Horror Trip 2, the return journey.

a Doubleroo travel documentary

In association with Rajesh Har Joshi travel corp

The best way to avoid repeating a bad experience is to analyse what part was your doing. This time it is obvious. I did not take matters into my own hands but rather gave someone, who had previously told me a load of codswallop, the benefit of the doubt. Anyway, instead of the nice airconditioned private car which was going to take me and GM Fominyh to Kathmandu via the Chitwan national nature preserve  etc etc. It sounded like a dream.

Now reality. The evening after the tournament I asked MR R.H.J for deatils, like when our car would be leaving. Answer. "Speak to Bidur". Well I heard no more until the next morning. There I was presented with a ticket for the "Horror Bus" It left at 2pm. We carried our luggage to the bus station and then proceeded to our Hotel where all the local players got on :) Was someone deliberately taking the mickey? Oh well I thought, can't be worse than the last time. 

Famous last thoughts. This time it was raining heavily and the deluxe luxury bus was leaking like a sieve.

Now the driver armed with an umbrella and torch was wiping or cleaning the windscreen by hand. The luxury deluxe bus did not have windscreen wipers :) So in the pouring rain on a winding mountain road we descended into the valley without wipers or very good lights. I guess the driver knew the road. AT this point I had to carry my laptop bag on my lap because the floor was full of water...of course. 

Finally, the plain. The rain stopped and we pulled into a bus stop. We had some snacks, a cup of tea and continued. 13 hours later we got to the town of Hetauda. Here GM Alex got off the bus together with my last round opponent Krishna Thapa. They were planning to rest a few hours and then take the short-cut to Kathmandu by Jeep and invited me to join them. I jumped at the chance, literally. The bus was scheduled to arrive at 9am (now 2am) so staying on board would have meant another 7 hours of torture. The bus finally got in at noon so it would have been 10.

We spent the night at Krishna's place and were warmly received by his wonderful parents. Then we took a Jeep to Kathmandu the next morning. A great, picturesque journey. Report to follow when I get back. Now I am off to the Airport. :-) :-) :-)