Rules for Surviving the Indian Local Bus

Based on our recent local bus experiences, here are some tips for those times when you want to cheap out but still (hopefully) make it across the country…

• NEVER take a bus not originating from your bus stop unless you are okay with standing the whole way.
• Show up early to the bus station and rush the bus when it arrives. It’s important to get a seat in the front of the bus if you have bags… Indians are not kind to people who take up seats and/or floor space for their bags. And don’t bother spreading out too much… chances are incredibly slim that the bus won’t be standing room only (or breathing room only) for at least some of the ride.
• Set aside any delusions that you will have any form of personal space. (Even though the back half of the bus was empty most of the way, people getting on the bus still felt the need to sit with us and our load of stuff.)
• Remember your fan and deo… it’s gonna be hot. Even if you aren’t sweating, the people next to you up against you will be, so it’ll come in handy either way.
• Bring as little as possible with you (unless you’re like us and have just coming off a really wild shopping spree...)
• Pay off the guy to put your bag on the carrier (and get it off!) The guy actually told Rutvik to climb up on top of the bus and get his own bag before Rutvik tipped him 20 rupees (40 cents). This will also incentivize him not to peruse the contents of your bag along the way. (Note: You may assume your bag is safe tied down on top of the bus but we’ve seen many buses along the roads with a roof full of people.)
• Wear plugs or learn to pass out at will in any amount of noise. (The Indian uncle behind Kelli felt the need to lean right into her ear and clear his throat continually throughout the trip and the driver had no qualms about leaving the hazard horn on during all stops.)
• Take food and bottled water with you - you will stop at places where food is a possibility but with your Western immunity (or lack thereof) don’t even think of it… unless your intended next destination is the bathroom.
• Be patient – add a minimum of an hour and a half to your planned arrival time. The driver needs time to slow down on the highway to chat with his friends going the other direction and to size up the young Indian girls getting on the bus.
• Most importantly, have a really strong stomach – maybe even take some anti-nausea meds… and a sedative! The buses, along with the roads, are not always in top shape – and the combo can be pretty scary. As we were going down the mountain from McLeod, with all sorts of hairpin turns and a fair bit of traffic, we were impressed by how each of the drivers seemed to know their exact turning radius. At one turn, our driver decided that he didn’t have enough room to make the turn and tried to back up before completing the turn but the reverse gear wouldn't catch. As he tried, the bus kept inching forward toward the edge. After a few attempts, all the passengers evacuated and watched as the poor driver continued to try. Somebody was smart enough to put rocks under the front of the back tires to prevent the bus from hurtling down the mountain. He finally managed to back up, and, as we were getting back on the bus, we noticed that the force of the bus on the rocks was so huge that it left big dents in the road.
• Anytime something bad happens, look down at your ticket and remember that you’re making it halfway across the country for less than the cost of a Starbucks coffee back home.