I dont like adventure…..

I don’t like adventures…..

I don’t like adventures (outside) to much. I have already enough adventures inside. But here comes more.

At 4am I wake up, sort myself, little face wash and teeth brushing. Rebuilt the mosquito net and pack my bag. At the Hanuman temple and crossroad a look on the map. 34 km today until Murliganj. People are up early. Most farmers get up at sunrise or a bit earlier, in this season at around 4/4:30am. So the way is already busy with walking people, some motorcycles and tractors. I am walking partly along a canal northeast, ways on both sides. Corn harvest is almost done. Rice is planted, but some farmers are still busy with arranging there fields. Some areas are overflooded, because of monsoon. The soil is muddy, so the water is standing on it, giving nice reflections of nature. There is mostly no wind in this area. Sometimes amazing big trees. Bihars nature is a beauty.
After 23 km I reach the village Deena Patti Sakhua. A young man, 23-25, is commanding me to sit down. I refuse, but no chance. ‚I have to call the police, maybe someone further on the way would kill you,  I want to help you‘. ‚That’s not a help at all, I just want to walk for peace my way here until Murliganj. If you stop me, I loose to much time and I want to arrive one hour before it gets dark‘ But no chance. I sit down. All the village is gathers. 70-80 people are standing around. All without any mask – only I wear one. But I am the danger. They keep distance if I had the pest, but on the other hand there is couriosity. I tell the young man, he has to teach the people to wear masks. After the logdown has ended they go anywhere and think there are safe…. But porotection for themself and towards each other is so important. ‚ What message are you giving these kids who are in fear because of this masked white man?‘ I get some rice and vegetables, very spice… and the police arrives. And sure, they don’t let me walk, first I have to get with them to the police station, but they will bring me back after they listened to me – proparbly this will be not today anymore. Towards the young man ‚You see, this is not a really help…‘ and he apologise ‚I just wanted to help‘. ‚It’s ok, it is now as it is….‘
I am not calm anymore, that was just to much going on in the last 30 hours and I am a little bit inpatient in the moment. My phone falls down, another crack. At the police in Murliganj some are in uniform and some not. Also one police man wanted me to speak with his son…. Another one invites me to his home…. when the on the phone informed SP heard about it, the inviter gets a telling-off. The SP spoke also with me on the phone, but when he ask a question he did not listen to the end of my answer. Also he was very loud ‚who allowed you to walk in my district?‘ Finally he decides – to come from further away to the police station. I have to wait. I am not sure, if my walk here is finished, if I need allowance…. will I get it? Why none of the other police stations told me about…?
Until sunset he is still not there and the police deligation escort me to a hotel. On the way to the hotel I find out, that they have some Crovid-19 cases in town. They will have a lockdown for ten days. But it will not effect me.
The SP orders his police staff, to give me security guards at night in front of the hotel. Further they will bring me back tomorrow to Deena Patti Sakhua, to walk the rest of the way – 11km- towards Murliganj. Also a guide will escort me there. And, there will be another security guard the day I leave Murliganj towards Raniganj (40-50km).

Next morning it rains. Delay. Police shows up again with 5 people and a special tourist police officer, to check if there are more problems. Finally 26h after the ’sitting down command‘ of the young man 2 policemen in motorcycles bring me back to Deena Patti Sakhua. The young man can’t sadly be find. I would love to say him, ‚everything is ok and forgiven‘. Then a policeman on bicycle is following me, replaced by one in a motorcycle……

Still in’The Big hug‘

Thomas

PS In this area are 40% illiteracy