Framing is everything: in which we are not the ones stopped for smuggling

Another long drive. There may be a pattern here.

The scenery was beautiful. Crumpled/rumpled peaks, mostly covered in vegetation – trees and bamboo. So many mountains. Villages on the peaks with a church at the highest point. It was Easter Sunday so there were lots of people coming and going to church in their finery. Later in the day they were using lovely umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun. Their clothes were either stylish and black or shiny-shiny and brightly coloured.

A sign in one of the villages warned us “don’t blame Jesus if you go to hell”.

We stopped the bus at some random point just to stretch our legs and get some air. That was particularly welcome as one of us had made themselves travel sick by scrolling through photos on the phone. Note to self: do not make this mistake again. Our 10-minute walk yielded baby fruit to photograph.

baby pineapple

baby jack fruit

At the border, crossing back into Assam from Nagaland, only our driver got off the bus and everything happened very quickly and smoothly.

We observed a carful of locals going the opposite way who had been stopped and discovered to be smuggling alcohol into Nagaland. We had done the very same thing on our way in but were not searched, presumably protected by our white privilege.

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— words by Elizabeth & Paul
— pictures by Paul & Elizabeth
— more pictures in Assam & Nagaland album and Majuli Island album.