Another 'Different' Trip To Home

I always like the trips to home.  Many of the times, it will be different than the routine trips, in the wrong way though. The trip last week ( for Onam ) was one like that. One I really wished I didn't had...

Because of the rush, I didn't get tickets in my usual 6:30 Karnataka KSRTC Rajahamsa, I got to get into the Kerala RTC bus. Though it claimed Super Deluxe Air Bus, it was anything but airy ! Both the buses, to and from Thrissur, were poorly maintained. The KL 15 7116, which was the one took me back to Bangalore was pathetic. The seats were untidy, the whole bus was rattling. The overhead luggage shelf was wide enough only to slide a laptop bag in ( for both buses ). There was a hole in the roof above seat no 35, and I enjoyed the cold rain all the night. Worse, the metal lamination sheet under the luggage space was hanging loose and I was afraid anytime it will fall on head.

The trip to Thrissur was ok till we reach Mysore. It started on time ( 4 PM, I liked it ). This was after a long time I took the Mysore road and man, it was nothing less than a trip to hell. No wonder Bangalore Mirror chose it the worst road in the city..

From Mysore, 4 elderly gentlemen boarded the bus, despite there was no seat. I thought of giving my seat to the eldest, but thinking it will keep me standing for good 6 hours and those guys always had a choice of taking the next bus, I decided against it :) After a while they were all restless, and one among them vomited inside the bus !!! The driver and conductor became furious ( naturally ) and asked them to get out to do the needful. He did, got in and after sometime did it again !!! The good part is there was one guy who was sober and cleaned the bus at the station.

There was one interesting thing happened. We were crossing Bandipur forest area, and suddenly the bus stopped. There was a small elephant herd in front of our bus, including a baby. The baby was careless, took his sweet time to cross the road. The mommy elephant was vigilant and looking us with her ears open wide. I was expecting her to charge at us any time !!! I felt we should ban the traffic through the forest entire night, so that at least the nights the animals can claim the forest theirs !

The return journey was at 11PM, and supposed to reach Bangalore by 10AM. But, thanks to the Onam rush and no free platform at Thrissur, the bus started a good 20 minutes late.

The next incident was classic, I never seen anything like that. Again, an old man was the hero. He slept and missed the stop where he had to get down ! He started blaming the conductor, for sleeping and didn't wake him at the stop ! The driver and conductor first started heated argument, but then softened as this guy was adamant that the bus should reverse and drop him back to the stop! Because he knew that, as the forest road closes in the night, no vehicle will come from the other direction. The pace of the journey was drastically reduced because the driver was also trying to convince the old man to get another bus back home. The argument lasted very long, that I slept in between ! I don't know how it ended.

The argument made the bus reaching the forest checkpost late and needed to wait there. Precious time wasted ;) But it gave a peaceful sleep :) We resumed, only to get a flat tyre soon ! In the last five years I took Kerala RTC buses hardly six times, and this was the third time the tyre went flat. Too bad Kerala RTC..

Reaching late to the city made things worse. The Mysore road, being busy at the morning hour made things worse. The 10AM bus at last reached by 0130 PM !!! I reached home 2:30, precious one day was wasted...

Next time, I will go with Rajahamsa. They made take an hour or two extra, because of the slow driving and tea breaks, but that will be the most they do. The buses are comfortable, at least...

Being Invisible In The Crowd

I got one more reason to like my trips home. Incidentally it is in these trips I am getting most ideas for posts! Last trip also gave me idea for a post.

I reached the stop much earlier, or was it my bus late once again... As the only few seat at the stop is taken, I went to the lower compound wall of the Tata showroom and sit in the shade of a tree. I checked for any crows above, and found only a few kites flying high. I need to be careful not to be the potty for a crow. Incidentally in Bangalore crows are very less. And it makes the cry of the crow back home nostalgic ! The place where I sat was very low. Which I would have not considered any other day, thinking it is dirty. But today I need a place to sit and this serves that purpose. And the best part is, the lower stance give me a totally new perspective ! And I liked it, the new view. I was sitting in the middle of crazily busy street with people rushing all around me. Still, nobody gave me a second look. Nobody cared for my presence. It was like I was ceased to exist. I became invisible. And I started looking at the world around me, as I was watching a movie on a screen...

