15.3.2008

Can a day be erased from your life?

If it can this could be one of those, it is such a blur that I have no idea what is happening. Judith and I bought tickets to Jodhpur so that we could catch an overnight train to Jaiselmer the same night (tonight). We specifically asked as we were purchasing the ticket that the bus was express. The travel agent said "yes, yes, express, no stopping. Only 30minute stop for retsaurant and toilet". I guess given that we were paying 150rupees for a 6 hour journey we should have been slightly alarmed.

This bus was not express at all. There were only Judith and I, and a Russian family with their 2 sons as westerners. Otherwise the bus might have aas well be used as a local bus.

I think the bus was at least 100 years old, it was more like a tin box. It rattled so much that my feet were so numb, I had to lift them up to my seat. If you ever resterd your head on the head rest your brain seem to rattle just as much. There were no suspensions on the bus at all, we felt every bump, every pothole. Roads were crazy, and the mixture of having a crazy driver as well meant that as we were overtaking 2-3 trucks at the same time and having the oncoming truck flashing and beeping at us, I'm surprised we arrived with no scrathches at all.

We stopped at least every 30minutes to pick people up and drop off again. There was loud music playing, men staring at us, nsquatting on the floor (yes, we were that full!) and staring at my henna, people pushing and shoving each other, talking so loudly...aaargh, where were the chickens??

Then a gypsy family came on board as well. There was a man with a huge drum like tray beating it unconsciously, then a woman literally wailing whilst the young girls joined in at chorous...They were dressed in some amazing colourful saris and so many bangles and jingly bits on. But we were all pleased when the singing ended. She came around asking for money, as we expected it. We didnt give her any, but when the Russian tourist gave her 20rupees she started to wail again and dance in the middle of the bus.

The bus conductor was another strange character, he had one hand full of small cash which he counted endless times over and over again with a face that said "money, my money, my precious money" and the other hand on his cruch constantly scratching it. He bossed everyone around, yelling at the people coming on board, yelling at the people getting off. I couldnt understand what his agenda was.

Getting on and off the bus was another skill for these locals too. I dont think we ever completely stopped. As the bus slow down enough for people to jump on and off bodies seem to appear and disappear...There were different people occupying the seats everytime I closed and opened my eyes.

Anyhow we came to Jodhpur after painful, sweaty, unpleasant 7 hour journey, during which we never stopped for 30min restaurant or toilet (we actually had to squeze our bladders as long as we could and in the end ran out to the toilets at a petrol station when they were filling up the tank)...

By this stage (4.30pm) we had no food, felt so hot and grumpy. We were on the search for a restaurant when my sandals broke. The sole came off. SO now I was flopping along, looking for a shoe repairer...still hungry...still grumpy. Luckily we found one very quickly and watched him glue and stitch my sandals. As were sitting on the side of the road waiting we then dropped our guidebook in the filthy gutter...aaarggh, I need to re-wind the whole day!

But after all was good, we had large amount of food, walked around this busy city (the blue city) and now internetting:) Our train for Jaisalmer is at 11pm and given that's my first ever night train I'm bound to be adding on to my blog tomorrow morning with more stories...

Peace out!