Manali and Delhi

The bus trip is better than I expect. In Manali, the luggage boy gets in a scuffle with a traveler who refuses to pay his ten Rupee fee for lifting her bag three feet into the luggage compartment. My seat is double booked. I get there first but the other guy makes more noise so I am relocated to a seat above the wheel well – a seat that seems to violate some of the basic rules of geometry. The person assigned to the seat next to this one is forced to chase the bus down in a taxi after the driver trundles through Kullu without stopping. Just before we reach our destination, the bus stops specifically to allow an entertainer to board. I pretend to sleep through his drumming and singing act but he does not hesitate to wake me when passing down the aisle collecting contributions. Unfortunately, my soap is packed away with the luggage and I am unable to make an offering. The bus lets us off somewhere other than the Delhi bus station, three hours late.

Delhi is less kind to me this time and I fall sick. I will spare you the account of this but it delays my return to Jaipur for two days. Fortunately, this does not cost me the opportunity to catch up with Kevin and Jen.