Bangalore to Kochi

---

So, I set out for my journey from Bangalore to Kochi at around 8pm on Tuesday night. Veena and Indu kindly drove me to the bus station, and just as well they did because I don't know if I'd have found my bus without their help! The Bangalore bus 'terminal' is unlike any I've come across before. Rather than a central building from which the buses depart, it consists of a number of connecting roads with agent offices and buses parked outside. It was very hectic and confusing.

Sadly bidding farewell to my friends, I set off on the mini bus, bound for another bus terminal where I was to catch the main bus. The mini bus driver whizzed through the traffic at lightening speed, with more than just a few near-misses, using his horn every five seconds, an act I've come to realise is the norm here in India.

Boarding the main bus, I was pleased to see that I had two seats to myself. I was not pleased, however, to see the man across the aisle staring at me rather creepily. I smiled at first, just to be polite, but after half-an-hour of relentless gawking, I decided to give him a taste of his own medicine. We must have been a sight, two people just staring at each other across the bus. Unfortunately, my tactic failed to deter him, so I just popped my earphones in and lost myself in music. Every now and again, I glanced round to see his beady eyes still fixed on me, but after an hour or so, he lost interest and fell asleep.

The journey was extremely bumpy and I'm pretty sure we hit another vehicle at one point, but I was already dozing so I didn't take much notice. Neither did the driver, it seems, as we still kept moving. There were no stops throughout, so I was careful not to drink too much water, for fear of needing the bathroom.

At around 5am, I made a mental note to stay awake, as I was due to disembark at 5:45am. It just so happened that this was the time I fell into a deep sleep and yes, you guessed it: I missed my stop. When i realised my error, I rushed down to the driver to clarify. My backpack was subsequently dumped by the side of the road, and I was abruptly told to get off the bus. So, there I was, standing on a quiet street with only a handful of shops, trying to figure out my next move. Luckily, the hostel had given me the pick-up driver's name and number, so I asked around for a phone and was eventually pointed in the right direction. I called, told him where i was (couldn't pronounce the place name at the time and can't remember it at all now) and he instructed me to take an auto to Fort Kochi. I bounced around so much that I made a mental note to wear my sports bra more often. I'm surprised I didn't end up with two black eyes by the end of the ride! Once at Fort Kochi, I handed the auto driver the number and he called for further directions. I eventually arrived at Vedanta Wake Up at 8:30am - two hours later than planned. It did cost me half the price of the pre-planned pick-up service, though, so I shouldn't complain.

After a much-needed shower, I trotted out for a wander. I walked along the sea-front, and cast my mind back to the beautiful beaches of Thailand. They seem a world away now. There were a few people paddling in the water, but I refrained from doing so. The beaches are litter-strewn and the water murky. With so many bins around (every few meters, it seems), I wondered to myself why people feel the need to throw trash on the ground. Still, I saw some interesting fishing contraptions and paid over the odds for some beautifully-painted leaf art. I was also approached by a man who told me his story of wanting to be a singer, and then proceeded to sing to me. He told me to chose my favourite Michael Jackson song, and away he went. I humoured his massacre of Billie Jean before telling him I had to meet someone, and hurried along. I'm not sure if he was trying to sell me something or just wanted to work the ol' vocal chords, but I do hope our paths don't cross again. Bless his cotton socks, he really did try, but Simon Cowell would have a field day with him.

After a veggie breakfast of cheese omelette, and a stop-off at the hostel for travel advice (of which they provided none), I popped to the local travel agent. I booked a long-arse bus ticket to my next destination, but it seems that heading further up north is going to be a pain in the arse. The ideal modes of transport would have been sleeper trains, but it seems they book weeks, if not months in advance, and buses will take forever. Even checked flights, but they're proving very pricey. So......what to do? I'm not keen on spending half of my remaining time in India on buses (and by 'half', I mean just that!), so I decided to consult a chocolate milkshake for some advice. Let's see what it comes up with.

Additionally, the electricity keeps dying in both the hostel and the neighbouring restaurant, so being online to make any substantial travel plans is proving futile. And it's so damn hot!!!

And that, folks, concludes my journey from Bangalore to Kochi.

---