AU REVOIR

Finally for me, the time has come to say adieu to this beautiful country. After having spent two odd years here, even though in bits and pieces and not at a stretch, there is a feeling of loss. As I wander aimlessly around my favourite haunts, memories of my days spent here, randomly flood my mind. The breathtakingly vast expanse of this country, the natural beauty of the land, the awesome spectacle of ever changing seasons and the overwhelmingly stunning landscape is just unforgettable. How can I ever forget that majestic cliff, El Capitan of the Yosemite national park, that ever watchful and erect, Saguaro cacti of Arizona deserts, that crisp and fresh weather in that little mountainside village of 'Truckee' in 'Sierra Nevada' mountains, or that continuously changing face of the pacific oceanfront.

I can still vividly remember the childlike sense of wonder and amazement that had filled my mind when I had set my feet for the first time on this soil. We had left the airport parking area sometime in late afternoon. The weak autumn Sun was almost on the horizon. I had rubbed my eyes in disbelief as miles and miles of Virginia landscape had unfolded before my eyes. There were acres and acres of wooded areas filled with tall trees on both sides of the road with electric blue sky in the background. What had surprised me most was the colour of the leaves. These were not green but of every other shade and hue. The sunlight filtered through the leaves and made them dazzle like gold. I had never seen before, this bloom of fall colours and what I saw on that day is permanently etched in my memory. There were many occasions later to watch fall colours. A day trip through 'Shenandoah' forests was equally dazzling. But surprisingly, even a row of maple trees on the small street, where I take my daily strolls, provides same kind of mesmerizing effect. Come October and the emerald coloured leaves of these trees, start displaying such a dazzling range of colours that it is almost unbelievable. From blood red to purple, you name the colour and you can can find it there and when mellow golden sunshine of autumn, filters through them, the effect is pure magic.

Arid and sandy deserts of Arizona also have left a very strong impression on my mind. When I had visited Phoenix for the first time, I had imagined that it would be a very dull and boring visit. I was proved totally wrong. The tall and erect Saguaro cacti, had caught my attention first. These cacti are huge, many a times growing up to a height of ten or twelve feet. They have branches which very much appear like a pair of arms. I had never felt lonely on Arizona roads with hundreds of these cacti standing on road sides and giving me the appearance of policemen on traffic duty. The time stands still here in the desert. The landscape has not changed here perhaps for thousands of years. The dusty brown and red soil under my feet, stretches to the horizon. Punctuated perhaps by few thorny bushes and cacti of infinite varieties. The azure blue sky and blood red mountains seen on the horizon complete the panorama. You feel that any moment you would hear the din of the galloping horses with shouts of native Mojave riders raising a dust storm.

My first visit to the Yosemite was equally stunning. We had traveled through miles and miles of wooded country. The view from the wind screen of the car had been very hum drum and monotonous. There was nothing to see but a smooth asphalted road in front of us and blackish green forests on both sides of the road. We had just enjoyed a sumptuous and hearty American breakfast of eggs, bacon and mashed potatoes and this had made our senses bit dull. We had then reached a road tunnel. At the other end of the tunnel we had parked the car and had a little walk. As I had looked down from that vista point, I had my first glance of the Yosemite valley. I was simply mesmerized by the sheer beauty of that natural wonder. With the majestic cliff of 'El Capitan' standing erect on my left and that strange looking 'half dome' towering above the horizon in the front, the Yosemite valley is etched forever in my mind.

I can also never forget the California seaboard. From those chilly and biting mists of 'San Francisco' bay to those thundering waves of the 'Pacifica' coast or for that matter that balmy sun baked 'San Diego' coast, this great ocean had always presented to me such varied faces that it was difficult to imagine that it was the same oceanfront.

The nature has endowed this country with such a bounty that very ordinary things also appear out of this world. Few days ago, there was some light rain in the evening. I was traveling in a car then. I looked outside and I saw a rainbow. But this rainbow was very special. I had never seen before that, a double rainbow with such perfect semicircular shape and with such bright colours. It was really something worth watching. The nature is so beautiful here that even my routine daily strolls became very exciting. The ever changing weather always brought up something new every day. Some days there would be that always welcome sunshine. Next day such a dense fog would envelope the countryside that cars would have to move with their headlights full on, even in broad daylight. Next morning there could be ground frost or a light drizzle. The evening sky could suddenly darken and thunder or torrential rain may develop. Whatever was the weather, the landscape always looked so munificent and beautiful.

The people here also have done full justice to the natural beauty. The way in which towns in this country have been planned or the roads have been laid. All enhance the natural beauty. Other day, I was walking around with a visitor. He was wonder struck with what he saw. The well laid roads, nice houses with neat and clean yards, wide foot ways, intermediately planted Magnolia trees in full bloom, the neighbourhood parks and to top it all the great natural beauty of the nature affected him immensely. It is no surprise that I love this place.

But the life must go on. The time has now come for me to carry on and leave this place. I shall however always cherish in my mind the memories of this beautiful country, its legendary friendly and open people, their equally open culture and the way they carry out their business, cuisines of the world which I enjoyed here, amazing bookshops and public libraries and finally those endless cups of steaming hot coffee, in my street corner 'starbucks'.

Good bye Uncle Sam. It was a pleasure indeed to stay with you in your cabin.

April 2006