Our group was to take an overnight train ride to a city south of Agra. First of all, we were told not to take any pictures at the train station, for security reasons. I don't know if this admonition applied to inside the train car, but by the time we got inside and got settled, our only focus was to hopefully get some sleep, as it was an overnight ride and we were all still tired from plane travel and crossing so many time zones.
We were told our car would be designated First Class. Indeed, it looked different than the other train cars that went by, where people sat crowded together and even lay on what looked like overhead luggage shelves. On one side of the train car four bunks faced each other, separated from the narrow central aisle by a heavy maroon curtain. Terry and I had the bunks on the other side of the aisle, one on top of the other, and lying parallel to the aisle. A couple of clean, pressed sheets, a thin pillow, a gray wool blanket, and a small towel waited for our use on the hard vinyl cover of each narrow bunk. There wasn't a lot of room, but I stacked my small pack and sweater by my feet, and arranged myself between sheets and the blanket. I was happy that my lower bunk had the window. Although it was already dark, I could see other railway stations flash by if I parted the window curtain.
I just love trains! I liked the constant rocking motion of the train, and the clackety-clack of the wheels. I don't even know if I slept, though. If I did, it was a sort of half doze for the first four hours or so. Terry had told me, "Wake me up if you have to go to the bathroom. Don't go by yourself." When the time came, as I knew it would, I didn't have the heart to wake him. He was sleeping so soundly. So I carefully put on my shoes, opened the door, and went to the next car, where the toilet was right there. I was glad there was a bright overhead light, because I had to carefully position myself over the squatty potty. I wasn't sure the liquid on the floor was water or something else. I had to repeat this procedure once more during the night. I couldn't have lasted, as did another female fellow-traveller, who waited until we were finally at the home of our host.
Near morning I began hearing a man walking up and down the aisles.
" Chai!....garam chai! " he would call out, peddling his hot tea.
Since our trip was supposed to be eleven hours, I thought we had more time, so I snuggled down under my blanket for a few extra minutes. Suddenly I heard our pastor's wife on the other side of the curtain. "We're getting off in 20 minutes Didn't you hear the wake up call?"
Scrambling around, I quickly got ready to face a new day.
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