{postcards from India-overnight train to Goa}

It has taken me a lot longer to blog about my India adventures than I would like. It's been a busy year, but my book has come out & I'm starting to feel on top of things again!
So, if you recall, I blogged about my long-standing relationship with India, and our first day or so in Mumbai. Now it's time to turn to the adventure that is train travel!

At 7pm we took a taxi from my sister's hotel, through thick traffic to the train station.  Luckily we left early as the traffic was terrible and the Mumbai drivers were keen to blow their horns and not follow any signs or lanes! We piled out of the taxi to be affronted with all sorts of smells and sounds: millions of passengers were making their way to the station to commute out of the city. Luckily State Express had arranged for a man to meet us, with our tickets in hand, who knew what train and carriage to get on. Dragging our bags through 100s of years of dirt, we were confronted with 1000s of bodies on the platform. Men and women squatted on the floor with their bags, while Hindu mendicants chanted behind us, pressing us forward to our carriage.

{Dadar station, Mumbai}

{passenger list}

Having travelled on trains in India in previous years, we knew this wasn’t going to be a luxury cruise, but still, once on board, confronted with bunks spread out across the carriage and slightly dirty bedding, we were all a little wary of sleeping through the night. After meeting out neighbours, however, we soon realised that we were on an adventure and embraced it as such. My Dad, having grown up in India and having travelled his youth on the trains, could hardly contain his excitement—he chatted away in Hindi to our fellow passengers and eagerly looked out of the window, waiting for our adventure to start. The three women (mum, Julie & me) squished into two seats for a couple of hours, chatting away and observing our fellow passengers’ routines.

{my sister, not so sure of this set up!}

{My Dad (right) ready for an adventure, and so is my Mum (left)!}

{fellow passengers}

Train travel in India is for all castes and creeds—we were in the most expensive carriage one can get, but it is still very basic. Men change in the aisle under a wrap; families distribute their precooked meal from tiffin boxes while the chai wallah distributes tea for anyone who wants it; passengers wash their faces and brush their teeth at the communal sink; and when it’s time for bed, prayers are said to their respective gods. In some ways, train travel is like a microcosm of Bharat,  Mother India, where diverse religions, castes, classes, all live communally together, and for the most part, respect one another. At about 11 we all settled into our bunks and braced ourselves for a sleepless night. Surprisingly, to all of us, the train rocked us to sleep and at 530 we woke up fairly refreshed and ready to arrive in Goa! Our train was about an hour late, and so we all sat up in the two bunks close together and chatted away about the experience of the night before.

{early morning arrival into Goa}

{chai wallahs selling chai}

This video shows the men who come to the train to sell anything from pani (water) to poori bhaji to chai:

{Goa arrival in the early morning light}

{arrival into Goa}

In Goa, we were taken by State Express to a lovely hotel in rice patties, the Alila Diwa--a birthday treat from my sister. We  certainly welcomed showers, pool, and luxurious surroundings after our train adventure: 

{kingfisher by the pool was necessary!}

{lovely!}

{view from our room's balcony}

So after a little relaxing, we headed off to see some amazing colonial Portuguese houses, but that'll have to wait for another blog! until next time...

x

L