This is the story of the night when i went for my summer vacation. As promised i am here with the full details of the vacation.
The journey started around 9 pm, when i decide to leave for the bus stand. I am a fan of night journeys as they save a lot of time as you are mostly sleeping and the day can be utilized for better purposes. I took an auto to Anand Vihar Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT).
Since we were stuck in a bad Delhi jam. So i started chatting to the auto driver! Coincidently he was from banaras (i did my engineering from banaras!) There is a thing about banarsi people, they tend to get friendly towards their own people(or is it a regional factor? I am not sure bout it as Delhiites never have any good feelings towards any other human beings, not even regional feelings) So finally he dropped me to the bus stand and charged me Rs 10 less than the agreed amount of 160 earlier! (When my mom reads this she will be so so so happy and jump like she has won an oscar award, as i finally saved some money somewhere !! )
There were about 10 buses standing there, excess supply then demand! I had lots of choices, so i started looking for the bus which would make me reach the fastest! I met a suitable driver, he was totally sloshed, he couldnt stand straight! He promised me that he will make the bus reach 5 hours earlier (in a total jouney of 6 hours) than other buses. It was then i was completely convinced that this bus is a bit unsafe! And mind you he was driving a government bus of Uttrakhand Parivahan Nigam!
If you do not know the story behind the uttrakhand parivahan nigam buses, they are as rickety as it can be. Their shockers are almost non existent and the drivers make sure that they put the bus into every small hole on the road so that the passengers are awake and curse him for bad driving! Yes the buses do not have any FM or radios, so this is their only source of entertainment!
Suddenly around 4 am the bus reached the city of Moradabad. I didnt had proper dinner the previous night so i asked the driver "Bhayya kini der rukegi bus yaha?" He told me not more than 5-10 minutes as the bus was already running behind the schedule! People who know me realize this fact that when i am hungry, the world stops for me! All i can think/dream/small/hallucinate is food!
So with a heavy heart i said bye bye to the stupid rickety uttrakhand parivahan nigam bus! And sat with the luggage on a dhaba in the bus stand! Half butter chicken, half chilly chicken and 3 butter nans later i decided that i should continue my journey !
When you are the only customer in a bus stand dhaba and give him 20Rs tip, the dhaba owner makes it sure that you get the best seat with lots of air and a nice foamy bottom side to support your ass.. And finally after starting at 11pm in the night, i managed to reach the city of Haldwani (last station on train if you want to go to nainital) around 9 am!
6 hours journey completed in 10 hours but with a full stomach!
I deliberately wanted this journey to be unplanned and college like! Got bored of the daily mechanical life in office you see.. Btw.. before you ask, do take Moov spray for your back after you travel in such buses!!
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