On my way North to Delhi, I passed a total of 5000 km on trains in India. I've now ridden on every class of car within the train system as well. It is been eye opening not only on the physical expanse of India, but the great expanse within the economic means of the people. Along the journey from Hampi to Delhi, I would ride in the highest class by night and lowest by day. This was just how my luck would have it; I didn't travel in either of these classes intentionally.
The train from Hampi to Agra covered 2 nights and close to 2000km. I was still feeling a bit lost since Goa and decided to take a nicer class of train. I booked 2A for 1800 rupees ($40) or about 10 times the cost of a general ticket. 2A meant was that only 6 people in my open compartment. Also I'm provided with sheets, a pillow, a blanket and a bit more piece of mind.
After a full day of travel to get to the train station, my train was delayed until after 2 a.m. I sat very tired on my bag, half-heartedly reading a book and avoiding conversation with the few people on the train platform who wanted to have it.
When the train arrived, I was surprised to see a young Indian wearing a uniform greet me at the train door. He attempted to show me to my sleeping platform, which contained 6 other quietly sleeping riders. When he checked my bed, there was a man already sleeping in it. This man, awoken from his sleep, had a ticket identical to my own. We quietly left and I waited between the train cars while the worker ran off to find his boss. My name was not on the roster train either. I had no bed or official place on the train. I argued, in a beleaguered state, that they needed to provide me with a bed. It was two nights on this train and it was daunting to think about spending on my luggage between the rumbling cars.
Half an hour later I was told that I would be bumped up to First Class, a bed worth almost twice my expensive ticket. What a beautiful late night revelation this was. The first class compartment was clean, large, had wood interior and a locking door. There was one person to share the compartment with and I quickly drifted into a deep sleep. I awoke content and comfortable late the next morning and then went back to sleep again. Vendors came by in uniforms to sell chai and food. At one point, they even came for a dinner order. I had vegtable biryani and a curry sauce prepared for less than $1.
The medical student I was sharing the compartment with watched movies on his laptop all day. I stared out the window, watching a steady stream of villages and farmland. He would wake me early the following morning as we pulled into Agra, my destination. I stumbled off the train, well rested but in desperate need of a coffee.
Leaving Agra was the other side of the train experience. I decided again to get a nicer ticket for this 4 hour journey to Delhi, but none were immediately available. My general class ticket cost less than $1.50. It’s a very good deal for a train ride but I had an idea what I was in for. People can be very pushy and aggressive in crowds here. Nowhere is this worse than on the general trains, where pushing can mean the difference between standing and sitting for a 20-plus hour journey. With my large backpack and carrying bag, this means a lot of trouble on the crowded trains.
I befriended a local, Anil from Agra, by simply asking where a toilet was. He walked with me and pointed directly across the tracks to a white building. These tracks are as filthy as you can imagine and probably worse. A combination of garbage and human waste coats the area around the rails. However I was very short on time and I saw other people crossing the tracks. Influenced by Anil's insistence I climbed down unto the tracks, stumbled to the other side and hauled myself and my belongings up on the other platform. Anil would later tell this story to no less than 10 delighted listeners in our train car.
Anil was very worried for me, as he told me on a few occasions. He did not want me travelling in General class at all but when I insisted, he ensured that I trusted no one and kept my hands on my bags.
Anil studied animation and felt very strongly that I could provide him with animation opportunities in Canada.
We met a new friend, Amit, when we sat down. He had been sitting for over 20 hours but was still in good spirits and spoke the best English in our compartment. He translated many things for me and for the people around us. Amit would try and include me in a pyramid scheme selling health products. After a 20 minute, reasonably impressive presentation using my pen and paper, I asked Amit if he knew what a pyramid scheme was. He didn't and continued selling this idea for a few more minutes. He didn't get my initial investment of 14,000 rupees he was looking for.
I had thought our train was going to New Delhi but I was wrong. Amit informed me when our train was at it's last stop. I got up slowly, still a bit confused and got ready to disembark. He turned to me and looked urgently into my eyes, 'Mr. David. Come quickly.'
Anarchy erupted as our train came to a stop. People outside the train were fighting and climbing over each other to get in. This was before any our packed train us had gotten off. People were not just coming through the doors, but jumping over each other to get in the emergency windows. Some men angrily shook the bars over the closed windows and screamed at me to open them. I helped an old lady push through this near violence and escape onto the train platform.
We had arrived in the outskirts of Delhi, still far away from the New Delhi train station I had hoped to make it too. I would need a new train or an expensive taxi. Amit walked with me and helped direct me to what we thought was correct platform. At one point we waved goodbye to each other but as the train pulled in on the opposite track, he came running back and we jumped on.
We talked the rest of the way about arranged marriages, love marriages and girlfriends. He walked with me to the busy street of Paharganj. He had been so helpful that I insisted on buying his lunch. He talked on his cell phone throughout our lunch but I didn't mind. The call had been from his girlfriend and they were making up.
Amit confessed to me that he had never spent such a long time with a foreigner. He also told me he had run back to the last train because a women from our compartment was worried about me and told him he must.
So this was the second train, in the General class. You have to ask yourself, which is the better ride?
I think this trip demonstrates the appeal and downfall of backpacking and low-budget travel. If you spend the money, you never meet Anil and Amit, you never almost get trampled and you never have a whole compartment of people looking out for you. It is tiring though, especially when travelling solo. I got a bit lucky on this trip. Anil and the lady might have been right to be worried for me. If Amit hadn't asked around and shown me the next train, it would not have been a nice situation.
The budget travel is always more interesting. If most things go according to plan, you wonder why people ever travel in the expensive class with locking doors. I know both sides; now I only have to decide what class I belong in for my next ride, hopefully somewhere in the middle class.
No comments:
Post a Comment