India 2016: On the Road to Jaiselmer – 30 March

“Are you two married?”

I presumed they said no, cos DaveRisner followed that up with “Good, cos this would be a tough trip to do if you were!” then laughed.

When DaveRisner is trying to be funny, he’s really funny. When DaveRisner is not trying to be funny, he’s even funnier.

That’s the last thing I heard before I fell asleep.

There are so many reasons why DaveRisner is such an unusually amazing individual. One such reason is his ability to disarm any individual into a conversation. I’m fairly adept at making fast friends, some who have become lifelong friends. But DaveRisner is on a whole other level. It’s quite remarkable, actually. Many times, the friends we made on this trip were friends made through a conversation with DaveRisner. Our friend Joe O’Leary said it best when I once told him that DaveRIsner is the most interesting person I’d ever met. Joe responded with, “DaveRisner is also the most interested man in the world.” It is so true. DaveRisner’s curiosity for life and what brings people to the point when they meet him is unparalleled. I’ve no doubt in my mind that the people he’s met in his life were destined to meet him. Surely, I am the recipient of that. And if it were not for DaveRisner, perhaps I’d have never met Derek. And maybe we would never made this trip together.

Anyways, it’s 7:00 AM, and we’ve been on a bus since 9:00 PM last night in Udaipur when I last heard DaveRisner talk to that nice young couple. Two days ago, we had purchased tickets for an A/C sleeper berth. Surprisingly comfortable, I slept well. We had told the ticketing agent that we wanted a car to take us to the bus stand where we needed to be by 8:00 PM for an 8:30 PM departure. With travel arrangements secured, we had a much needed lazy day, finished getting fitted for our suit jackets and shirts from Rakesh, had a late lunch, showered at Hotel Thamla Haveli relaxing in a room until 7:00 PM.

7:08 PM – went to the hotel desk clerk (who happened to be the gentleman from Kamlesh Travels that booked the bus ticket) and asked to have the car brought up
7:10 PM – was told that a car was not ready because we didn’t tell him we needed the car. When I said that I absolutely said we wanted a car when we booked the tickets the prior morning, he responded with “but sir, you didn’t confirm today.” But I had confirmed yesterday, I responded, my argument just vanishing into thin air. Apparently once you confirm an appointment, you need to confirm the next day as well. He offered, “you could get an auto.” (auto = tuk-tuk)
7:12 PM – the three of us are outside the hotel waiting on the car discussing what had just happened.
7:15 PM – clerk tells us it will be at least twenty minutes before a car can come but he’s not sure if he can get a car here. And the drive from the hotel to the bus stand would be another twenty minutes. #GettingFrustrated
7:16 PM – clerk recommends that we get a tuk-tuk which we finally acquiesce since at this point time is running tight.
7:23 PM – we get two tuk-tuks and are on our way to the bus stand.
7:45 PM – we are at Kamlesh Travels bus stand. All is good.
7:46 PM – when I check us in, we come to find out the actual bus stand is 3 km away (another 15 minutes or so). This is just where they check us in. But “all is good. [We] order you an auto to take you there when bus arrives.”
8:15 PM – a tuk-tuk arrives to take eleven travelers and their bags to the bus stand. Refusing to get crammed into the tuk-tuk, we ask to have another one sent to us. Incredulously, seven travelers and their bags are somehow scrunched into the tuk-tuk. Derek had an animated conversation with one of the tour operators.
8:28 PM – tuk-tuk comes back to get the three of us and another traveler
8:50 PM – we arrive at the actual bus stand.