The Sleeper Bus

My first ever trip on an infamous sleeper bus was this weekend from Udaipur to Ahmedabad, and was horrifically flawed from the outset. Booking any long distance bus is relatively easy (by Indian standards) to do online, but of course that only applies if you have an Indian bank card.  So, we cleverly went along to the travel agency and happily booked our two buses, one normal seated for Saturday morning and a Volvo (big oooh) A/C sleeper leaving at 6:55pm on Sunday night. But then, when we showed up to check in Sunday night in Udaipur, we were abruptly told “AM not PM” and that we’d missed it. Our travel man had messed up and left us stranded in Udaipur with little money and no place to stay or travel home. I luckily had taken my bank card and could get some money out to pay for a new bus that night, of course the next one not leaving until 10:30pm. We outstayed our welcome in an ice-cream café for three and a half hours with nothing else to do until 10pm when we were to return to the shop and be told where our bus was. To understand how India complicates things again, there are no bus stations or designated stops (at least not for long distance), and so they line up in no particular order along a few streets. I started to worry when no one told us what was going on by quarter past, and so a man looked at the tickets and walked away from us waving his arm to follow. He kindly found us our bus, although my panic was unnecessary because of course it left half an hour late.

Our new sleeper bus was half the price, but with no A/C, and I’d imagine double the smell. I was strangely excited, not quite knowing what to expect. The bus was essentially double decker – one main isle with cabins along each wall, some double and some single, almost replicating bunk beds with one above and one below. We found our double cabin and swung our bags up before manoeuvring the narrow ladder. It was shockingly comfortable and quite roomy. There was certainly enough space for two people to lie down, with built in pillows and a closable door. The slightly unpleasant smell of stale sweat and feet wasn’t too much of an issue for me as I lay down (using my scarf as a pillow) and was out of it almost before the bus began moving.

Moving was a whole other experience. It was a little bumpy and I often rolled into the wall, but the most painful was the bus horn. Because this is the most important feature a vehicle can have, buses have lovely musical horns that of course they aren’t afraid to show off. The whole journey was oddly enjoyable and I did at one point actually clap for India, despite the maaaany issues.

Then of course you have to figure out getting off the bus in the correct place, with no bus stops or a general idea of where you are meant to be going - we were told there would be no stop in Paldi which is where we live and so had to carry on to the last stop. This would have been fair enough if I hadn’t woken every 15 minutes when the bus chose to stop when we reached town (after SEVEN hours – three more than the journey there). And of course, I watched in misery as the bus did drive past uni and my flat but we hadn’t a clue what to do but watch and beg them to stop as soon as possible.

But! We did it, and now travel anywhere is possible! Plus I kind of love the sleeper bus a little…

A Visit to an Indian Cinema

Everyone here being utterly obsessed with Benedict Cumberbatch, we had to go to the cinema to see The Imitation Game. We chose a cinema in a mall not too far away from university, and after the rickshaw drove away without our money – giving us a free trip, we went up ridiculous amounts of escalators to finally reach the box office. I was pleasantly surprised that a ticket only cost 120rs (less than £1.50), and that popcorn was more expensive at 160rs! We received our tickets, making sure we had chosen an English showing and not Hindi, and then had to join a queue to step through the metal detector and be frisked and searched. Much like in Mumbai airport, there were separate stations for men and women.  Men step through and if they beep they are briefly frisked before being hurried along, and so they all went about their business quickly and on to their seats. For women, however, it was rather different. Every woman is searched whether beeping or not in the metal detector, and our bags were also searched meaning cameras, cigarettes etc. all had to be checked in.

Once finally getting through, I went to the loo before buying my popcorn and was pathetically excited to see real toilets with actual toilet paper (this not being considered a necessity in many places I’ve visited, and so I carry spare with me wherever I go)!

The film itself was really amazing and enjoyable. The adverts beforehand were short, and mostly in Hindi, with some in English being accidentally played twice in a row. The seats had so much legroom and all reclined so the whole experience was really enjoyable. Halfway through a sentence, never mind a scene though, the film cut out and it was announced we were having a break. It was like a friend pausing a film because they needed to take a call or go to the toilet. It started again very abruptly and had rewound a little.

