Boarding the Hampi-bound night-bus in Panjim at the start of the trip
Back in Mandrem now and feeling so happy to be home. Funny how Mandrem has come to feel like a home from home over these last five months or so.
The Russian gang and I arrived back in Mapusa at about 9am this morning, having left Hospet at 6.30pm last night. It was a heck of a night’s trip, particularly given that we were doing it in a non-AC (Air Conditioned) bus. Unlike the other AC buses I’ve been on, there was no door separating the driver’s compartment from the rest of the bus. So all night long there was a wind gusting through the length of the bus, accompanied by the noise of the outside traffic and the chattering of the driver and the rest of the crew. Natalia and I were in the first berth behind the driver, so we got the full brunt of this. Luckily we were fairly well equipped, so the night passed pretty quickly, even if the snoozing was at best uneven.
So, here are my top 5 bring-alongs to make any night-bus trip more comfortable (and bearable!):
1. Ear-plugs (of course!), Eye-mask (often all the interior lights don’t get shut off) & an inflatable travel pillow
2. A sheet – lighter to pack than a blanket and effective at keeping you cosy when the temperatures drop at about 3am
3. Socks, a long-sleeved top and/or a pashmina – along with the sheet, these will keep you cosy. Especially appreciated on the AC buses!
4. An i-pod or even better, an i-pad – reading is near-impossible with the bus hurtling along at break-neck speed, so having some good tunes or an audiobook or a movie to watch is a god-send
5. A torch – handy in so many situations in India with power-cuts being so common, but indispensable on a bus journey when trying to locate the loos at the road-side pit-stop in the middle of the night
Anyone else out there got some more tips for surviving the night buses of India? Let me know!
Inside of our bus last night
I fully agree with your list!! i would add avoid drinking any water at all as there might be no loo stop for 6 hours or more – when there is one, make sure to bring tissues and soap and antibacterial gel with you as there is no way on earth you will find those at the spartan type of loos where the bus stops.
Perhaps a camera too, in case you see pretty sunrise landscapes upon arrival, and small change to buy chai masala and snacks on the way!
Very pertinent Tatie!! Especially the part about not drinking. I should have definitely mentioned that. I had a particularly uncomfortable experience at the end of a bus trip to Banglore back in December. At the morning stop, thinking we must be pretty close to our destination, I brazenly downed two cups of masala chai. 20 minutes later, back on the bus, I was bouncing up and down asking “Are we there yet, are we there yet?”, only to discover we had another two hours to go. Suffice to say that I’ve never been so happy to see a less-than-salubrous bus-station squat toilet in all my traveling days!
Oh and my guide says it’s best to pick seats in the middle of the bus, between the front and back wheels, as it will minimise bumps!
Also very true. The primary BarbyBulletin lesson of the weekend? Ensure a high level of direct involvement when booking bus tickets. Otherwise, complaints are prohibited!!