We arrived, all of us and all of our bags, early this AM. After a few (very few) hours of sleep we set off to master the local transit systems as we picked up some needed items. But before we left we in anticipation of what lay ahead, my roommate and I thanked Ganesha for removing those obstacles in our path.
First was a wild ride in a bicycle rickshaw to the market. Think of the largest flea market you can image, add the wild honking of horns, meandering dogs, vast missing slabs of sidewalk, and every color visible to the naked eye, and you'd sort of have it.
Then into the metro to Connaught Circle for a final bit of shopping and a late lunch. Metro: NYC on steroids. Pushing, bumping, no scratching thank goodness.
Finally, THE TRAIN. O. M. G. We arrived late at the station and were immediately swarmed by men in red shirts. After a lot of shouting and fist waving between them and our guide, and among themselves, our bags were finally all on a cart secured by a yellow rope. One red shirt started pulling the cart and the fist waving and shouting erupted again. Then a red shirt grabbed the cart and yanked the yellow rope off. More fist waving and shouting. It was getting late. Another red shirt whipped out some rags and resecured the bags. Then he and two other red shirts took off running with our bags. Another red shirt quickly conferred with our guide, and started us off running away from our bags. Shock. We ran up stairs and down, until he gestured rather maniacally that we were to stop and stay put. Then miracle of miracles, from the opposite end of the platform, a baggage cart came hurling out of nowhere, or perhaps from platform 9 and 1/2, with all our bags still secured. Can you say surrender?
Now said bags are safely secured under our berths as we head to Allahabad. Of course there is still the issue that half of us don't really seem to have reservations but are still on standby status. So we just doubled up on the berths and are enjoying our full moon ride through the Indian countryside, eating curry dishes and snacks, and adapting to the flow of things in India.
First was a wild ride in a bicycle rickshaw to the market. Think of the largest flea market you can image, add the wild honking of horns, meandering dogs, vast missing slabs of sidewalk, and every color visible to the naked eye, and you'd sort of have it.
Then into the metro to Connaught Circle for a final bit of shopping and a late lunch. Metro: NYC on steroids. Pushing, bumping, no scratching thank goodness.
Finally, THE TRAIN. O. M. G. We arrived late at the station and were immediately swarmed by men in red shirts. After a lot of shouting and fist waving between them and our guide, and among themselves, our bags were finally all on a cart secured by a yellow rope. One red shirt started pulling the cart and the fist waving and shouting erupted again. Then a red shirt grabbed the cart and yanked the yellow rope off. More fist waving and shouting. It was getting late. Another red shirt whipped out some rags and resecured the bags. Then he and two other red shirts took off running with our bags. Another red shirt quickly conferred with our guide, and started us off running away from our bags. Shock. We ran up stairs and down, until he gestured rather maniacally that we were to stop and stay put. Then miracle of miracles, from the opposite end of the platform, a baggage cart came hurling out of nowhere, or perhaps from platform 9 and 1/2, with all our bags still secured. Can you say surrender?
Now said bags are safely secured under our berths as we head to Allahabad. Of course there is still the issue that half of us don't really seem to have reservations but are still on standby status. So we just doubled up on the berths and are enjoying our full moon ride through the Indian countryside, eating curry dishes and snacks, and adapting to the flow of things in India.
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