Krishna Bus Tour

Part 17- A Bus With No Air

If you get hurt on an Indian reservation, it's your problem, not theirs.There were no helmets or waivers to sign.

My horse lagged behind our group. "Kick him," the guide said, "kick him hard." That was my only riding instruction.

Canyon De Chelly looks like a miniature Grand Canyon designed by Salvador Dalí.

Our guide pointed to an old cliff dwelling that was abandoned hundreds of years ago. We weren't allowed to get close. Our horses pawed the ground, snorted, and bit each other, then we turned around to head back.

All the horses were in a hurry to get back. I pushed my hat down hard and hung on tight.

On an Indian reservation, they don't mind when beginners gallop across the desert sand hooting and shouting.

Aravinda fell off his horse. Our guide chased the horse down and brought it back to him. "This one likes to stop like that," the guide said. "Be careful." When the horse tried it again, Aravinda impressed the Navajo by staying in his saddle.

***

"Dad. Do you want to hike into the Grand Canyon?"

"You woke me up with such a dumb question? Of course I want to."

"We're leaving right away. Before it gets hot."

"OK, thank you."

There was no air conditioning in the bus, morning was the only time I'd be able to sleep in the desert heat. We'd driven all night and we'd be driving the next couple nights.

We assembled in the cool morning darkness. "Drink plenty of water or you'll die," Manu told everyone. "Hike down as far as you want until seven-thirty, then head back up. It will get hot very quickly."

Morning twilight revealed the Canyon as we descended into it, our legs sore from horseback riding.

I was asked to follow the slow hikers—girls in fashionable shoes. We heard the rest of our troupe zigzag down the trail below us, singing their way into the canyon.

The sun rose and brightened the canyon. "Wow! Look at that!" the girls said. "Can we stop here for a while?"

"Sure. There's no hurry. Take your time, look around. Look up there where we came from. Do you see those people?"

"Whoa! We were all the way up there?"

"Yep, and we have to walk back up again."

"Let's go a little further down. It really looks interesting."

"OK," I replied, "but remember, we have to come back up. It's already warming up. People die here every day."

"Every day?"

"Isn't that what Manu said?"

The conversation was mostly girl topics: makeup techniques, school stuff, famous people I'd never heard of. I was happy to be in the Grand Canyon with cheerful people who encouraged each other and giggled a lot.

One of the delicate shoes broke. "You guys keep going," the owner said. "I don't want you to stop because of me."

The other girls wouldn't allow that. "We'll stay here with you."

"Awww, really?"

"You can go on ahead Mitrasena Prabhu. We'll be alright."

"That's the only thing Manu asked me to do: to stay behind the slowest hiker, to make sure we get everyone back. I'm OK. There's a nice view here. Let's eat our snacks. There's no point bringing them back up the hill."