Hi everyone, Here I go. After my hols in Chennai, I had to - TopicsExpress

Hi everyone, Here I go. After my hols in Chennai, I had to return to Tikapur , Nepal for my existing job. I booked my train in an air-conditioned coach for the 22nd of Nov.2013 form central station to Nizamudin at Delhi . The train was to leave at 6.10 am. By the time my daughters,cousin and I got into the call taxi it was 5.15 am. After a while the car stopped for 5 mins for fuel. then the door was not locked so again another 5 mins. After we reached a few kms, the bus wouldnt give us way until he stopped at the stop. Then again after some kms, a lorry wouldnt give way, so i told the driver to honk, until the lorry driver got fed up and he gave us way. It was already half way through the station. By the time the drive got in full speed, we reached the station at 5.45 am. So we had to halt at the local train station cause the car is not supposed to stop at the main entrance. We had to walk a while till we got there, and my cousin purchased the entry tickets for the 3 of them. It was almost 6.00 am. We walked so fast to the platform where the train was and we had to walk to the end of the platform. Reached the, got into the compartment with my 2 suitcases, a large brown bag and my bag pack with my lap top in. Great reached at 6.05 am. 5 mins for the train to move. Good. Exhausted. Train moved. Wished my daughters and cousin. Good Job. Train reached Nizamudin, gun time, 10.20 a.m. on 23rd of Nov.Had to climb the stairs, so engaged a porter and paid Rs.100IC. Reached the taxi stand to take me Annand Vihar Bus stand to take me to the border of India, Bambarsa. So, I engaged a taxi for 350IC, But when i went into the taxi, the driver asked me for Rs400. I didnt get wild cause i had to reach the Vihar station. Reached the Bus stand, paid the fare. Then a porter lured me to the pvt. bus stop, instead of the state transport bus stand. Fine, had to climb the overhead staircase, what a job, and he put me into the bus. I inquired whether the bus will go to Bambasa, and they said yes. So i paid the fare of Rs.400 IC, The time being 11.30 am. The bus left at 12.noon. After a few mins, it stopped for fuel, and to my shock, another person entered the bus, and said, this bus will not go to Bambasar. Wow....what a feeling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. After a few seconds, the person told me , he will drop me very close to this place. O.K> After 3 hrs, the people inside the bus said that the bus will not stop at the required stops , where they wanted to go. So they decided to call the police. At 8.00 p.m. the police arrived , by the time the people put all their luggage in the middle of the road. The police pacified the people and gave them some money. I also put up my case, but the police said they will take the bus to Bambasa. Beautiful . The bus left at 9.00p.m , It reached a place called Sitapur, at 10.20 p.m., and the driver said it will go any further..That takes the cake. Did not have any energy to argue with the man. S0, 3 men and myself walked to the highway to take a bus close to bambasa. No bus. It was 11pm. So cold, no sweater , no jerkin , no warm clothes. A tempo, which had iron bars at the back passed us, but he was highjacked by the police who wanted a bribe. Anyway the guys spoke to the driver, and he said he will take us. One guy got down , ahead, and we proceeded to the next place, which was not Bambasa. So, we got down, and walked for half an hour through by lanes and i reached a few kilometers away from B. I told them to check me into a small hotel. They spoke to the manager and i got a room, paid Rs.400 IC. It was 12 midnight. Fantastic. Had called for hot water and had a shower. Slept with the lights on, got up at 6.00am on the 24th , had a wash , put on some warm clothes and headed to the taxi stand. It was 7.00am. I asked for a Taxi to go to B. There were a lot but no one was coming, so a jeep came along and the driver asked for 200IC, so i gave, no arguments. IN 20 mins, reached the place , where i had to take a tonga or motorcycle. Tongas were refusing to come. so i took a motorcycle. Brown bag in front of the driver, 2 trollys in between the driver and me, and the bag pack behind i back. This was for 200IC. Back broke into two with pain. Riding for sometime then Crossed the 1st check post.Begining of the bridge. Two women border force asked me where i going, where i come from and what is my purpose in Nepal. I said I am from UN and working in Tikapur. One salute and let me off. Great. 2nd check post, a border force police , asked me the same questions. I said from UN, Left me. The driver asked me why no checking, I said I work for VSO, an INGO in Tikapur as an educationalist for the ministry of education in Nepal. So smiled and said OH OH I SEE....The 3rd check post towards Mahindra Nagar, Nepal, a younger border force police stopped me, asked me to open my back pack, i opened, whats this, my laptop, opened my purses, saw money, i asked if he wanted some. He said no cause i said i work for the UN. Left me. The other inspector asked me how much i will pay the driver, i said only 100 cause he told me to say so, the driver. Paid 20 IC for the parking of the motor cycle. The driver then came to the bus park of Mahindra Nagar, and put me in the bus. I thanked him.Reached at 8 a.m. Bus left at 8.15 am, and the driver told me it will take me to Tikapur. Very very happy. At 10.00am, in the middle of nowhere, the petrol tank was leaking. Bus stopped to be repaired. The tube was tied with rubber, then with cloth and wounded with black tape. What a wound!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.This took half an hour. Horrible, the conductor was calling out for passengers to get in at a bus stop to go to Nepalgunj. The bus has to stop at lumki and then proceed in another direction to this place. WOW ....my..face was red, I gave a piece of my mind to the driver.. Paid 500 NC. Anyway Lumki bus station had come. It was 12.30p.m. they helped me carry my luggage to the bus waiting to go to Tikapur. Got a seat . I didnt pay a penny. IN no time the bus came to Tikapur, I was back-broken, shocked, amazed. red, and exhausted. Reached at 1.00p.m. Took a rickshaw, reached my residence, eased myself, got in the same rickshaw and came to my friends restaurant to take my bicycle.(Horse). To my shocked the name of the restaurant was changed. I went in and found out that they had sold the restaurant to another person and had gone somewhere close to the bus park. No bus or motorbike to take me there. So a bullock cat came along and i asked if it is going to the bus park. They told me to get in. Slow and steady wins the race. Reached. Hungry as ever, stomach grumbling, feeling thirsty, well well well. No phone, bought an Idea sim, which didnt work in Delhi, UP nor in Tikapur. What a waste of time and money. sent the sim back to India, via courier. Asked the incharge of the bus to make a call to my friend, he tells me that he has no money in his phone. A good angel, said he would do the needful, called up, i could not understand , so i had asked him to talk, and he took me to the next close by bunk, and he left, then my friend was waving out to me and we two met and it was a happy reunion. She quickly gave me some water and then a good lunch, i filled my belly and was just o.k. Then i had tea, and left at 5.00 p.m. form her house and then had a good hot water shower at my place. What a day!!!!!!!!!! What a journey! Never trust North Indian Private Operators. They will take you for a jolly good ride. Next day I called up all my office Bosses, and gave my attendance. They were very happy to receive me back in Tikapur. Nepal. God be praised in all that he did for me.. Safe and sound in my coop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!