog finds you in a cheerful mood. Today’s writing prompt made me a bit nostalgic as I reflected on the question, “Share a story about the furthest you’ve ever traveled from home.”

I have always been a homebody, content in the comfort of my hometown, Patna, Bihar. Even my education was pursued close to home.

But life has a way of pulling us out of our comfort zones, and my professional journey began with an unexpected adventure that took me far from the familiar warmth of home.

The story I’m about to share goes back 35 years, to a time when I embarked on my first journey away from everything I knew, to join a bank in the distant land of Rajasthan.

The memories of that day are still vivid, etched in my mind like it happened yesterday. Let me take you along on this nostalgic journey.

The First Day

There’s something undeniably memorable about the “firsts” in our lives—our first day at school, our first job, or the life-changing experience of becoming a parent. These moments become milestones, marking the beginning of new chapters in our lives.

For me, the first day of my professional life was just such a milestone. Fresh out of college, I received an offer to join a bank.

The excitement of starting a new career quickly turned to apprehension when I read my posting letter: I was assigned to a rural branch in Reodar, a small village in the Sirohi district of Rajasthan, far from my home in Bihar.

I was thrilled to have landed the job, but the thought of relocating to a remote village in Rajasthan left me feeling anxious. How would I manage so far from home, in a place I knew nothing about?

A stroke of luck came when my friend Chittaranjan mentioned that he had a distant relative who was the General Manager (GM) at the bank’s head office in Jaipur.

I decided to travel to Jaipur first and see if the GM could help me get my posting transferred to the city instead of the village.

With hope in my heart, I boarded the train to Jaipur. Upon reaching the head office, I handed the GM the recommendation letter from Chittaranjan.

Unfortunately, my hopes were dashed when the GM explained that my joining letter had already been issued, and I would have to report to Reodar as planned. He did, however, give me some valuable advice on how to get there.

Armed with a bedroll, a briefcase, and a sense of trepidation, I set off on the next leg of my journey. From Jaipur, I took a bus to Mount Abu, where I would switch to a local vehicle to reach Reodar.

An adventurous journey was long

The journey was long, and as the bus wound its way through the rugged landscape of Rajasthan, my mind raced with thoughts of what awaited me.

I arrived at Abu Road early the next morning and managed to find a jeep heading to Reodar. As we drove through the narrow village roads, the cool morning air and the sight of lush green fields began to soothe my nerves.

I was told that the crops growing in the fields were fennel, and the fresh, fragrant breeze filled the air. The beauty of the countryside was a stark contrast to the bustling city life I was used to.

After about half an hour, the jeep pulled into Reodar’s taxi stand. I gathered my belongings and set off in search of the bank branch. It was only 8 a.m., and I was dismayed to find the bank doors locked.

The locals informed me that the staff usually arrived around 10 a.m., leaving me with two hours to kill.

a small saloon in the Village

Not knowing what else to do, I spotted a small saloon nearby and decided to freshen up. I left my briefcase and bedroll at the saloon and asked the barber to give me a quick trim. After all, I wanted to make a good first impression on my first day.

Finally, 10 a.m. arrived, and I walked into the bank. To my surprise, I found the staff casually playing carrom in the banking hall.

They were taken aback by my sudden appearance, likely mistaking me for an auditor. When they realized I was the new recruit, their faces broke into smiles, and I was warmly welcomed.

The day passed quickly as I familiarized myself with the bank’s operations. By evening, I was exhausted from the journey and the day’s activities, and I needed to find a place to stay.

The manager informed me that there were no hotels in the area, but he kindly arranged for me to stay at the local tehsil’s guest house.

A Challenging Night

I arrived at the guest house as the sun was setting, eager to rest. But the reality of the accommodations was far from comforting.

The room was in terrible condition, with exposed wiring hanging from the walls, a creaky old bed infested with bedbugs, and a bathroom door that wouldn’t close. There was no electricity, and I realized I would have to get dinner before it got too dark.

That night was one of the most challenging of my life. The lack of power(electricity) and the dilapidated state of the room made it nearly impossible to sleep. Even now, the memory of that night sends shivers down my spine.

But that’s a story for another day. Stay tuned for the next part of my journey, where I’ll share more about the adventures and lessons learned during my time in Rajasthan. Thanks for your time.

Categories: story

Tags: dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2050