Mini-Adventure -- Stuck in the Middle

(our trusty Ambassador taxi)

On Friday, school was canceled because of a silent protest against violence occurring against Christians in the state of Orissa. Here is the cnn article. Meanwhile, I had been planning on taking a trip to Khas Kudoan village that day. My students had slowly dropped out of the trip one-by-one due to different personal reasons, and I finally managed to recruit two replacements "S" and "A", the latter who had been to KK before. We left the school in high spirits and stopped by Kempty village to say hi to Sanjeev. We had had three days of pure sunny weather, but while talking, the rain started!

We said good bye to Sanjeev and headed on our way. Past Kempty Falls. Past some shops. Towards the village. Then it started hailing! Our driver got a call saying that a landslide had occurred way down the road near the village, and that we wouldn't be able to get there. So we turned around only to talk to other people who said 3 trees had fallen in the other direction! We were stuck somewhere between, with no where really to go.

(Eat Maggie!)

What do you do when you're stuck in a hail and rain storm and have no where to go? Find a little shack on the side of the road and eat noodles and drink chai! There were about 10 other guys huddled in the shop as well, but we were the only ones eating. We thought we might have to sleep overnight in the car on the mountain road. But luckily, we saw a few jeeps drive by towards the Woodstock direction and not come back. So away we went!

Alas, there really were 3 trees fallen on the road. About twenty men tried to push them out of the way, but some of the roots were still in the ground. After much commotion, "A" credits himself with yelling out "Get an ax! Get an ax!", when someone finally heard him and also yelled out "Get an ax! Get an ax!" Luckily, the rain had stopped by that point. To add to the frenzy, the boys pulled out the video camera and started filming. Hey, might as film something! "A" told someone that we were with India TV. Oh boy!

(fallen tree)

(This is only 1/3 of the crowd.)

(everyone wanted to chop in front of the camera)

(good tree)

(camera crew in action!)

("A" hoisting the tree with one hand while holding the camera in the other)
("S" ready to report!)
(enjoying the new camera light and the limelight)
(headlamps are cool too)
(interviewing our taxi driver)

I was a bit worried, but we made a good decision in heading back early and enjoying the weekend at Woodstock. We came back safe and in one piece with an adventurous story to tell. Our documentary team will make our first trip of the school year, to the village soon!