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| Train station madness |
Train travel is most definitely very interesting in India. This morning we boarded the train to Delhi. Trains rarely run on time here, due to the lack of tracks, so if one is delayed it has a domino effect. Getting on the train is another challenge, sometimes the train only stops for one minute, which means if you have a group of 12 with luggage to get on, it can be a tight squeeze! The train we got on this morning is on the last leg of a 3000 kilometre journey from the south of India, and you can tell it's been going for a while; the sleeper bunks are out, blankets, sheets, pillows as well as rubbish left behind by previous occupants. When we got to our seats we found a man still snugly wrapped up in his blanket, snoring his head off. Imagine his surprise when he woke up and he found tourists opposite him, the poor man.
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| On the train |
There is a constant stream of offers of chai tea, chicken briani (safety to eat is dubious) and water. However, drink too much water and you have to use the toilets, which after 3 days with no cleaning is an experience to miss. Finally, arrival in Delhi, and the chaos of the Delhi trainstation is indescribable. Some of our group got porters, and again they throw two suitcases on their head, while carrying another two. Up the stairs to get over the tracks, people everywhere, sleeping, begging, waiting, families, the smells, food vendors, just crazy. Eventually we're out, then to to waiting vans, which was another challenge. Apparently cars in the car park don't put their handbrake on and leave the car in neutral, so if it needs to be moved someone can easily push it, which is exactly what our driver had to do.
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Back to Pooja Palace for a much appreciated beer and our last dinner out together; it's been absolutely wonderful.
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