The Travel Essay

We chanced upon it one morning. When we got to the edge of the river, there was the roaring sound of water cascading down the falls. In the distance we could see the mists rising from the edge of the huge crevice. The sun had just risen in the east and its yellow rays pierced though the teak trees lining the river bank.

There was no one about. We were the only ones around. The air was cool and the morning dew drops were still on the leaves. From the vantage point on the river bank we could see the massive waterfalls gushing across the edge. The waters fell in sheets into the deep pool beneath. The sounds of birds were drowned by the thunder being produced by the waters.

On the other side of the waterfalls we could see shrubs and trees. Their distinct shapes appeared as shadows in the rising mist. Everything was covered with a fine spray that the falls had thrown. The sun rose slowly in the sky, showing itself through the trees and the foggy air. Then, as if conjured by a magician, it appeared: a rainbow. It arched its way from the bottom of the falls through the upper layers of mist and then bent over onto the other side of the falls. We could not see where it started or where it ended. All we could see was the curved arch of seven colours piercing the watery air and standing still in the morning light.

Looking into the abyss of the falls, we could only see cascading waters. There seemed to be no place where the rainbow began. Then, as if by more magic, another rainbow appeared next to the first. It was shorter and where it began was just as mysterious. So there were these two rainbows, in parallel, bending over the falls and blessing the waters.

It is said that there is a pot of gold where the rainbow ends. I can now understand why. Standing there and watching those two rainbows being born and blessing all below them, I realised that nature is the biggest magician in the world. If it could conjure this beautiful sight, then it could also create so many other delights. There might have been more than a pot of gold where the two rainbows ended. But standing there and watching the silent dance of the two rainbows, from different vantage points, I knew that the pot of gold was inside me: I had become enthralled by the twins. Just as I would have been excited in finding a pot of gold, I was thrilled to just stand and watch the rainbows within touching distance. Nature, after all, is more mysterious than we imagine.