Having been living in the US for so long, over 30 years, and now traveling with parents has been a great experience. Being on the road 24×7 is as close you can get to experiences of joy, happiness, filled with frustrations and patience as well. Our relationship is still that of child and parent, is what I am experiencing, regardless of how old we get.

My dad is my navigator. Given his age and the times he grew up in, I am amazed at how well he is doing with Apple and Google maps. He is learning when to give me cues for making turns and exits, after having made multiple U turns due to missing exits, or diversions. Yes, I do loose patience, but I have tools to not react to these mistakes on the road, and just observe how or what I am feeling. It helps both me, to develop more patience, and him, as he is enjoying the whole experience of road trip with his daughter.

My mom is a perfect back seat driver. Every once in a while she will give instructions. Like, ‘do we have enough petrol in the car’, ‘drink some water’, ‘are we on the right track and aren’t lost’, etc. I love the way ways in which she is making the journey comfortable for both me and papa. She likes to feed us every once in a while. And is learning how to take pictures, her originals. Until now she has been used to forwarding what she receives from others.

All in all, I am learning to have fun with parents, reliving my childhood days (yeah, of having to listen to them as well), as well as giving them the best experiences on the road. This is one of the best things I will ever do in my life, I can see it at each moment of joy and happiness, regardless of the chaotic traffic of India that frustrates me the most in the cities.