Now that we've left the mountains and their bone shaking roads and bus trips behind, we find ourselves enjoying all that India's famous trains have to offer.
Its one of the biggest and busiest rail networks in the world moving millions of people every day which really is quite incredible when you think about how unorganised the rest of India seems. Then when you see the operating system they rely on, consisting of bells and big knobs to turn, and is probably still the original equipment left behind from British rule, its actually unbelievable!
But somehow it all works, the carriages are all numbered, you get a berth number thats pretty easy to find, your name is printed out on a list thats glued to the train car (but written in Hindi) and there's always strangers taking an interest in you and willing to point you in the direction they think you should be going.
We've been roughing it a bit on the trains and taking the sleeper cars with the rest of India. No first class, second or third for us. You can keep your A/C thank you very much, we have everything we need back with the masses. And don't we have a lot of choice!!
When you're on the train you can sometimes feel like you're at the centre of the universe. Sleeper class gets you a bed/ seat that folds up and nothing else. This opens up an endless possiblity of shopping. Because India Rail doesn't provide anything, its up to every other wallah (sales man) to provide for you. At every station and army of wallahs flood the train to offer you what you want, and plenty that you don't. Your dinner can be ordered and delivered through the window in the form of samosa, pakora, and even biryani. Chai is plentiful and the Chai Wallah won't let the fact that its 2am stop you from knowing he's there as he yells "Chai, Chai, Garram Chai" at the top of his lungs all the way down the carriage. You really have nothing to want for, its all there. Even the stuff you don't want.
And there's plenty of stuff you don't want, but that doesn't stop the wallahs trying. A short list of the things you can buy whilst on the train clickety clacking along includes:
- Watches
- Binoculars
- Usb memory sticks
- Socket sets and spanners
- Memory cards for cameras and phones
- Hairbrushes and combs
- Torches
- Toy cars
- Drill bit sets
- Screw drivers
- Phone batteries
- Tooth brush sticks (piece of neem tree) for when you don't have a plastic toothbrush.
- Boot polishing.
With all these choices, its a wonder anyone goes to the shop!
PS, sorry no photos, computer is not playing the game, stay tuned!
Its one of the biggest and busiest rail networks in the world moving millions of people every day which really is quite incredible when you think about how unorganised the rest of India seems. Then when you see the operating system they rely on, consisting of bells and big knobs to turn, and is probably still the original equipment left behind from British rule, its actually unbelievable!
But somehow it all works, the carriages are all numbered, you get a berth number thats pretty easy to find, your name is printed out on a list thats glued to the train car (but written in Hindi) and there's always strangers taking an interest in you and willing to point you in the direction they think you should be going.
We've been roughing it a bit on the trains and taking the sleeper cars with the rest of India. No first class, second or third for us. You can keep your A/C thank you very much, we have everything we need back with the masses. And don't we have a lot of choice!!
When you're on the train you can sometimes feel like you're at the centre of the universe. Sleeper class gets you a bed/ seat that folds up and nothing else. This opens up an endless possiblity of shopping. Because India Rail doesn't provide anything, its up to every other wallah (sales man) to provide for you. At every station and army of wallahs flood the train to offer you what you want, and plenty that you don't. Your dinner can be ordered and delivered through the window in the form of samosa, pakora, and even biryani. Chai is plentiful and the Chai Wallah won't let the fact that its 2am stop you from knowing he's there as he yells "Chai, Chai, Garram Chai" at the top of his lungs all the way down the carriage. You really have nothing to want for, its all there. Even the stuff you don't want.
And there's plenty of stuff you don't want, but that doesn't stop the wallahs trying. A short list of the things you can buy whilst on the train clickety clacking along includes:
- Watches
- Binoculars
- Usb memory sticks
- Socket sets and spanners
- Memory cards for cameras and phones
- Hairbrushes and combs
- Torches
- Toy cars
- Drill bit sets
- Screw drivers
- Phone batteries
- Tooth brush sticks (piece of neem tree) for when you don't have a plastic toothbrush.
- Boot polishing.
With all these choices, its a wonder anyone goes to the shop!
PS, sorry no photos, computer is not playing the game, stay tuned!
Not happy with lack of photos!!! L
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