Bonfire Nights and Untold Stories
Viha Dixit
Viha Dixit
Noddy and Pixie arrive at Kumbhalgarh Fort, its massive walls stretching endlessly into the sky. As they begin to explore, they bump into another pair of travelers—Aryan and Meera.
Aryan, grinning: 'You two exploring as well? This place is massive, huh?'
Pixie, laughing: 'Yeah, and Noddy here is probably already planning our entire route!'
Noddy, waving it off: 'I’m just making sure we don’t miss anything cool. What about you two?'
Meera, playfully nudging Aryan: 'We’re more the “go with the flow” type, but I guess that’s why we work!'
As they explore together, Aryan and Pixie bond over their love for spontaneous adventures, while Meera and Noddy bond over their shared interest in planning things out. The group begins to click, and the day feels lighter with laughter.
After a day of fort exploring, the new friends check into Ramada Resort for some relaxation. The poolside is calling, and they all agree on one thing—time to chill.
Pixie, floating on a pool lounger: 'This is exactly what I needed after all that walking.'
Aryan, teasing: 'You mean the hike you barely made it through?'
Pixie, rolling her eyes: 'I survived, didn’t I?'
Meanwhile, Noddy and Meera sit by the pool, their legs dangling in the water, chatting about their love of travel.
Meera, smiling: 'You’re more of a planner like me, huh? I think we balance out the chaos of those two pretty well.'
Noddy, grinning: 'Yeah, I think you’re right. But a little chaos keeps things interesting.'
The next morning, the group visits the peaceful Vedi Temple Complex. Noddy, as usual, is curious about every detail, while the others take in the calm surroundings.
Meera, sitting quietly beside Noddy on the temple steps: 'You know, sometimes it’s nice to just be quiet and take in the atmosphere.'
Noddy, nodding: 'Yeah, I tend to forget that. This place is really peaceful. By the way, did you know this temple was originally built by Rana Kumbha for performing rituals? It's one of the few structures left from the original fort.'
Meera, smiling: 'Of course you’d know that.'
After the temple visit, Pixie insists they stop by Cloud 9 Café, a hidden gem she’s read about.
Pixie, pulling everyone toward the entrance: 'You guys, trust me, this café is going to be amazing. And the view of the fort? Even better!'
They sit down with snacks and coffee, the café’s vibe relaxed and cool.
Aryan, looking at Pixie: 'Alright, you’ve got a good radar for spots like this.'
Pixie, proudly: 'Told you! And the snacks here are unbeatable.'
As the day winds down, the group takes a stroll by Hamerpal Lake, the setting sun casting golden hues across the water.
Pixie, leaning into the cool breeze: 'This has been such a perfect day.'
Aryan, softly: 'Yeah, it really has. You’re... fun to be around, Pixie.'
Pixie glances at him, a bit surprised by the change in tone. She smiles but stays quiet, her attention on the glowing horizon.
As the bonfire flickered, Pixie suddenly sat up, wide-eyed.
Pixie, excited: 'Wait! We missed Mount Abu!'
Noddy, surprised: 'Mount Abu? I thought we were done.'
Pixie, grinning: 'Not without seeing its sunsets!'
Before anyone could respond, a beat-up van rolled up, and out stepped a wild-haired driver, grinning ear to ear.
Driver, with a wink: 'Mount Abu, anyone?'
Aryan, laughing: 'Were we just talking about that?'
Meera, nudging Noddy: 'Are we really doing this?'
Noddy, with newfound enthusiasm, stood up.
Noddy, smiling: 'Why not? Let’s go.'
The group piled into the van, laughter filling the air. As they sped toward Mount Abu, Pixie leaned out the window, shouting, 'Mount Abu, here we come!'
