This part of my life is called “Brand New Trouble”. [One liner courtesy: The Pursuit of Happyness]
I have spent the day in Delhi. Met friends (none of who by the way have read a line about my trip. they want it recited). Recited the storylines.
Ran around all day in the godforsaken traffic to get the defective sprocket replaced. Eventually did manage to land a new set of drive chain and front sprocket at the regional distributor’s place. And when I land up the mech’s place to get it done, he drops a stinker on me. “Why replace the front sprocket? Its going to work fine for the next 10000 kilometers atleast.” I try to tell him that the teeth on the old one have been bent but he maintains they are not. After a lot of arguments, he wins. The drive chain gets a replacement while the sprocket, the cause of all the goddam trouble, remains as it was. This better work. Or someone’e gonna get a hurt real bad [One liner courtesy: Russell Peters, stand up comedian].
Got a bit of a heartbreak. Rode around like a zombie for hours. Wanted to meet by brother in the evening but was too depressed to go there. So came back to my friend’s place. Now the traffic has gotten into my head. I hate the traffic signals and the never ending jams and the stop and go traffic and the maniacal buses and endless cars and the cops and the honking. It just sucks.
The worst part is it is just the begining of it.
Now here’s why this part is called Brand New Trouble. The registration papers of the motorcycle are not with me. Apparently it takes about two months to get the papers in Mumbai (I dont believe it but there is little I can do). Now because I have bought this bike only September 9, they still haven’t issued it. This all is okay when it comes to touring the country. Its an entirely different business to cross international border.
The plan was to ride from Delhi into Nepal and then cross over again in Bihar and travel southwards to home for Diwali. But now since I don’t have the papers, I can’t do any of that.
To top it, a close friend of mine was supposed to join me for the ride home. Unfortunately, only yesterday he has got word that his H1B visa interview has been scheduled at the same time when he will be away. Therefore, even he is off the radar now. Its me all the way.
And I don’t even know the way.
Am sitting with India’s road map right now trying to figure out the route to take and whether that gives me another day to spend in Delhi. I just want to sleep away to glory.
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