Summer of 2001...

After this journey our lives will never be the same again. This would be incomplete if I donot describe ...
Rajesh : Witty and funloving. A carefree attitude. A childish smile with humor which could bring a smile on anyone's lips. There are no 2 people alike in this world but today I wish there were more like this guy. We were going to be very good friends. I am sure for as long as I am alive I will never forget this guy nor the time we spent together.

Ramakant : Initially he came across as a very arrogant and selfish character. But all this would change. Cannot forget the what happened that evening ...After being drunk he had lit up his umbrella and held it like a torch.

& me...

We didn't know when 3 different stories became a song.

First impression lasts longer ...

First impressions last long ...We had to reach Barauni. Its in Begusarai district in the heart of Bihar. People tried to warn us and frighten us with tales about Bihar. I have been afraid of very few things but this was not one of those things.

My encounters with men in Khaki in the train was an indication of things to expect. I call them the new rulers. When the British left people said everything would change, a free country with no fear. I was born much after the British left but I donot think they would have been much different from these men in Khaki I saw on the train.

After reaching Barauni station we were swarmed with people all ready to take us to our destination in a truly Indian way. Well truly speaking we did not expect such a warm welcome but did we know where would decision lead us. We were in for a ride of our lifetime. We selected our man and decided to go with him. He warmly picked up our luggage and carried it to the bus and then hurled it on top of the bus. There I stood at the door of the bus looking inside where and how would I fit into. Our escort kept on saying there is enough space but where !! On the roof. Like a king we were seated on the roof under the sun with my legs dangling. We captured this moment on reel. So our days in the heart of Bihar started off in a truly Indian way.

Before I write more on this I guess my mom and dad always knew what I was growing up into. But the day I said I was going to Barauni for my summer training they were furious and it took me a lot of effort convincing them. I cannot lie convincingly but when I believe that its for the good of someone I love I get thatstrengtht and I can convince anybody. I am not a liar but I always believe that sometimes a lie said for the good is 100 times better than the truth which could have upset my parents for the entire duration of my stay in Barauni.

We got down at Begusarai bus stand.Looked for some place to stay. Well the search was tiring and the rooms we settled for was a pigeon hole. Our first lunch in Barauni too was spectacular in a way. We ordered and wait seemed to be endless. Then finally what we saw caused my stomach to turn inside out. I saw the Gobi being brought in. We saw an innocent smile at the the corner of the manager's lips. Yes it was for us. Another 30 mins and we had a great feast (not to mention of the half cooked curry).

We meet the Training incharge next day and he made it very clear that we were not welcome. Wecouldn'tt use the IOCL schuttle service. We were not to be providedaccommodationn within the IOCL Towninship. But who cared whatever happened with us.

3 musketeers.

By the end of first week of training we felt like we were rotting away. The pollution, the smell of kerosene in food, the power cuts had pushed us to the edge of our endurance. Moreover there was nothing to do in this sleepy town. Somebody suggested why not go to Nepal. The thought filled us with an excitement. But we needed 5 days for it. We had little money and no holidays. But the call of the Himalayas was too strong. We bunked training and took off. First stop was Muzaffarpur then Raxaul.Raxaul is in Bihar on the border. A bridge(No Mans land) separated India(Raxaul) from Nepal(Birganl). No passport, No Visa. We walked over to the other side and then into Birganj on a rickshaw.

The culture and people were not much different yet it was distinct. Our rickshaw driver wore jeans and goggles.

We took the night bus from Birganj and reached Kathmandu the next morning. We stayed at Nuroad gate ( Marwadi Sevasadan). In peak summer it was so pleasant and cool. In Kathmandu the common means of travel is by autos(electricity driven) and vans. It was a first for me. We visited Pashupatinath temple, Boudha, Pagodas, King's Palace, Durbar square. The next day we visited Manakamana. This was on a rope car. This was a terrific journey and again a first for me.

I flew over the Everest ....

Here we heard of a place called Pokhara.A hill station. It was truly amazing place and luckily quite cheap compared to Kathmandu. Pokhara is a place where we found newly wed couples on their honeymoon. We took the guided tour. We visited Bindhyabhasini Temple, Mahendra Caves, Sati River, Davis fall, Fewa Lake(Nepal's largest lake), Museum. The Mount Everest is very near from here. Lack of resources did not permit us to take the ride. There are 2 ways you can see the Everest. One you take a taxi and watch the sunrise. The other you take a ride on the Russian made single engine glider. This takes you over the Everest. Well at that time it would have cost us 3000 Indian Rupees for a ride on the glider. But that day I promised I would return one day to make that journey over the Himalayas.

That night in my dream I flew over the Everest...

There were other incidents worth mentioning here. During our stay we faced severe resource crunch. We survived on exactly 2 square meals a day. No breakfast no snacks. In Pokhra Ramakanta broke the hotel bed. I had a fight with the hotel staff. 1 against 2. Not much just some boxing and throwing slang's. Ramakanta and Rajesh saved the day for me and got me out safely. For the first time in my life the hotel staff also showed us some cool snaps of Nepali beauty's available for our service. I am not ashamed to admit that it scared the shit out of me.

Hijacked ?

Returning from Birganj to Raxaul we were caught. From no where had all the security checks come up. Here we realized that before crossing over should have filled up a form. Okay after 4 days of hectic traveling we were in no mood to enter into another hassle besides we did not have any proof that we were Indians(we had left our ID cards safely locked up in Begusarai). We coughed up 100 rupees each.

We reached Raxaul bus stand. It was early morning 6 AM. Here we got our escort who helped us find the right bus. We boarded the bus. Soon we feel asleep. After 3 hours when we woke up to ask where were we and how long to reach Begusari we were in for another shock.
We had been hijacked. We had been taken as idiots by our escort and now we were being hijacked to Patna. There was no turning back. We had our lunch in Patna. Then took the next bus to Begusarai.