Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Bus journeys
So how many times have you rued the inter-city bus services in India. Bangalore Goa – think Paulo travels. Delhi-Manali – Raj transport. Indifferent drivers, nasty way side eating places (its all in the commission), surly conductors, late arrivals yada yada. But hear this – I had a one of kind bus journey some time ago that I feel compelled to narrate.
Cut bank to fall 2006 (Because I’m in the US silly).
I’m in some sleepy village in New Jersey (on work) and I decided to visit my brother in Syracuse – NY over the weekend.
Initial (crazy) thoughts were to drive down – all by my alone. Immediately discarded – miss a freeway exit in the US to know why! Next option was to catch a train to New York city and then take a bus to Syracuse. This was going to need to some expert syncronisation of time using various modes of transport for me to get to Syracuse by Friday night.
I took off early from work, took my bags and drove to the train station. Guess what? Not a single overnight parking slot free! Many people with similar plans to mine. Hmmph already lost time. Had to go back and call a cab who charged me a princely sum ($40) to take me back to the train station (about 6 miles). Its like the train was waiting in the station for me. I picked up my tickets, hopped onto the train and 1 hour hence, was in the Big Apple. Then, in less than 10 mins. I was on the subway to the bus terminus. All in a days work I say! I made it in record time and thought to myself its my lucky day. In a way it was, I now get to tell this story.
At the bus terminal, I bought the Greyhound ticket to Syracuse – made my pockets about a 100 bucks lighter. One way people!. Then, stood in various queues and guess what? the bus left at least half an hour late and many of my co passengers were dodgy to say the least. There was this African American, dreadlocks et. all how spent half the night trying to make up with his rather pissed girlfriend. I’ll spare you the details. So, we’re wizzing by on the roads and I think to myself great, will be in Syracuse by 10 pm! Yay! Then came the stupendous announcement from the bus driver. The mike is switched on and the driver very mater of factly says he’s lost his way! Ever heard of a bus drive how must be plying the high way routes a zillion times lose his way? Also, I have to tell you, the road from NYC to Syracuse is for the most part one road. Keep on it and off you go. The bus driver had no update on when he might reach Syracuse. This was down right annoying. More so because I don’t have a cell phone and have no way of telling my brother who’s coming to pick me up from the bus stand.
At the rest stop, I tried to make a phone call from a public phone. Believe me, it was a spooky experience. I had to go to the truckers lounge where a bunch of beefy rednecks wearing bandanas and long hairr and MASSIVE muscles are well, lounging around. Fearing for my life, I put my quarters in and realized damn! I don’t have my brother’s phone number! I did have my cousin’s no who incidentally was also in Syracuse. Only its about 11 pm and he was asleep as expected – likely a Captain Morgan Run induced happy sleep. No luck. I scooted from the lounge fast as my legs would carry me while looking suitably nonchalant – like it’s the most normal place in the world to make phone calls out of. THIS is exactly when I realised the power of the cell phone. May whoever invented it become immortal.
After all the agony, I finally reached Syracuse at about 3am! My brother was pissed and rightly so. He’s been waiting alone at the bus stand for eons. Anyway, this was the prelude. The rest of my weekend was very nice. Oh! also, on my bus journey back, the driver has to keep stopping every half an hour for at least 10 mins. for the windshield mist to disappear since her defogger was’nt working.
Think about this the next time you board a bus for a Rs 500 journey in India.
Cut bank to fall 2006 (Because I’m in the US silly).
I’m in some sleepy village in New Jersey (on work) and I decided to visit my brother in Syracuse – NY over the weekend.
Initial (crazy) thoughts were to drive down – all by my alone. Immediately discarded – miss a freeway exit in the US to know why! Next option was to catch a train to New York city and then take a bus to Syracuse. This was going to need to some expert syncronisation of time using various modes of transport for me to get to Syracuse by Friday night.
I took off early from work, took my bags and drove to the train station. Guess what? Not a single overnight parking slot free! Many people with similar plans to mine. Hmmph already lost time. Had to go back and call a cab who charged me a princely sum ($40) to take me back to the train station (about 6 miles). Its like the train was waiting in the station for me. I picked up my tickets, hopped onto the train and 1 hour hence, was in the Big Apple. Then, in less than 10 mins. I was on the subway to the bus terminus. All in a days work I say! I made it in record time and thought to myself its my lucky day. In a way it was, I now get to tell this story.
