The Train

We headed for Amritsar to see the Golden Temple (and some other stuff) by train. According to the tour package, we would travel first class in maharaja and maharani style. Upon pickup and transport to the train station, we learned our tickets were for coach class. (insert ominous music).

There is no American (or European) equivalent to coach seats on an Indian train. The train car was packed. I do not exaggerate when I say that there were more people than seats in our train car. When large families travel together on a train, they dont always by tickets for children (and Im not referring to toddlers...). Consequently, there are always people standing in the narrow aisles. Children bounce in their seat, cry and shout for something. Old men were passing out candy which only exacerbated the bouncing child problem. (However, it probably would have temporarily appeased me). To entertain themselves, people were playing their radios out loud (without headphones). For 7 hours I had the pleasure of listening to screaming children, Bollywood music, religious music and talk radio.

La Toillette, in name only, was a less than charming experience. I was prepared for an experience - not so clean, perhaps a bit smelly... But I was not prepared for a closet-sized room with an open hole in  the floor. What ever you put into the hole went directly on the tracks below! I must admit there two important advantages to such "toillettes" First, there is no mysterious water on the floor (because everything has gone out the hole). Second, there is no smell since the room is well ventilated! Nonetheless, I only used the facilities once during the seven hour trip...

The Train was in an experience that will likely make any other train ride seem grande.