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 India

me again, 13 June 2006
 India Delhi - Rishkesh

The Delhi - Rishkesh Section

After saying good bye to Lipika, Ash and their parents I went straight to the Delhi bus station. Again I had no idea what will be available and how to get to Rishkesh.
Arriving at the station I was already welcomed by a person waiting for passengers to bring them to the travel agencies with the prospect of receiving a commission payment.
I refused him since I first wanted to get an overview by myself.

You should know that quite a lot of these guys tell you different stories based on lies just to get you on their line right to their agency. In case anyone tells you from the beginning something is not possible or not available than think twice because in India nothing is impossible. So I learned by this experiences also not to rely on peoples word at first before getting an own picture.

Another thing that I noticed is look the people in the eyes when they try to sell or convince you of something. Most of the time they look away for a short second or two if they don tell the true. Think about it the next time when you get in such a situation.
Just imagine yourself in such a situation. Don't we turn normally into ourself and ask if the delivered information is right instead of looking into the others eyes and do then same questioning without saying a word. The message is in somehow delivered although it is just a speechless thought. And the reaction comes back accordingly. Try it next time, it works!!!

But back to the story after having a look on the station I decided to follow that guy to the travel agency just to get an idea of what an AC luxury bus would cost. It was definetely too much. In addtion the stop would have been in Haridwar instead of Rishesh which meant for me another ride with another bus. They told me it is just a 10 minutes ride from Rishkesh to Haridwar but in reality it was 45 minutes. ( I figured it out later)

Well upset about the offer I decided to take the goverment bus instead although they were supposed to be not that comfortable, crowded, hot,... It is actually not the amount of money that gets me upset in those situation it is the feeling of beeing ripped off by the unequal treatment and incomparable demand of money by such kind of people.
Fortunately it turned out that it was a good choice not taking the AC bus. Due to the fact that I got the seat right next to the bus conductor with an open window aside and an open view to the front in addition I could stretch my legs in three different directions facing the front , the conductor or the passenger behind

Generally about busses in India. I had a few rides now and I have to say that it is always attached with a certain risk or because of the way how the conductors ride their buses. There is a common unofficial rule in India which allows the bigger vehicles to have the right on the street. I don't know where they get this taught but you should be very careful if you ride even on your line of the street and a bus or truck overtakes from the opposite direction on your line. They just don't care, so be always prepared that you have to slide aside even if it is your path.

And it happens to some drivers that they get overwhelmed by this "king of the road status" so that they cause accidents. So it happened to me that we hit with the left corner of our bus a heavy vehicle which was in our front while trying to overtake in similiar situation as described.
Thanks god nothing serious happened except to a damage at the corner where I was sitting and the increase of adrenaline in the passengers bodies.

After a view cigarettes the conductor calmed down again and proceeded to drive the same way as before. I guess it is a way of overcoming the fear. Like the formula one drivers who sit again the first time in their race car immmediately after their accident. Or can you think of a better reason?

Well, while I was making mind about the possible reasons we stopped at one of the busstops where you can have a little rest to pie and eat. I didn t want to carry all my luggage to the toilet. And leaving the stuff unobserved in the bus wasn't a solution either. So I asked a reliable looking guy standing outside the bus if he could have an eye on my luggage while I carry the water to the toilet.

Remember? You meet the right person at the right time and place? This guy was from Paraguay and spent the last two weeks in Uttranachal and Uttar Pradash (two states at the himalayas). Showing me in his guide where has been already.
When I asked him what he could recommend me in Rishkesh he gave me his guide by saying that he got it in a similiar situation when he asked the same question to a girl in the beginning of his journey. Well I think I don't have to explain more we laughed about this incident and I thanked him and wished him good journey back home.

This was now the second time that I went in such a situation. The other one was in Goa when the owner of the guest house gave me a book as a gift which I couldn't finish during my stay there. The book I have passed on already in exchange for a swedish book during my travel.
The guide I still have at my place but no worry I am pretty sure that I will meet someone who will require it at the right time before I leave India

But let me proceed during the further ride an arguing among two passengers started which was going to escalate when one of them had all of a sudden an exhaust pipe in his hand moving towards the other guy. That was the time when I started to shout and stood up to intervene. As if the other indians were waiting for such an action they started to pull each guy back to their seats and calmed them down in indian language.
This was the first time in India that I saw indian people becoming aggressive. And I still don't have any idea what the reason was for this happening. But since it didn't escalate I was fine with it.

Finally I arrived in Rishkesh. Tired of the ride I was longing for a place to eat something before looking for the appropriate place to stay overnight.
I chose a place for dinner in the guide and asked a rikshaw driver for the price thereto. Don't have to explain that I it was again way too overpriced. Upset I proceeded to ask one of the locals about the price to that place so that I had an idea of what it might cost me. Then I found me also a rikshaw driver who was going to ride me thereto. But during the way he started to raise the charge and demand more. Upset again about this behaviour I stopped the rikshaw and got off it somewhere on a hill where no lights were to be seen.

Well and there I was in the darkness somewhere on a hill nearby Rishkesh. With two options to walk either down the hill back to Rishkesh or up the hill to somewhere.
I decided to walk up and voila 100 meters later I could see some signs designating cottages up at the left side on top of the hill. By following the lights I arrived most probably at best place in entire Rishkesh with a really nice sight down to the river for a very reasonable price. So again don't question just start walking at certain points... and the rest will work out fine Thats it for the Delhi-Rishkesh ride.

Is going to be proceeded...

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