I saw a beggar giving final touches to his broken leg make-up. Kids made to dress like adults. Most of the people and lost either in a cell conversation or music. One lady was talking to the phone and with the other hand closed the free ear, may be to ensure the golden words not escaping through it... People chewing pan and spitting everywhere. ( may be where I sat too, but the rain last night should have washed it away, I don't want to think about it ). There were two kids trying to cross the busy road, but was too afraid that they take two steps back for every one forward. All kind of vehicles. Cars of every make. Trailers with many tires. One car being towed away. The time was flying, but I was lost in the interesting drama on my screen.

More people joined me in the wall. Most of them were checking watch every minute and cursing for the late bus. And then I spotted my bus on the screen. Time to end the show. I left my comfortable seat and joined the crowd. To be the part of show someone else is watching...

What A Start Of A Day...

The starting of a day can not get any better! My daily average of goof-ups will be around 2-3, but today I managed many within few hours!

I used to carry an umbrella in my bag. Remembered the last few days very sunny, I left it at home. Just as I left the room, it started to rain! I ran back and ring the doorbell. It was very late when I realised it was a wrong door! The guy who opened the door was brushing and was having alook who came so early for sales!

I got an empty bus, and when I was paying for the ticket the conductor told me it was a wrong bus! No wonder it was empty. Hurried I got down and get into another one. Luckily that also had a few empty seats. I jumped into an empty window seat only to find it soaked in the rain! By the time I shifted to another seat my butt got wet enough to give that embarrassing look...

I am wondering what is there in stores for the rest of the day...

Respect Elders, But NOT Everyone

From kids we are asked and conditioned to respect elders. And we do it, most often with pleasure. But now I guess it is a time to think again about that lesson. Reason - the times have changed. This is kalikaalam, when even God will be struggled and Evil makes victory, however momentary it may be.

There was this old man, who is a Yoga teacher. He used to take class about life, its preciousness, how to live it completely, devoting oneself to good etc. When you become close to someone, we unknowingly shed the mask we wear. We forget to modulate the fake accent, talk without thinking about the image we have with the other person. Once this man made a rude comment about a girl I know, and recently he was 'treated' for an illicit relation he had with a lady who goes to his house for private Yoga sessions. I felt pity to myself to call him Guru...

Last  week I was travelling in Volvo, which is supposedly how gentlemen travel and there is no separate seats reserved for ladies in it too. I was sitting in a seat facing rear, and from Mayo Hall a lady boarded with her girl child. Girl child was sitting next to an uncle. He smiled, the baby too. Then he pinched her cheek, I was sure she didn't like it, but she was still smiling. Then he put his hand on her lap. But when he saw I was watching him, he took his hand off. If there is no bad intention, why should have he took his hands then... We should teach our kids, both boy and girl, what a bad touch is. And should teach them to raise alarm in such situation too. 

During my college time, we used to bunk classes to watch movies. One day there was this old man next to my friend. Oldy put his hands on my friends thighs, he asked him to take  it off, oldy did. It repeated twice and then my friend stood up and shouted to the oldy ' you moth^* fuc&^*, behave yourself, else I will chop your bal@$ off'. The oldy left the seat instantly. At times it is the only way to make them aware that they will not be respected always for their age. Speak up. I am sure there will be many incidents you are in or heard of like this.

Do you still say we should always respect our elders...

Another Happy Journey...

