A crazy journey to Nainitaal
Nainital: Tiger Cave |
It was a scorching Saturday in Delhi and I just came back from work. After a tiring day I was not in mood to cook and was just started thinking to order something from nearby restro but suddenly my phone rang and on the other side one of my childhood friend was shouting “Where are you Man, I am in Delhi and just joined Shanshank”. I really didn’t want to listen to him but he was breathless, not giving me any room to say a single word that I am tired and planning to sleep early. His train was still running and he said that, yeah he said that “We are coming to your place and we will party all night.” What could I say except an unwanted ‘YES’
After
an hour they were nearby my home and asked me to join at Angithi, the
restro-bar. I was in shorts and t-shirt, they were also in t-shirt and jeans
and it was 11PM. After meeting them we entered the restro but were denied to
food.
In
another hour we were at Chandani Chowk just in search of some food and on the
roadside we got Amritsari Naan Thali. Friends are really the pure and real
asset of life, in those few hours I forgot all my tiredness and I was enjoying
their company. Suddenly my traveler soul asked them to travel somewhere “Hey
Sonu, Abey Kahi Chalte hai!!!”… Sonu said “Abey kahi Chalate hai, Iss halat
me!! We don’t have our bags; In fact we don’t have extra cloths”
Suddenly
Shashank jumped in the conversation “Hey guys we can do it, we have our wallets
and credit cards, we can make anything, common let’s go. Lekin Kahan???” The
big question was “Kahan??”. Now we decided to catch a travel agent and he will
suggest us, where to go and it was not so far, we found many agents near Lal
Quila but all the buses were rushing to Punjab and we didn’t wanted to go
Punjab in that hot season. An agent suggested us to catch a bus from Anand
Vihar to Nainital and at around 1AM we were at Anand Vihar Bus Terminus.
Now
the real struggle started. Searching an A/c Bus for Nainital at 1AM is as
difficult as searching a movies show at the same time. But we were not ready to
give up, we took the last bus on that route; a general bus to Haldwani. It was
a difficult journey to Haldwani but at 8AM, we were there and from there we
hired a car for Nainital. We all were tired and wanted to rest for few hours
but we didn’t have time. Me and Shashank had to reach office on very next day,
so it was decided “No Rest, Only Roam” and from early morning till evening we
touched all the sites of Nainital and perhaps it was the nature around us we
didn’t yawn even for a single time. It was an awesome and fun-filled tour,
whether it was the caves of Nainital or the soothing air beside Bhimtaal or the
famous Kari Chawal at Saattaal, we enjoyed every moment. Within this journey I
was lucky to visit Kaichi Dham also.
In
the evening everyone wanted to relax but firstly we have to book our ticket to
Delhi and Shashank made it. All the buses were full but Shashank caught an
agent asked him to manage tickets by giving extra 100 bucks but the agent was
in a hurry to catch his friends near the Taal. We followed him and reached to
his friends’ group. They sat in a circle. Some packet of chips, chana, peanuts,
snacks, soda, water and of course a bottle of whisky was waiting for our
esteemed agent. I told Shashank ‘Le ab kar le baat’. Suddenly that agent asked
us to join them, but we ruled out but Neeraj started shouting on him “What the
hell you guys are doing here, it is a historic place; you all are sitting between
the historic Taal and British Mall Road and here you guys opened a mini Bar? So
ridiculous!!” He was unstoppable. “Stop this non-sense. You don’t know my
friend is in Media. Madhaw why are you mum, say something.” The agent stood up
and said “Baitho to sahi, peena mat lekin baith jao.” I make Neeraj down and we
sat with them and in a very short span we started giving high five within our
conversation. But still my mind was just thinking for tickets and here the
drama started. I started crying and said “Oh my God, Oh my God, I’ll lose my
job definitely”. The agent asked “Why, what happened friend”. Now the show
began “Actually I have to reach Delhi any how tomorrow, I have a very crucial
meeting over there and these f**king friends are not able to manage a single
ticket for me”. I thought he will say something but he asked for his next glass
of drink and we all were watching him constantly, He drank that peg in a single
shot and suddenly told us to walk with him.
We wished his friends and walked with him. He took us to a Volvo Bus and
spoke to the driver that we were his friend and finally we got the seat. I
chatted with him for a last time “thanks for making it Man”; he said “Dost hai
yaar, aur Dosti ke liye Kuchh bhee meri jaan, Next time aana to milna zarur”. I
asked him for his business card but he ruled out and said “Dosti mein no
cards!!! Aana to Milna, Good Bye”
And
after saying him good bye when we started from Nainital everyone were thinking
“Will we be asked for fare or not”. Very soon we slept and when we reached
Delhi in Morning the Bus driver said “Paa Ji Dilli Aa gaya, Ghar tak chhodna
Padega kya!!!!”. We got up and he asked us to join him on tea. While taking tea
when I tried to pay for the same the driver stopped me and said “Paaji aap
hamare dost ke dost ho, aisa na karo”. I stopped but Sonu jumed between us and forcefully
gave him the fare and threw the trump card by saying “Dosti ke liye zaruri hai
ki hum dobara aap sab se mile aur usake liye zaruri hai ki hum apane chahre par
Kiraya na dene ka guilt lekar na jayein”. And it worked, he gave us jaadu ki
jhappi and we came back home with about
thousand photographs of our one day unexpected journey.
Thanks
to all, thanks to the nature.
Hey keep posting such good and meaningful articles.
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