Life becomes interesting when you use public transport to travel to distant places, especially the basic one which locals use. Even though you miss out on views and opportunity to stop and take photographs, you get to see, hear and feel things from local’s perspective and at times their conversations add just the right amount of feel you need to truly feel part of the place you’re traveling through.
There are of course moments when you break away from the trance of looking outside the window, seeing the world as it passes by or stop eavesdropping on an interesting conversation taking place around you and instead focus on the sweet innocent face of a toddler looking in your direction and as those innocent eyes bring a smile to your face, a naughtier laughter appears on the face of the child, as if to say, “I got you!”
Then there are moments when the most naughty kid in the vehicle, while trying to fall asleep, climbs into the lap of his mother and partially climbs into your lap as well and falls asleep while trying to still do that last little mischief by playing momentarily with the USB cable of your power bank, laying in the side pocket of your backpack, which is resting on your other thigh.
This is the sort of stuff one usually doesn’t gets to enjoy, at least not in the case of single guys like me. In any case this is not even half of what one really gets to feel and understand during a journey in public transport, as I have come to realize in past couple of months.
And as I sit in an AC Volvo and write this blogpost on my mobile phone, I feel strangely detached and I almost feel like I don’t belong here. This is the 5th bus I am taking since last evening and the first AC one. Rest have been bare basic road transport buses, where air cooling through window only begins once they start and catch some speed. Right now with the blow vent at full force, it feels strangely different but at the same time comfortable. Though I have a feeling that once we get moving, I am really going to miss that wind blast on my face, which I always seem to enjoy, even if it is accompanied by plenty of dust :D.
I guess that dust settling in on the sweat covered cloths and skin is something I am going to miss big time. But then again, my clothes are already drenched in them, since I didn’t change them during my brief layover in Baijnath. I know I should have. But I didn’t, as if I really wished to wear my battle fatigue dirty and not clean. I didn’t really plan for luxury, but sort of fell for it after seeing it at Haldwani. I guess I just needed a bit of comfort for I am tired now. I did take my deo out and sprayed myself a little, as I felt really dirty and smelly when I stepped into the bus and I didn’t wanted my poor co-passenger to endure it. Though she has a window seat, so as a retaliation, maybe I should have made her endure it :D.
I had written this blogpost, while coming back from Baijnath, you can read the full travelogue of that trip here, I go where God takes me.
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