Breast clenching

I clench my breasts firmly with one arm and hand as the other hand holds tightly to the rough riding rickshaw. Maybe, if only for the sake of this 10 minutes this would have been a good day to have worn my sports bra.

I think maybe it is an inappropriate action (holding my breasts), but what does it matter? I am leaving town and nobody here will see me again.

I arrive at the bus station. My ticket, for seat no.8 is promptly taken one direction while I am directed to go to the back of my bus to stow my backpack. When my ticket is returned to me the 8 has been crossed out and replaced with 17 and I am instructed that is my seat. I rebuke this. I requested a front seat: I like them better and I get motion sick in the back.

Nobody seams to speak English other than to tell me seat 17, and to request 10 rupees for the impatient man who wrestled my luggage from me. I tell them i'll be sick in the back of the bus. They smile. I mime vomiting to every bodies amusement, but they are still smiling and waggling their heads. I give the 10 rupees (although I don't want too, but fear my pack will be removed if I don't and its less than 20 cents. The Indians stowing luggage are not asked to pay anything), and get on the bus. I sit in seat 8.

Eventually a man comes and tells me it is his seat. I say it was mine, but it was changed and I will not sit up the back, as I will be sick. (I can't actually guarantee this, but I'd prefer not to test the theory).

A young Indian man who speaks English comes to my rescue. Where do you want to sit he asks. "Any place I won't be sick". He offers I can sit beside him, and goes to fix things with the company. I am very grateful.

This is just one of the reasons why traveling in India is so horrible and exhausting. I mean, there are wonderful things to see, but independently this is a tough country.