Story Number 2: Scary
My friend Tim and I took a weekend and visited the City of Kochi. Our second day there we decide to spend at local beach called Cherai Beach. To get to cherai from where we were staying we had to take a ferry across the bay, then take an hour long bus ride to the town of Cherai, then finally walk about an hour to get to the beach. it was a bit of a journey just to get their.
Our day was awesome. It included swimming around in the Arabian Sea, hanging out with this group of Indian college grads who decided to make us their friends, getting Rs 10 for my picture, and having my first coconut.
We started to head back, and after the lengthy walk, got on the bus back for the ferry. Unfortunatley our journey back would not be as easy as going out was. I was under the silly impression that the stop for where we get off for the ferry would be the same stop where we had gotten on the bus from the ferry. This was not the case, and in typical Indian fashion, there were no signs designating where the ferry stop was. My only hint was that we were suddenly driving across the bay which we were supposed to be ferrying across, and inthe wrong direction no less. we tapped a gentleman in front of us, who because of his porr english refered us to another gentleman, who told us we should have gotten off at the last stop. At this point we were presented with a decision, we either get off, take the next bus back a stop and get on the next ferry heading back to Fort Kochi (where we were staying), or take the bus all the way around the city to the end of its route in Fort Kochi. We chose the later. We figured it couldn't possibly be that bad, just ride the bus until someone tells us we can't ride anymore.
About 15 minutes later the bus stops int he middel of who-knows-where, and everyone gets off. We find out from another passanger that we actually have to switch busses, because this one is not going any farther. Unfortunatley the bus leaves, and there is no other bus there to pick us up. Seaminlgy everyone else fromt he previous bus had gone elsewhere, and we were getting conflicting reports as to which bus station the next bus wouold be picking us up at.
Finally after wandering that part of the city for about an hour we return, and are directed to get onto a bus that has just arrived. This is probably the most packed bus I have ever seen. It is standing room only, and I barely have room the breath. It s a very good thing I am no claustrophobic.
The bus continues on it merry way, and as the bus nears the end of its route in Fort Kochi, it begins to get emptier. About half an hour from the end of hour route, I hear yelling in the back of the bus. I rutn around and see two gentlmen fighting, with a bunch of other men, including the man collecting tickets, standing and watching them. Punches are thrown, and at one point, they are trying to throw each other out of the moving bus.
Eventually the bus comes to a stop, and one of the gentlemen is pushed out of the bus and barred from re-entering. We heard later that he was drunk and said something that the other took offense to (probably something having to do with a girl).
We did make it home safely, but that was one of the most adventurous bus rides I have ever taken.
My friend Tim and I took a weekend and visited the City of Kochi. Our second day there we decide to spend at local beach called Cherai Beach. To get to cherai from where we were staying we had to take a ferry across the bay, then take an hour long bus ride to the town of Cherai, then finally walk about an hour to get to the beach. it was a bit of a journey just to get their.
Our day was awesome. It included swimming around in the Arabian Sea, hanging out with this group of Indian college grads who decided to make us their friends, getting Rs 10 for my picture, and having my first coconut.
We started to head back, and after the lengthy walk, got on the bus back for the ferry. Unfortunatley our journey back would not be as easy as going out was. I was under the silly impression that the stop for where we get off for the ferry would be the same stop where we had gotten on the bus from the ferry. This was not the case, and in typical Indian fashion, there were no signs designating where the ferry stop was. My only hint was that we were suddenly driving across the bay which we were supposed to be ferrying across, and inthe wrong direction no less. we tapped a gentleman in front of us, who because of his porr english refered us to another gentleman, who told us we should have gotten off at the last stop. At this point we were presented with a decision, we either get off, take the next bus back a stop and get on the next ferry heading back to Fort Kochi (where we were staying), or take the bus all the way around the city to the end of its route in Fort Kochi. We chose the later. We figured it couldn't possibly be that bad, just ride the bus until someone tells us we can't ride anymore.
About 15 minutes later the bus stops int he middel of who-knows-where, and everyone gets off. We find out from another passanger that we actually have to switch busses, because this one is not going any farther. Unfortunatley the bus leaves, and there is no other bus there to pick us up. Seaminlgy everyone else fromt he previous bus had gone elsewhere, and we were getting conflicting reports as to which bus station the next bus wouold be picking us up at.
Finally after wandering that part of the city for about an hour we return, and are directed to get onto a bus that has just arrived. This is probably the most packed bus I have ever seen. It is standing room only, and I barely have room the breath. It s a very good thing I am no claustrophobic.
The bus continues on it merry way, and as the bus nears the end of its route in Fort Kochi, it begins to get emptier. About half an hour from the end of hour route, I hear yelling in the back of the bus. I rutn around and see two gentlmen fighting, with a bunch of other men, including the man collecting tickets, standing and watching them. Punches are thrown, and at one point, they are trying to throw each other out of the moving bus.
Eventually the bus comes to a stop, and one of the gentlemen is pushed out of the bus and barred from re-entering. We heard later that he was drunk and said something that the other took offense to (probably something having to do with a girl).
We did make it home safely, but that was one of the most adventurous bus rides I have ever taken.
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