Another Loooong Train Ride

Having made my way halfway across India from Guwahati to Varanasi, I now wanted to get all the rest of the way to Mumbai. I considered just stopping at a halfway point. There was a nice sounding national park near halfway. But I just wanted to get it over with. In addition, it had gotten to be about the halfway mark of my visa and I had started feeling a bit of time pressure. I am pretty sure I am going to have to forgo any visit to the south of India. I guess I will have to come back someday. Sigh!!

So I had booked a ticket on a train for a 27 hour journey from Varanasi to Mumbai. I hoped this trip would be better than the journey from Guwahati, with people sitting on my feet practically, even though I had a ticket for the bunk and nobody else did.

Things looked good for three reasons. One was that I had the middle berth this time. I hadn't seen anyone horning in on anyone in a middle bunk. I figured I was safe. The second reason was that when I got on the train I found myself in the company of two other foreigners, one woman from Russia in the bottom berth, and a woman from France in the upper berth. That would make it less likely we would be bothered. Alone, foreigners seem to be less intimidating. But in a group, and in a group of three no less, most natives of any country tend to be too intimidated to approach, much less have the temerity to take advantage by sitting where they shouldn't. Finally, there was a man in the bottom berth opposite in the same little alcove. And anytime anyone sat down who didn't have tickets for any of the berths in the six, he would talk them out of it. Sometimes, he seemed firm to the point of almost being irate. Nobody would be taking liberties, I figured.

And they didn't. There were people who slept on the floor, and I think Elena (the Russian) had someone sitting on her berth when she woke up, but nobody crowded anyone out, as I had experienced on the first long train ride.

Along the way there were interesting smoke stacks, the purpose of which I still haven't figured out. I thought at one point they might be cremation places, but now I wonder if they are fruit drying places of some sort. They often seem to be near fruit farms (or what look like fruit farms)...

...and a nice sunset over the train rails.

There were grape farms that seemed to go on for miles...

...and scenery that made me wonder if I was in Utah or Arizona.

And then it was done and I was wondering around in Mumbai. I saw a street game of cricket while I was out and about.

And after wandering around for a long time trying to find it, I came upon the Gate of India. This is the spot where King George and his queen first came onshore in India in the first visit by reigning monarchs during British rule.

Welcome to Mumbai!