At the bus terminal, I bought the Greyhound ticket to Syracuse – made my pockets about a 100 bucks lighter. One way people!. Then, stood in various queues and guess what? the bus left at least half an hour late and many of my co passengers were dodgy to say the least. There was this African American, dreadlocks et. all how spent half the night trying to make up with his rather pissed girlfriend. I’ll spare you the details. So, we’re wizzing by on the roads and I think to myself great, will be in Syracuse by 10 pm! Yay! Then came the stupendous announcement from the bus driver. The mike is switched on and the driver very mater of factly says he’s lost his way! Ever heard of a bus drive how must be plying the high way routes a zillion times lose his way? Also, I have to tell you, the road from NYC to Syracuse is for the most part one road. Keep on it and off you go. The bus driver had no update on when he might reach Syracuse. This was down right annoying. More so because I don’t have a cell phone and have no way of telling my brother who’s coming to pick me up from the bus stand.
At the rest stop, I tried to make a phone call from a public phone. Believe me, it was a spooky experience. I had to go to the truckers lounge where a bunch of beefy rednecks wearing bandanas and long hairr and MASSIVE muscles are well, lounging around. Fearing for my life, I put my quarters in and realized damn! I don’t have my brother’s phone number! I did have my cousin’s no who incidentally was also in Syracuse. Only its about 11 pm and he was asleep as expected – likely a Captain Morgan Run induced happy sleep. No luck. I scooted from the lounge fast as my legs would carry me while looking suitably nonchalant – like it’s the most normal place in the world to make phone calls out of. THIS is exactly when I realised the power of the cell phone. May whoever invented it become immortal.
After all the agony, I finally reached Syracuse at about 3am! My brother was pissed and rightly so. He’s been waiting alone at the bus stand for eons. Anyway, this was the prelude. The rest of my weekend was very nice. Oh! also, on my bus journey back, the driver has to keep stopping every half an hour for at least 10 mins. for the windshield mist to disappear since her defogger was’nt working.
Think about this the next time you board a bus for a Rs 500 journey in India.
Monday, August 11, 2008
India and the wily British Empire
Time: 1800Ad
Place: Some remote village in North India. Anyway almost everything was a village in those days.
Location: Fields.
Gangubhai: Where’s Raju kaka? I have’nt seen him all day today?
Munshiram: Must be off in the fields again! That addict!
Gangubhai: You mean addicted to tending to the fields?
Munshiram: If you intend the pun, yes.
Gangubhai: Huh?
Munshiram: That rascal fellow always likes to go sniffing after the poppies. The plants put him to sleep for obvious reasons.
Gangubhai: Really? Lets discuss this over some fine opium.
..and so it went on.
In all those agonizingly long history lessons did any teacher tell us that the British kept India as a large opium production factory?
All this talk of how India’s wealth attracted the British. Her glory blah blah.
Well, the British East India Company wanted to have a monopoly on opium production in India and that's what made the Empire stinking rich.
In fact the opium that was exported surreptiously by the Empire from India to China triggered the Opium Wars.
Time: 1800Ad
Place: England
Location: A fancy manor.
Her ladyship: Martha, where’s that luverly Chinese tea?
Martha: Coming your ladyship.
Her ladyship: Hurry up wont you? I was to look at some fine China after this. The lord has been rather clumsy lately. My fine porcelain collection is now but a few colourful pieces.
Sniffles.
So there you go. The British loved their tea and porcelain from China. The Chinese however were’nt interested in buying anything that the British produced.
There was a growing trade deficit with China that the British had to tackle. Hence the wily idea to export opium to the Chinese. Get them hooked and crying for more. The deficit narrowed and then became a surplus. Very clever!
Will try to get more of these interesting educational stories.
Place: Some remote village in North India. Anyway almost everything was a village in those days.
Location: Fields.
Gangubhai: Where’s Raju kaka? I have’nt seen him all day today?
Munshiram: Must be off in the fields again! That addict!
Gangubhai: You mean addicted to tending to the fields?
Munshiram: If you intend the pun, yes.
Gangubhai: Huh?
Munshiram: That rascal fellow always likes to go sniffing after the poppies. The plants put him to sleep for obvious reasons.
Gangubhai: Really? Lets discuss this over some fine opium.
..and so it went on.
In all those agonizingly long history lessons did any teacher tell us that the British kept India as a large opium production factory?
All this talk of how India’s wealth attracted the British. Her glory blah blah.
Well, the British East India Company wanted to have a monopoly on opium production in India and that's what made the Empire stinking rich.
In fact the opium that was exported surreptiously by the Empire from India to China triggered the Opium Wars.
Time: 1800Ad
Place: England
Location: A fancy manor.
Her ladyship: Martha, where’s that luverly Chinese tea?
Martha: Coming your ladyship.
Her ladyship: Hurry up wont you? I was to look at some fine China after this. The lord has been rather clumsy lately. My fine porcelain collection is now but a few colourful pieces.
Sniffles.
So there you go. The British loved their tea and porcelain from China. The Chinese however were’nt interested in buying anything that the British produced.
There was a growing trade deficit with China that the British had to tackle. Hence the wily idea to export opium to the Chinese. Get them hooked and crying for more. The deficit narrowed and then became a surplus. Very clever!
Will try to get more of these interesting educational stories.
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