All day on a bus

It's been many-a-year since I washed my smalls out in a bucket and left them to dry overnight on the burglar bars. One thing about travelling like this, it does make me feel younger as it brings back many happy memories from more than 40 years ago when I travelled the Hippy Trail from Istanbul to Kashmir (via Tehran, through Afghanistan and over the Khyber Pass.) 

Ready to move on

I packed up everything and around 11, I headed off to the bus garage. 

My host, Jacob, had given me a useful hint when he told me that if I went to the depot, rather than the bus station in the centre of town, I would be able to board the bus at its setting-off point and have the pick of where I sat.

The "Ashok Leyland" bus had seen better days, and the dents in the bodywork did nothing to inspire confidence.

The driver was busy changing the front wheels, which was just as well as both front tyres were not so much bald as polished smooth.

Jacob's advice proved accurate, and, as the first passenger, I settled into one of the front seats, where I could stretch out and enjoy the view on the 8-hour journey.

I had an excellent view up by the driver, starting off navigating carefully through shopping streets.

It was a long, long journey, and once we were out of he town, the bus was winding down through endless twists and turns from high altitude to sea level.

 About half-an-hour before the bus reached Kollam, there was a flash of lightning and a crash of thunder.

The heavens opened and the rain poured down. 

It eased up momentarily as we pulled into the bus station and I quickly grabbed a taxi, handing him my mobile on which I had already called the Homestay for directions.

I couldn't appreciate the sprawling middle-class home until daylight, but I did appreciate my large - if over-furnished - bedroom, (I had a choice of four beds!)

I met the other residents, an English guy working in Germany, and his German girl-friend.

Our hostess had prepared a delicious dinner, after which I headed for an early night.

I had loved every minute of the bus-journey, through amazing scenery, but all I now wanted was my bed.

Next morning with our hostess and one of the other guests