Today on March 2 2022, I decided to travel in KSRTC bus for the first time since COVID! This blog is a random recording of the memories that flashed before me as I reached the bus stand in an auto.
- My bag is heavier! During my days in UK during 2008, I had a “Travel lite policy”, the policy was simple - If its cold, all you need to travel over a weekend is 2 pairs of underwear and a coat with 3 pockets. The inside pocket is for used underwear’s (obviously). But in 2022, I am older and wiser, the policy has had some drastic revisions - now I carry paracetamol, pain balm, cholesterol tablets additionally!
- There was another policy “No pre-booking hotels”. This was a rather simpler one since I or my mates never decide how long or where to stay for a trip back then. But at one point we stretched out imagination a bit and decided not to book a place at all in New Castle since the girls were supposed to be wild out there and wishfully thought why book a room! That was a utter failure and nearly froze to death at 3 am after pub hoping!
That’s all about old memories for this blog!
Reached the bus stand around 10 pm, clearly things are not back to normal.
There is less crowd at stand and even lesser mosquitoes. They must be missing the human blood “chakara”! I miss the pleasure of killing at least 100 mosquitoes before boarding, I guess smartphones are there to keep travellers busy these days. But there was a time before when travelling was fun and an authentic experience.
Around 2002, during my shuttle journey between Trivandrum and Thrissur, every trip was a story. People used to talk to each other then! The adrenaline rush before jumping onto a running train to get a seat. Dangerous, yet back then missing a sound sleep meant more than missing a leg. Once we got the seat, it takes about 5 mins before the train leaves the station, there is an uneasy yet friendly stare between the passengers. Some mingle, few are busy spreading newspapers to sleep on floor. But all this drama finishes once the train starts moving and in the next few minutes our true colours come out, it is like a sketch of our characters.
The guys near the windows take a smoke and talk. The guys with construction toolkit open a chewable tobacco pack, bashing it on palms and opening his mouth wide enough to swallow the world just to put it in and make sure no dust is freely shared to fellow passengers. The slightly older and creeper folks check out the old lady sitting on the floor. And finally me gets passive intoxicated with the raw smell of the rustic good old general compartment and slips off to yet another peaceful sleep.. Good night!
