I travelled in a slow train full of Sikh pilgrims, fresh from the golden temple, who didn't speak English. The train stopped at numerous stations, where vendors of food and other merchandise, beggars, tall lady boys in fancy saris and loads of make up, got on and got off. At one point some men loaded some huge packages onto the train, piled them into the toilet and left. Chai wallas (tea vendors), hot soup vendors, vendors of samosas, puris and dhal, biscuits, water, coffee, popcorn, oranges, spinning tops, locks and keys, plastic flowers and comics pushed through the crowded corridors shouting their wares. A group of young men got on, borrowed one of the large packages from the toilet, upended it in the corridor, blocking access to the wash basin and one of the exit doors and played a noisy game of cards, standing in the corridor.
I offer some dates to my fellow travellers. They give me an orange and some cake. I buy some samosas that taste as though they were cooked yesterday. Half way through the second one my fellow travellers indicate by gestures that I should throw it out of the window, so I do. At another point I buy an omlette and the vendor sells me a sandwich that I didn't want. My fellow passengers remonstrate with him and make him take back his sandwich and give me back my money. I feel warm and cared for.
In Delhi I tried to find a decent, cheap room but actually ended up in a room where the bottom of the bathroom door had been eaten away by rot and mould, there was no window and a large bucket in the toilet had been put so near to the toilet that I could only sit sideways on it (on the toilet, not on the bucket). 300 rupees seemed a bit overpriced but I was tired and not going to go any further.
In the morning I went to the wonderful Delhi international booking office and booked train tickets from Delhi to Varanasi, from Varanasi to Khjuraho, from Khajuraho to Jhansi, from Jhansi to Bhopal and from Bhopal to Delhi. Very extravagantly I booked berths in three tiered air conditioned carriages, spending a total of twenty pounds. So I leave tonight to Varanasi.
I offer some dates to my fellow travellers. They give me an orange and some cake. I buy some samosas that taste as though they were cooked yesterday. Half way through the second one my fellow travellers indicate by gestures that I should throw it out of the window, so I do. At another point I buy an omlette and the vendor sells me a sandwich that I didn't want. My fellow passengers remonstrate with him and make him take back his sandwich and give me back my money. I feel warm and cared for.
In Delhi I tried to find a decent, cheap room but actually ended up in a room where the bottom of the bathroom door had been eaten away by rot and mould, there was no window and a large bucket in the toilet had been put so near to the toilet that I could only sit sideways on it (on the toilet, not on the bucket). 300 rupees seemed a bit overpriced but I was tired and not going to go any further.
In the morning I went to the wonderful Delhi international booking office and booked train tickets from Delhi to Varanasi, from Varanasi to Khjuraho, from Khajuraho to Jhansi, from Jhansi to Bhopal and from Bhopal to Delhi. Very extravagantly I booked berths in three tiered air conditioned carriages, spending a total of twenty pounds. So I leave tonight to Varanasi.
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