The Big Blank

Old experience

I never came down to writing about the hike in Belgium after the Spain Belgium match. It is worth a write. We got out of the match about 10 minutes early to catch the last train to the place we stay. The connecting train was late etc. And we could reach a place which was about 5 kms from the night halt place.

Now we landed on a station the size of Kanjurmarg(before that platform extension) in Bombay. It was basically a one paltform station. It was around 11:30 in the night and it was a bit cold. We got off and saw an old guard waving the train off and locking up his office for the day(rather night). Fortunately we had company. There were few more people who were coming from that match and going to Louvain (the university town we were going to) They talked gibberish(read French) with the guard and happily told us that there was no chances of getting a Taxi.

So off we started, first along the tracks and then went down on one side into some unkempt fields. From the other end came someone with a ferocious dog, whom we thought was the guard of the place. The guy was just out for a walk at around 12 in the night!!!! I told you French, and Belgians nearer the French side for that matter, are crazy. He gave some directions and off we went into a residential colony. The porch lights of all and I mean ALL the houses kept going on and off as we passed by. But no one answered our pleas for help. We left a number of F--- yous on their frosted car windows.

Finally we saw a direction board telling the way towards Louvain. The road was pitch black but off we went. Imagine 6-7 people scattered on the sides of such a road waving the passing cars to stop. They must have thought a few terrorist are on the loose. But a car stopped and told us this is longer way better take a pathway which will be shorter. Again off we went. The pathway was surely wrong as after a while it turned in the wrong direction. So after hiking a full round around that ghostly colony we got back to our direction board of Louvain. Here we parted our way with those crazy french speaking belgians and bingo!!!! found our way to the place in 10 minutes. The night hike was really terrific with all that creepiness. Over that the natural beauty of Belgium is awesome. Belgium has a great country side and this place was bang in the middle of it. I really enjoyed it even in the night.

posted by Pankaj Jain @ 11:46 AM