Train Ride

*posted by Kayd

We traveled to Puri by train from Kolkata. Being my first train ride I didn’t know what to expect and asked the boys if it was going to be anything like Harry Potter… Abhrajeet said “yes”, Arny said “bring your wand.” Let it be known: it is nothing like Harry Potter. Traveling by train is very common – India has the biggest railway system in the world.

Seating in the train is quite divided. To begin, there is first, second and third tier. We were in 2^nd tier which means the seating/sleeping area is bunk bed like. Each person gets their own place to lay down complete with sheets, pillow and blanket. The train is also divided into AC and Non AC, thank goodness we had air conditioning. Travelers can also be in the seating section (bus-like), standing or traveling via roof.

Since it was so late at night when we arrived at the train we made our beds and fell asleep right away hoping that the 8 hour trip would quickly pass. Note to self: next time bring some febreeze to mask the musky curtain smell.

I woke up in the middle of the night needing to use the bathroom. I woke Abhrajeet up and he escorted me to the toilet… or to be more descriptive, a hole. Yes that’s right, a hole in which someone would have to squat to relieve themselves. (I wish I took a photo but the smell around the bathrooms was enough to choke a horse and at the moment it wasn’t something I wanted to remember.)  Here’s how I can best describe it: There are elevated places to place your feet which are on the sides of a large metal bowl that has a hole in the center leading to the tracks below. The hole looks much bigger than it is and I was scared my flip flop would fall down into the poo-riden tracks to be lost forever. To help keep your balance there is a handle to hold onto in front of you when you’re in squatting position. 

We later learned that there was also a Western toilet in the room over.

Oh well, I did it, I peed in a hole! (mom aren’t you proud?)

After the sun rose we opened one of the doors in the train so we could get a clear view of the outside. I would never have guessed India would have been so green. It’s amazing! We rode past many small villages, people washing their clothes in the river and workers in the rice paddies.