adventure club

gypsichief

anyone knows about any adventure clubs in delhi

Yetijuice

In mid-December 1983 I was shivering in Kathmandu thinking about a warm beach for Christmas. On the front door of the Old Vienna Restaurant in Thamel was a poster advertising Jimmy’s Land of Nectar Adventure Tours trip to Goa on a Swiss bus. I had visions of lederhosen, raclette, chocolate, alpenhorns, and yodeling. Why not? I showed up at the meeting point for the bus departure on the morning of December 17th.

There were 14 passengers on the bus. Twelve were Indian laborers who had signed up with an overseas job recruiting office for jobs in the Middle East. An Australian and I were the only western passengers on board. The two of us were the only up-front paying passengers on the bus. We paid 800 rupees NPR each for the announced 4 day Kathmandu to Goa trip.

We proceeded westwards on the Rajpath towards Mugling. Two hours later smoke billowed in the glassed-in front drivers compartment and we pulled over and stopped. At least we were outside Kathmandu valley. The oil hose was draped over the engine block and had melted through. It took two hours to jury-rig a repair before getting back on our way.

Jimmy was short and spunky with the gift of gab. We reached Sonauli at 8:30 at night. Jimmy claimed that the border crossing was closed for the night. Not true. Jimmy said we would be on the road at 9:00 the next morning. Not quite. We were all on the bus at that time except for Jimmy. Jimmy was busy humping his girlfriend and did not show up until 2 p.m.

The bus traveled a few hundred meters to the Indian border post. As we came to a stop, Jimmy asked me to claim that a sleeping bag in the rack above my seat was mine. This was less than a minute before the customs inspector boarded the bus. I told Jimmy, no way, Jose! I had no idea what was inside that sleeping bag. The customs inspector never asked about the sleeping bag, so Jimmy got it into India alright.

We were on the road again. As long as we were moving everything was fine. We arrived in Delhi at 8:00 p.m. Jimmy announced that the oil line was going to get a proper repair. We were all to meet in front of the Royal Nepal embassy at noontime the next day. We found a cheap hotel to stay in. The following day (December 20th) we were at the meeting point at the appointed time but there was no Jimmy and no bus. Finally, one hour late, Jimmy showed up in a car. Jimmy stated that the bus was not ready yet. The bus would be ready the NEXT day at noontime.

I wanted to get to Goa for Christmas. I asked Jimmy for a refund. Jimmy claimed he had no money on him. I slugged Jimmy hard in the shoulder once. Out popped his wallet and I had my refund, minus the publicized 30% cancellation charge. Now I agree that generally you are not supposed to punch somebody. Jimmy was an exception to that rule. Jimmy would have tried anybody’s patience.

I took a taxi to get to the train station. I arrived just in time to board the Delhi-Bombay train WITHOUT a ticket. I walked up and down the train in search of a conductor. It was slow moving through the train wearing a backpack. A conductor in the first class sleeper compartment told me to find a seat in third class unreserved near the back of the train, I went there and waited. Three hours after departing Delhi the conductor came to the third class bogey and sold me a ticket. I had to pay a penalty of 100% for the distance covered before I purchased the ticket. The ticket cost 100 rupees (10.4 rupees equaled US $1). The penalty added 12 rupees to that.

It was a 24-hour train trip to Bombay. In Bombay I boarded a bus to Panjim. Late the next afternoon (December 22nd) the bus arrived in Panjim. I then took a bus towards Calangute. I got off at Candolim and stayed in Bob’s Inn and Bar next to a Catholic church.

Several days later I ran across the Australian who had been on Jimmy’s Land of Nectar Adventure Tours bus. He had remained on the bus for the entire duration and had arrived in Goa on Christmas Eve. The advertised 4 days Kathmandu to Goa bus trip had actually taken one week.

On a later trip to Nepal I mentioned my misadventure on Jimmy’s Land of Nectar Adventure Tour to the owner of the Old Vienna restaurant. She shuddered and said others had complained to her about Jimmy’s bus and that his advertising was no longer accepted.

My advice to others traveling overland from Nepal to India and vice versa is to arrange travel only to the border. Cross the border on your own and find new transportation to continue on your way.

himadventures

Well said !!

I had travelled something like this from KAKARBITTA to Kathmandu...you are right. We were checked by customs while entering in KATHMANDU and we were also searched...and one "W" couple was taken down...after 20 minutes released....

I remember my travel as I could see remote villages of NEPAL. Very beautiful country...
GOA was always HOT-although INDIAN AUTHORITIES says that here is no NUDITY and DRUGS in GOA BUT THEY WERE AND THEY ARE THERE....