On the Road (Again)

After surviving our disastrous trip to Bhuj, I prepared for our journey through Rajasthan by expecting the worst. I packed carefully, making sure to include those precious items I had forgotten on my first attempt at traveling in India. A clothesline, flip-flops, clean pillowcases, anti-nausea medication, bed sheets, extra toilet paper- all found their way into my backpack. I also readied myself mentally by anticipating food poisoning, dirty buses and money-hungry strangers looking for every opportunity to pounce.

Alexander and I embarked on our trip at 9pm. A friendly rickshaw driver with three teeth delivered us to a bus station crowded with people eager to attend their Diwali family reunions. We watched green and saffron fireworks explode in the sky as we waited for our bus to arrive.

But the bus was nowhere to be seen. After an hour we started to worry. Did we miss it in the holiday chaos? Had we confused the identification number of our vehicle? The men at the nearby travel agency were of little help. Each time we asked a question they directed us to wait in a different place. “Across the road, by the paan cart- there you should wait,” one man said. Minutes later his co-worker pointed in the opposite direction. “Down the road, on your right…should be there any minute.” And then suddenly a young man was ordering us to run. He shouted at a passing bus in Gujarati, motioning for us to sprint after it. Finally the bus driver pulled to the side of the road. We boarded, panting and sweat soaked, shocked that we had made it onto the correct vehicle.

My surprise was instantly replaced by joy as I observed a luxury bus that lived up to its name. The center isle was wide, the seats plush, and the commodious sleepers were clean. There was even (gasp!) a bathroom on board! Alexander and I slept until 5am when the driver announced our first stop: Udaipur. A talkative rickshaw driver took us to our hotel where a sleepy attendant checked us in at no extra charge.