Many a times we have come across a movie or a book which entails about the misfortune of a traveler, about how lady luck showed her back to him, about how everything possible went wrong for him. Well, recently I did realize that such incidents are not merely figment of imagination on the part of the author or the director as the case might be.
I hereby narrate one such incident to which I was a party ……at the receiving end of course.
It all started when I decided to heed to my mother’s emotional telephone call. In which she had implored and beseeched me to come and see her. I decided to travel on a bus boarding from Bombay (where I was residing at the moment owing to work) for Ahemedabad (Where my father is currently posted).
I booked my tickets from a place in the outskirts of the city, which was also the place from where I was supposed to board the bus. I had spent a decent amount to book ticket in a sleeper bus so that I could sleep comfortably through the night while on journey (at least that’s what I thought…what a fool I was).
After booking the ticket for a bus that was supposed to depart at 9.30pm I thought of putting the2 hrs that I had in hand to good use and imbibed a good quantity of “Firewater” along with a friend of mine whom I had called over to give me company.
I reached the boarding point at 9.15 pm where I was greeted with the lamentable news that, ‘the Bus had been delayed due to some unforeseen acts of nature and would be reaching shortly’. This shortly how so ever turned out to be very long and finally an alternate bus reached there around 10.45pm. How I killed the time during that period in my inebriated and irritated state is story of sheer willpower, determination and valor.
I was intending to hit the bunk as soon as the bus arrived, but my miseries were far from over. As the bus which had reached at that spot, was just an alternate transport which was supposed to take me to another spot from where I was supposed to board another bus which would then take me to my final destination. (Phew…so much for the comfort I was seeking!)
With my wayward steps and sleepy eyes I boarded the “alternate transport” which dropped me to the next stop at 11.45pm. With the clock striking midnight and my patience and willpower giving way I boarded the new bus in a hope that I would be finally able to lie down and sleep. But sadly fate again had something else in store for me. There was a surprise waiting for me in the bus, the bus wasn’t a “Sleeper Coach” but a “Chair Car.”
So much for lying down and relaxing! The idea of sleeping for the night flew out of the window after this discovery of mine. Sleeping in a sitting position was an impossibility for me. All I could do to vent out my anger was to call up the guy who booked my ticket (and fooled me for paying extra) and abuse him to my heart’s delight before he cut the phone.
I took this predicament on my part as god’s ill will and embarked on my journey thinking after all how difficult would it be to sit in the bus for 12 straight hours. Right! Post midnight the journey started and after about half an hour of bumpy ride in the city we hit the highway. I thought finally now, I would be able to relax in the quiet surroundings around me. But the loud music that the driver put on rebuffed my thoughts. After rebuking him for his in considerate act I resumed my seat, closed my eyes and rested engulfing my mind in pleasant thoughts.
The next 3 hours were spent twisting and turning on the seat in desperate hopes of catching my “40 winks”. But my success in that was very partial and 10 min was the longest I slept at a stretch. Around 3.30am I was awakened (again) from my light sleep, this time owing to the smoke that had enveloped the entrails (passenger section) of the bus. I quickly surveyed the scene around me with my sleepy and confused eyes and finding that most of the bus was already empty I rushed outside gripping my laptop and travel bag. The thought of being burned alive had sent this adrenaline rush in me, which had made me both sober and active.
Outside the scene was chaotic with most of the passenger’s hollering at the driver and his helper. I came to know from them that the engine of the bus had caught fire and was emitting smoke like a chimney. I was hopeful that whatever the problem was, it would be rectified soon and then I could resume my journey and perhaps sleep. It was communicated to me that this was it and the bus would not be budging another inch for some hours at least.
So here I was stranded in no man’s land at 4 in the morning with no locomotion at my disposal and my destination still 7 hrs away. I saw some intelligent folks flagging down a passing jeep and with an idea of hitching a ride I joined these folks. But this hitch was not free and I had to fork out a decent amount for it. The best part, the jeep would not take me to Ahmedabad but to a place that was 3 hrs from Ahmedabad. Also since the “intelligent folks” had sat in the middle and front seat I was left to sit on the back seat in a position that would have made it impossible for me to catch any sleep.
With no respite at sight and with no other option at hand I thought of making the best of this situation. So the jeep started off with the next four hours being spend bouncing on the seat owing to the great roads of the state and also to the shock absorbers of the jeep. My situation there was that of a potato on an empty cart, just bouncing hither and thither.
So the journey progressed, I was tired, irritated, sleepy, distraught, dejected etc etc. My neck hurt due to my awkward sitting arrangement and due to my failed attempt to catch some well deserved sleep because of laying my head on all accessible spots. To add on to it, the driver of the jeep was drunk and being a great fan of bollywood music he arrogantly refused to lower the blow of the radio. It was his day and not mine.
This leg of my journey ended around 7.30 in the morning. To my dismay instead of dropping me on a bus/train terminus the bugger dropped me in the middle of a highway and bid adieu to me. I caught an auto for the railway station from there. I was hoping to catch some local train to Ahmedabad and reach my destination without any more (mis)adventures.
On inquiring at the railway station ticket counter I was told that the next train for Ahmedabad would be leaving in 4 hours. So I could either wait or look for some alternate source of transport. Luckily (final lady luck took pity on me) the bus station was just outside the train station and after a few inquiries I was able to locate the ticket counter from where I was to take the ticket for the Bus. So the next 30min were spent standing in the line under the Sun. Finally the ticket in my hand I boarded the bus. The next 3 hours were spent in the overcrowded bus with the hot summer air burning my cheeks. All thoughts of sleep had left my mind and I had finally accepted that my quota for sleep will remain unfilled.
On reaching Ahmedabad, I was dropped by the bus in the remote outskirts of the town. I had to change 2 auto rickshaws to finally reach my home and “By Jove” that was one of the happiest home coming for me.