A man in front of me had clearly ordered some food in the break as an attendant came in with his torch and not so quietly discussed money. Several phone calls were taken throughout, and interestingly whenever any character in the movie smoked, a ‘smoking kills’ warning appeared at the top of the screen.

We exited the screen through a different door and so it was a little mission afterwards to find the ‘cloakroom’ to get my camera back. Overall a strange but not bad evening out!

Sarkhej Roza

My first day trip in the city of Ahmedabad where I’m living was to a Muslim Mosque called Sarkhej Roza. It was absolutely stunning, but a slightly surreal and strange experience for me. After a 15 minute rickshaw ride, we arrived outside a slightly shabby looking path leading up to the entrance, which was lined with begging men and women. There were a few street-food stalls outside, and because the majority of women wear saris it was an incredibly colourful place. Because of religious customs, we had to remove our shoes before entering and wear scarves over our heads (being a little unprepared, a flatmate fashioned a kimono into an amusingly elaborate headdress). The design of the mosque with its different buildings is very clever, meaning that because of the positioning of a tree and monument you naturally walk to the left and continue round in a circle before reaching the most important building on the far right. The first building, like most, is made from a series of carved stone domes and pillars with beautiful intricate blocks making up the walls. These let light in while not allowing anyone outside to see in giving privacy, and keeping the rooms cool. We were quizzed by a group of adorable young girls as to where we were from, and I had no option but to shake hands with them all before they ran away giggling. Throughout the entire trip we were stared at, being the only white people there.

Walking amongst the tombs of queens, and seeing the stunning views over the dried up man-made lake and amazing stone carvings was wonderful. Many people were sitting around with their families while others prayed inside.

After sitting down for a little break on the steps – this being my first weekend and a poor little Scottish girl, I was melting in the heat – we were bombarded. Initially a few children came over to ask where we were from and our names, but soon a small crowd grew around our perch and next thing  I knew I had a baby sitting in my lap and several cameras in my face. When one started they all wanted photos and so we left in a hurry, collecting our shoes and grabbing a rickshaw outside. It is very surreal being the focus of so much attention, and although they were just curious I found it a little uncomfortable and claustrophobic with the heat and the amount of people. I have since learnt to just forcefully say no and shake my head, although sometimes it is quite fun to be a source of fascination.  

National Institute of Design

University is so unbelievably beautiful, I feel more like I’m working in a tropical retreat than at a school. NIDs main gate in on a busy road that takes a little skill and a fair amount of bravery to cross every day - I can’t decide if it’s the constant honking and dust, or the speeding scooters and rickshaws combined with slow moving cows and elephants that is the worst. Although stepping onto campus, literally the second I step through the gates, it’s a peaceful jungle where car beeping and the pollution seem like a completely different world; birds and the occasional monkey are the only things to really hear or be wary of. The main building is majorly hidden by trees having grown up the walls, but with amazing bright orange spiral staircases protruding to lead up to different studios. It is very open air with few doors closing anyone inside, so university is open nearly all night and is filled with people day and night working or meeting up.

My favourite part of the campus though would have to be the park. Just beside the main building is a grassy field walled by more trees and flowers, helping the feeling of paradise while I take a break. At one end is the old monument/temple which is beautiful. Monkeys are really the only things to disturb while they run across the ground between trees, although Frisbee games or badminton matches are often played by students.

Classes are very relaxed compared to my Scottish studies. My textile course is currently a six-week print design creative project and so it is expected that I am in the studio every day from about 9:30am. But it is never mentioned or even frowned upon if anyone is late. Somehow despite the Indian laid-back attitude, my classmates all seem very dedicated and it is rare that anyone leaves before 6:30pm. We set our own breaks and work to our own pace, wondering off to make dye or print samples whenever we are ready. It is also quite common place to find a dog napping in a corridor, something that was a little strange for me to begin with.

BMW is the NID café where the chai tea is amazing, and because I don’t understand the menu, it’s always a surprise when my order is ready. Although the state of Gujarat is generally not considered as having spicy food, I do sometimes get a little fright when trying something new, but I have not yet eaten anything I didn’t like. Mess is another cafeteria at uni, where breakfast, lunch and dinner is served for 50rs (around 60p) for an all you can eat meal. The Indian students tell me this is very basic food, and isn't very good compared to home cooking, but for me the rice, sauces and naan are so delicious!