Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

| by archiveworldraceblogs

A humorous attempt to convey my latest World Race experience. I haven’t written a “How To” since middle school, so sorry if it’s a little rusty


 


If you have the mind to attempt a 7 hour overnight bus in India, this blog should help you realize your insanity and inability to make good choices. First of all, you must come to the bus stop with the realization that there will be 2,000 buses passing by each night and you must choose the right one. The locals that were with us graciously helped us out. Next, you must move fast. Hyderabad traffic, especially, is always on the move. Thus, you always have to be on the move. You should definitely stay in a group with men because the streets of India are scary at night. There will be beggars who smack & hit you to get money, or dance to get your favor. You’ll be waiting for a while, so make your pack a comfy seat. Once you spot your bus (by way of help from the locals) get ready to load up quickly! They will leave you if there is an inkling of hesitation, told from experience.


Once you safely load the bus, get ready to watch a crazy action packed Indian movie that is annoyingly load. The best way to prepare yourself for a night on the road is to have a blanket (not the one they give you… I used my fleece sleeping bag liner and I was a cocoon of warmth), an eye mask (given to you on the plane to Qatar) and your Ipod ready to drown out the Hindi superhero on the big screen in front of you. Once everyone has loaded the bus, they will put a curtain between the seats and the driver, a great courtesy to the blinding lights that are constantly coming straight for you. Also, be ready to freeze. Apparently in India, sleepytime = hibernation. Though it may be easy to fall asleep, due to your busy day, it will take a little more concentration to stay asleep. Some may choose to use Dramamine or Tylenol PM to do the job, but if you’re willing to do the challenge on your own strength, make sure to tucker yourself out during the day. The roads you’ll go down will not necessarily be paved, so get ready for a lot of head swaying and lots of random objects falling from the overhead bins. Not to worry, there were no cranial casualties on this trip.


 


You will know it’s time to wake up due to the fact that the honking will start all over again, there will be hard braking, and babies will start to cry. If you’re lucky, your feet will be swollen and will barely fit into your Chacos, so pick a different pair of shoes. Congratulations, you have now arrived at your destination! Cows will welcome you on the street and now you must find your way to whereever you lay your head down tonight….