A Roadtrip to Malibu and Achieving your childhood dreams

It was a dream come true. I have so long been waiting for this to happen, right from my childhood. Ok, not necessarily my childhood dream, but as an adolescent I always wanted to drive a car and I wanted to drive into the longest of roads, all alone, on a silent morning, away from the city.

The fascination was fueled by the fact that I never got a chance to do so while in college or school, but I don't blame setbacks. Driven by passion, I decided at the start of the semester that I will learn driving and get a Californian license. I had an Indian license (its easy to get one, especially if you have money - sad but true), but I knew how good my driving skills were. I decided to give the written test and took the first available appointment. Gave the test, passed and then on a Sunday I called up this guy called Joe who runs a driving school here. I took three classes and then I passed the driving test on Wednesday. Once the license came on Friday night. I immediately applied to Zipcar. Monday I got the card.

I wanted to drive - badly. I was but not confident though. I never took a car all by myself. There would always be a guy sitting next to me, pressing the brakes whenever I hadn't. I didn't know what to do. Gradually my temptation overcame my fear and I took a car on a thursday morning when the traffic was low. I enjoyed it, but not so well. I felt calm for a few more days.

On the same week on saturday, I again wanted to drive, this time I wanted to go on the freeway. I badly needed somebody with me to boost confidence and two of my friends had told me that they would come with me for a trip to Santa Monica. We had planned for Sunday evening. On saturday evening, they pulled out of the equation. I felt like a child crying for his stolen candy.

I couldn't sleep that night. I wanted my candy. I was afraid though. And it was no fun to go to santa monica beach all alone. I didn't know what occured to me then, I woke up, switched on my computer and booked a car for the next day morning at 6:30am! Then I slept, peacefully.

The next day, I woke up even before my alarm went off. I prepared myself and finally went to the place to take the car. I was a little more confident because this was my second time, but I was no more feeling nervous to enter the freeway.

I drove my way to glory and four year old in me kept smiling all throughout the way. I went to Malibu, the famed Hwy 1 also known as the Pacific Coast Highway. The scenery was breathtaking.

It was a peculiar moment for me. Even though I fumbled around not knowing how to fill gas in my car, even though it was weird that I went 30miles along the road and took a U turn to return back without actually doing something, I cherish that day till now.
Not only this, I did get these goals sorted out recently:

1. Learning to swim - learnt it last year.
2. Learning piano - going to classes this year.
   
3. Being able to earn money - I bought a laptop for my sister.

The whole episode might sound funny to you, but believe me, if you ever dreamt of something special for a long time, and if you worked towards it with your full heart, when you realise the dream, you will be the happiest man on the earth. So was I.