|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I recently took a trip down to Bangalore and returned yesterday back to Hyderabad. Took a Volvo both ways. I had an experience in the KSRTC Volvo that I took. I was unlucky to get the only available rear seat. I settled down after pushing the heavy bag into the overhead slot.
Oooofffff, let out a deep breath, looked around to become familiar with my surrounding. After I felt comfortable with all and everything around, I called everybody on phone, the near and dear to inform them that I am safely in the bus en route to Hyderabad.
The AC was on. I had a wonderful draft of cool air on my face and it did feel like heaven after all the trouble getting to the bus stand. I thanked the AC inventor, plugged my Ipod, and was lost in the music.
The bus cruised out of the bus stand after a delay of 15 minutes waiting for some late passengers to arrive. It was somewhere around 9.30PM and I decided that it was high time that I settle down to sleep. Shut the Ipod off, covered myself with the blanket, stretched my body, and relaxed. That is when the trouble started.
As the bus started to pick up speed in the suburbs, I heard a clatter of noise. I looked around to locate the source of the sound. It then struck me that I was sitting right on the Engine and the source of the sound was the engine itself. The Volvo buses have rear engines! I cursed myself … I noticed that the every time the driver shifted to a lower gear, the sound appeared. I could not sleep a wink the whole night. Even plugging the ears with the ear phones did not help. As if it was not enough, the heated draft from the engine starting spewing into the bus through some cracks under the seat and worsened the already a pathetic situation. “If it is Hell, it is here, it is here!”
Imagine! Heat and cold makes a stronger iron... Here in my case none of it, except that my temper was rising. Why does it happen to only me!
I was literally beaten and out of juice when I reached Hyderabad. I had to very badly take 2 hours permission to nap before going to work
Few things to know before/after taking a bus ticket.
Oooofffff, let out a deep breath, looked around to become familiar with my surrounding. After I felt comfortable with all and everything around, I called everybody on phone, the near and dear to inform them that I am safely in the bus en route to Hyderabad.
The AC was on. I had a wonderful draft of cool air on my face and it did feel like heaven after all the trouble getting to the bus stand. I thanked the AC inventor, plugged my Ipod, and was lost in the music.
The bus cruised out of the bus stand after a delay of 15 minutes waiting for some late passengers to arrive. It was somewhere around 9.30PM and I decided that it was high time that I settle down to sleep. Shut the Ipod off, covered myself with the blanket, stretched my body, and relaxed. That is when the trouble started.
As the bus started to pick up speed in the suburbs, I heard a clatter of noise. I looked around to locate the source of the sound. It then struck me that I was sitting right on the Engine and the source of the sound was the engine itself. The Volvo buses have rear engines! I cursed myself … I noticed that the every time the driver shifted to a lower gear, the sound appeared. I could not sleep a wink the whole night. Even plugging the ears with the ear phones did not help. As if it was not enough, the heated draft from the engine starting spewing into the bus through some cracks under the seat and worsened the already a pathetic situation. “If it is Hell, it is here, it is here!”
Imagine! Heat and cold makes a stronger iron... Here in my case none of it, except that my temper was rising. Why does it happen to only me!
I was literally beaten and out of juice when I reached Hyderabad. I had to very badly take 2 hours permission to nap before going to work
Image via Wikipedia
Few things to know before/after taking a bus ticket.
Never, never book a ticket in the rear except in an emergency. If it were a Volvo, you would be sitting right on the engine. The engine heat will fry your ass out. If it were any other bus models, a rear seat will throw you up and down every time the bus hits a pothole or a speed breaker.- Never take a rear seat for a night travel. Not at all, in case you need to go to work in the morning. Rear seat in Volvo is ok, but comes with the clatter as a package.
Go for a seat beside or on the Engine in case you are traveling to a Hill Station. This will keep you warm in the bus. - Avoid book a seat in the front as it would be the area to get torn apart in case of an accident. Its not pessimistic approach, yet it is good know and avoid, considering the unpredictability of Life.
Neither take seats that are in the column behind the driver. That, once again is a vulnerable part during an accident. - In case you are traveling in the night, your limbs may go numb from hanging down the seat when you are asleep. This is more severe in the short people as their legs would not reach the floor. I suggest, rather than you keeping your bag in the overhead loft, place it under your legs. If you patronize your bag a lot, you may not prefer doing this, but remember there is always something called washing. You can always to it…
- In case the bus has seat belts, it is always good that you wear them. It is safer and in addition, it gives you confidence to have a deep sleep without having fear of being thrown around if the bus stops suddenly.
- Always carry a sweater, just in case. The weather may suddenly take a twist, this way you would be prepared for it. It may increase you load by 500 grams, which is a good gamble considering the pain you will undergo, otherwise.
- Never take a seat on the wheels. There will be no space for you to stretch you legs and you will be thrown around like a doll.
- Take a seat right in the middle of the bus in the column opposite to the column of seat behind the driver.
- For night travel, never take an aisle. You may get pushed out of your seat by a large neighbor.
- Better, avoid shoes and wear a sandal. This way you have the dual comfort, One, of removing the slipper to rest your tired soles; two, you can wear them easly when you want to step out for a leak.
- Carry something to eat and drink, like biscuits, water, or some fruit juice. The driver may never stop the bus on the way for safety reasons.
- Avoid drinking too much liquid as this may force you to go for a leak frequently. Few drivers wouldn’t be kind enough to stop the bus on the way for you to make yourself comfortable.
This is bit of knowledge I scrapped out of my experience traveling in the bus. Will update as my intelligence grows…
1 comments:
Valuable Information buddy.
Post a Comment