Of late, every KSRTC ( Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation ) journey between Bangalore and Thrissur is becoming a story of it's own. Though it never keep timing, economy and comfort reasons made it my choice. When private buses charges Rs. 500 to Thrissur, KSRTC will make you poor only by 320. The buses are much neater and hardly ( only once, that too only two bugs ) bed-bug infested. While private buses will drive rash, KSRTC drivers won't ride fast, will slow down for humps and potholes, comfort level is also high. But their 3 breaks and not in a hurry to reach attitude will take at least 2 hours more. So the choice is yours, time or comfort and economy.


Last sunday ( Feb 28 ), the bus came 20 mins late. It was good, because in fact, I reached Thrissur almost 15 mins late ;). But as usual or just being KSRTC, they were not at all in a hurry and was taking their sweet time to check the tickets, cracking jokes and all. Then came the jackpot for the conductor. One guy was carrying photocopy and not the original driving licence. Seeing it the happy conductor told him, he will not be alloweded inside without original ( as per the rule. The other rule about timing they will break happily). After a long fight and the guy's friend managed to get the licence in between the fight, the journey started.

But there were more to come. Just after we crossed the Valayar checkpost, there were some folks, look like tribal were on road protesting about something. They were all carrying long bamboo sticks and all and were howling. I thought they are going to hijack us ( then you might get another story here !!! ). But it was just a possession and after almost one and a half hour we continued the journey.


Still, the driver was in no hurry and took two coffee breaks on way. When the transport secretary came to know that KSRTC bus is causing a lot of accidents, and thinking it might be due to the continuous driving, he suggested them to take breaks in between and I guess this guys are overdoing it.The bus was so slow that even the heavy trucks overtook us.

We reached Bangalore a good two and and a half hour late. Thank God my manager believed this story, Afterall, she also is a KSRTC traveller at times...

My Experiments With Bus !!

Last week I was mainly commuting by bus, giving my bike a break ( not on weekends though ;) ). One bike less on road - means ease on traffic, lessen global warming, saving petrol, and thus India's foreign reserve...blah blah blah... In fact this was not at all my reason to leave bike, I was simply too lazy to ride !!! In Bangalore it is always better when someone drives for you. Earlier if I need to take bus from Jakkasandra to MG Road, I will need to go to Shanthi Nagar and then to MG Road and it was tedious. Now the new Big10 fleet that BMTC introduced, it is single bus and is neat, almost empty ( only one occasion I didn't get seat from beginning ) and fast.


Of course there was another benefit too. Together I was walking for around 30 mins a day. It was good for my health too.

Here are some interesting things I found during the week. Everyday there was music for company. No, Big10 is not Volvo and there is no music system in bus. That was the magic of mobile mp3 players. And most of the time there will be more than one generous soul at work. You will get a mix of Hindi, Kannada, Telugu and occasional Hip Hop. That was fun. And if someone asks any of them to stop the music, they will give a look like they can't believe their ears and will continue the social service !!!

The bus drivers are much better compared to the regular BMTC services ( Volvos’ excluded). They will stop the engine at the signals, blink indicators while turning, stop properly at the bus stops and won’t horn lot – other drivers have a lot to learn from them.

There are some things to improve too : the frequency being first. Sometimes I needed to wait for about 40 minutes only to find two or more buses are coming in a row ! If they have been planned better, they should not need to compete with each other and I will need to wait less. Second one is that, the Big 10 buses use a lot of glass. But they are not sun-protected. So the morning and evening sun will be on you at full might. If they use the sun film or even the advertisements as in the Volvos, it would be pleasant for the commuters and beneficial for the BMTC.


At the bus stops story is different. Even when the bench is empty, people will stand only on the road, that too in the middle !!! The other vehicles need to avoid them and often cause jams. The bus stop near Central, Mayo Hall is another story. The chairs are too low that even a 2 year old will find it difficult to sit.


I enjoyed my trips. Good job BMTC. On flip side, not a lot of people know about the Big 10’s. As you are celebrating Bus Days now, please publish the new services ( Big 10, Big O, Orange line etc ) in news papers or notices inside bus or at bus stops. Hope to see more innovations from them. No wonder BMTC is the only public transport under government making profit.