The day felt light. The weather was kind. And something about 13th September told me it wouldn’t be ordinary.
At 3:00 PM, I left my university hostel in Bengaluru and got into a cab. The airport was 96 kilometers away roughly a two-hour drive enough time for thoughts to wander and expectations to stay undefined.
This time, I wasn’t traveling for classes or deadlines. I was heading to a bootcamp organized for our team. Exciting, unfamiliar, and slightly intimidating in the best way.
Airports Have a Way of Making Familiar Company Feel Closer
At Bengaluru airport, I met my colleague — we had already planned to travel together.
She was carrying extra luggage and had a tiny concern: she was on a student ticket, even though she had graduated a few months ago.
India, as always, chose kindness over paperwork.
She asked me to check in her luggage as mine. I did. It worked. No questions asked.
We grabbed food at KFC, boarded the flight, and watched the sky slowly give way to turbulence.
The plane shook. The conversations didn’t.
We talked about where we were from, how we got into the team, what we build, and the things we’re still figuring out. Somewhere between turbulence and laughter, the journey felt lighter.
Delhi at Night Hits Different
We landed at Delhi Airport Terminal 1 and booked a cab.
That’s when Delhi decided to remind us it has layers.
The driver parked very far away. Too far. He spoke loudly in thick Haryanvi, complaining about passengers.
At 11:00 PM, in Delhi, that tone hits your nervous system differently.
We were scared. Anyone would be.
Eventually, we reached the Airbnb.
“Ye Koi Time Hai Aane Ka?”
The CTO was already there, along with a few others.
He looked at us and said:
“Ye koi time hai aane ka?” (Is this a time to arrive?)
Because early next morning, we had to leave again.
No rest. No pause. Just movement.
A Towel, a Sofa, and Barely Any Sleep
Inside the Airbnb, it was me and two other colleagues. I freshened up and tried to sleep.
There was no blanket. The AC was on. No bed for me.
So I grabbed a towel, wrapped it around myself, and lay down on the sofa.
I’m 5’11”. I barely fit.
But exhaustion doesn’t negotiate.
I slept. For 2–3 hours.
Morning, Maps, and a Guess That Landed Right
At 5:00 AM, I woke up. Showered. Got ready.
By 7:00 AM, we were back on the road.
Destination: unknown.
As the car moved and the map unfolded, the route started telling a story. The turns. The direction. The distance.
I took a guess.
Palia Kalan. Lakhimpur Kheri. Near the Nepal border.
The CTO looked at me, surprised.
How did you guess that?
I smiled.
Maps speak, if you listen.
Eight Hours, One Body, Zero Sleep
The drive lasted 8–10 hours.
I had been traveling since 3 PM the previous day, slept barely a few hours, and now spent the entire day sitting in a moving car.
My body ached — badly.
While settling in, the resort needed ID details. I handed over my ID card.
The CDO looked at it. Paused.
Then looked at me again.
“You’re… 19?”
I laughed. Hard.
So did everyone else.
In that moment, exhaustion, travel stress, and nerves disappeared replaced by laughter and disbelief. It felt surreal, in the best way.
But when we finally reached the resort, something shifted.
We ate. We walked around. We talked.
And then I slept.
Deeply.
End of Day One
This was just Day 1.
No sessions yet. No whiteboards. No lessons on paper.
But already, I had learned something:
Some journeys don’t begin when you arrive. They begin when people look at your ID, laugh, and still trust you enough to let you grow.
To be continued…