At last I managed to get myself onto a train! This time it was from Udaipur to Agra and I was booked into 3AC Sleeper Class. It was a slightly unnerving affair as I didn’t know the etiquette of such cramped travel and with a blatant language barrier, I had to decipher signage and where I need to be all by myself (cue Céline Dion).
The train was an overnight sleeper as the route took 13 hours also saving me on a nights hostel room.
ABOVE: 1. My carriage. 2. Excited to be onboard. 3. A compartment with the middle berth down, so people can sit during the day.
A tall order.
One thing to take note of when travelling abroad is that the locals may not share the same physical aspects as yourself. I was reminded that Indians don’t grow tall and are usually very slim. The universe didn’t shine on me this time as I had to cram my 6′ 1″ length (enough filth!) PLUS by backpack onto the top bunk! Luckily I was able to play some human Tetris and got some sleep.
If any of you are wondering just why on Earth I had my backpack with me too is that theft in night cars isn’t uncommon and the only places to store bags is under the ground berth — IF there is space — and any savvy traveller knows not to trust a room of unknowns. It’s sad but it has to be done.
The Whimsical Detourist 