3 April 2012
Our wake up call at 5:30 this morning came all to early. Being exhausted from constant traveling since last Saturday morning, the shower last night plus crawling into a comfortable bed with clean sheets didn't take me long to fall asleep.
The hotel provided us with a very nice breakfast buffet at six this morning. We were on our tour bus by 6:15 to battle the early morning Delhi traffic. Driving to the train station we could see people and complete families sleeping on the sidewalks, on the medians between major lanes of traffic, or in more comfortable settings like the green grass in a park.
Traveling through central Delhi were the government office buildings are, no such activity like I mentioned above was to bee seen. Police are everywhere to discourage such squatting and squalor to be be visible. Visible to whom is the question.
When we arrived at the station, we had to run to the furthest platform. Once we found the posted list of which first class car and seat we were assigned to, our train started moving. It took us a few minutes to find where our individual seats were as the ticket agent could not put us in the same car. Originally I was supposed to be in Car 9, Seat 54, but I changed with a member of our group so he and his wife could sit together. I'm now in Car 5, Seat 64. The only member of our group and the only Anglo in the car. Gary Purse's wife Martha came walking through, she stated that the air conditioning in the car I'm in works better than their car. I'm grateful for that.
To be honest, I don't mind being in this car as the only non South Asian. My favorite travel essayist, Paul Theroux has stated many times in his books that the best way to travel through a country is by train. I agree. Personally, I have been in love with trains when, at the age of seven, I rode on the California Zephyr with by parents from my hometown of Stockton, California to Chicago. If I hadn't have been on this train, I would not have had the chance to meet an Afghan gentleman now living in Germany on a holy pilgrimage with his family to Amritsar. I had just come out of one of the toilets. My hands were still wet from the water and soap I had used. I had forgotten to bring something from my backpack to dry my Hans with. Ther was no such thing in the toilet. He saw my predicament and handed me a small paper towel from his personal packet stating at the same time, "This is India!" I thanked him for his helpfulness. I told him that I was from America and sometimes you go into a restroom there and the paper towel dispenser is empty. He began to explain to me that things were so bad in his home country of Afghanistan that he moved he and his family to Germany.
Before coming to India, I read about this particular train. It is the pride and joy of India! Meals are included in the price of the first class ticket, 600 Rupees. That translates to basically to twelve U.S. dollars for a six-hour train ride. In the first two hours of the trip, our car steward delivered to each passenger the following:
A one liter bottle of water
Tea/Coffee service that included a package of two Marie biscuits. They are A little larger than a Ritz cracker and have the flavor of Animal Crackers. The Marie biscuits reming me of the Maria cookies you can get from Mexico. Marie/Maria, same name, same flavor, same thing...just in two different countries.
A vegetarian or meat (beef) breakfast. I opted for the former. The small platter consisted of two small curried vegetable fritters with green peas. Also included were two thin slices of white bread with packets of butter and jam were also provided on the tray along with the necessary dining utensils. During this meal service the steward came by again with a tray of paper cups filled with a Cola drink.
Following this meal service he came by once again offering tea to any one who would like some.
At 9:50, our train made its first stop. Station stops on this train are short. According to the India Railways time schedule, most stops are only two to three minutes in length. So you had better be ready to get on or off when it's time.
Talk about the northern India countryside between Delhi and Amritsar. Smoky, flat, lots of grain crops growing, green trees, piles of dung chips for fire; an agrarian society.
Our wake up call at 5:30 this morning came all to early. Being exhausted from constant traveling since last Saturday morning, the shower last night plus crawling into a comfortable bed with clean sheets didn't take me long to fall asleep.
The hotel provided us with a very nice breakfast buffet at six this morning. We were on our tour bus by 6:15 to battle the early morning Delhi traffic. Driving to the train station we could see people and complete families sleeping on the sidewalks, on the medians between major lanes of traffic, or in more comfortable settings like the green grass in a park.
Traveling through central Delhi were the government office buildings are, no such activity like I mentioned above was to bee seen. Police are everywhere to discourage such squatting and squalor to be be visible. Visible to whom is the question.
When we arrived at the station, we had to run to the furthest platform. Once we found the posted list of which first class car and seat we were assigned to, our train started moving. It took us a few minutes to find where our individual seats were as the ticket agent could not put us in the same car. Originally I was supposed to be in Car 9, Seat 54, but I changed with a member of our group so he and his wife could sit together. I'm now in Car 5, Seat 64. The only member of our group and the only Anglo in the car. Gary Purse's wife Martha came walking through, she stated that the air conditioning in the car I'm in works better than their car. I'm grateful for that.
To be honest, I don't mind being in this car as the only non South Asian. My favorite travel essayist, Paul Theroux has stated many times in his books that the best way to travel through a country is by train. I agree. Personally, I have been in love with trains when, at the age of seven, I rode on the California Zephyr with by parents from my hometown of Stockton, California to Chicago. If I hadn't have been on this train, I would not have had the chance to meet an Afghan gentleman now living in Germany on a holy pilgrimage with his family to Amritsar. I had just come out of one of the toilets. My hands were still wet from the water and soap I had used. I had forgotten to bring something from my backpack to dry my Hans with. Ther was no such thing in the toilet. He saw my predicament and handed me a small paper towel from his personal packet stating at the same time, "This is India!" I thanked him for his helpfulness. I told him that I was from America and sometimes you go into a restroom there and the paper towel dispenser is empty. He began to explain to me that things were so bad in his home country of Afghanistan that he moved he and his family to Germany.
Before coming to India, I read about this particular train. It is the pride and joy of India! Meals are included in the price of the first class ticket, 600 Rupees. That translates to basically to twelve U.S. dollars for a six-hour train ride. In the first two hours of the trip, our car steward delivered to each passenger the following:
A one liter bottle of water
Tea/Coffee service that included a package of two Marie biscuits. They are A little larger than a Ritz cracker and have the flavor of Animal Crackers. The Marie biscuits reming me of the Maria cookies you can get from Mexico. Marie/Maria, same name, same flavor, same thing...just in two different countries.
A vegetarian or meat (beef) breakfast. I opted for the former. The small platter consisted of two small curried vegetable fritters with green peas. Also included were two thin slices of white bread with packets of butter and jam were also provided on the tray along with the necessary dining utensils. During this meal service the steward came by again with a tray of paper cups filled with a Cola drink.
Following this meal service he came by once again offering tea to any one who would like some.
At 9:50, our train made its first stop. Station stops on this train are short. According to the India Railways time schedule, most stops are only two to three minutes in length. So you had better be ready to get on or off when it's time.
Talk about the northern India countryside between Delhi and Amritsar. Smoky, flat, lots of grain crops growing, green trees, piles of dung chips for fire; an agrarian society.
Thank you for providing such visual experience ~ I close my eyes and I am there! I can't wait for your next post! Be safe and treasure every minute!
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