Adventure on the Train

Thursday, September 07, 2006

We tried to get bus tickets back to Mumbai but somehow, all the buses were full. So we decided to take the train.

4.20pm-Pune Train Station
Bought tickets for the 4.20pm train back to Mumbai. Had no idea what kind of train it was.

4.25pm-Pune Train Station Platform
Finally found the train platform. The train was already moving. We ran after the train and hopped onto the emptiest carriage. Already, Zhichao had to hang out of the train. It turns out that the carriage was for women only. They told us to move to another carriage at the next stop.

4.35pm-1st Train Station After Pune
We got off the Women's Only carriage and ran to another carriage where no one was hanging out. We hopped onto it and stood near the carriage door.

4.50pm-2nd Train Station After Pune
People were squeezing up the train. We were pushed further inside. I was squashed against the carriage wall as people tried to find a space to stand. Once the train started moving, I had slightly more space.

5.15pm-3rd Train Station After Pune
More people squeezed up the train as people were forcing their way out of the train. We were shoved left, right, front and back. Along the way, people selling books, snacks, bags, etc were trying to move from carriage to carriage when there was already no space to stand. Some people tried to stop them but to no avail.

5.30pm-4th Train Station After Pune
Even more people squeezed up the train. We were shoved further in. The was a big heavy bag in front of me. I was facing the carriage wall and the bag was between my legs. My slippers were so slippery that standing with my feet apart, I could feel my legs moving further apart. I was getting worried as I am not a really flexible person. I tried to bring my legs together but someone was stepping on my slipper. When the guy moved his feet off my slipper, my slipper got stuck in someone's pants. I was afraid I would lose my slippers so I stood that way till the next station. Already, I felt my knees twisting, as if my thighs and my legs were coming apart.

6.00pm-5th Train Station After Pune
Somehow, among the pushing and shoving, I managed to bring my legs together. I thought I was going to have a better time on the train. But at this time, I felt a hand feeling around and reaching into my bag. I am not sure if it was just my imagination and that the hand was trying to grip something to keep his body from falling or it was really a pickpocket. I just hit around at the hand and the hand never came back.

6.30pm-6th Train Station After Pune
As you may know now, more people got on the train. I was finally given no choice but to sit on the big bag that was in my way. I tried to stand up but there was no space so I just sat there. It was the best feeling ever. To be able to rest my legs even though there was someone stepping on my left foot and my right foot was stepping on someone else's foot.

6.45pm-7th Train Station After Pune
An old lady got off at this station. She told us to move to the inside of the train. She and some others made way for us so that we could get into the cabin. The cabin although squeezy, had more standing space. Someone even offered to share a seat with me even though the seat was a one-seater. It was during this time that I finally found some warmth and niceness in the people here. It seems to me that the less educated are more friendly and willing to share. The rich and educated tend to be really stuck up. I wonder what all the education is for. (Sad fact of life in most countries but seems especially sad here).

The rest of the journey is really smooth after the 7th station. We were standing most of the time. There was some shoving when people from further in the cabin wanted to get off the train. But it was much better than standing at the door. When we reached Victoria Terminal in Mumbai, it was about 8.30pm. We got a cab and headed for our hotel.

The taxi is another story, but just a short one.