Tuk-tuks took us to the station for our final train journey to Delhi. I suspect most of us were not looking forward too much to the experience.
It is supposed to take about 14 hours. We actually took a more northerly route through Lucknow.
Peter and Anna were in the compartment with me. Peter is quite gregarious and he had soon struck up a conversation with the Indians in the compartment. It turned out they were returning to Delhi from a wedding in Varanasi. The blurred image of a man running outside the window is that of the groom and he had been saying goodbye to his sister and brother-in-law in out compartment. He would make the same journey the next night. And no, his marriage did not include him sitting on a white horse.
When Indian families say goodbye it is done by a brief touch on the leg which I felt quite charming.
The train is very long and very slow taking off so it was only when the train was actually moving that the groom got off the train.
We had a fun time talking to this couple and their little girl.
This was a relatively new carriage and this train was easily the best of the three trains.
Peter and Anna,a lovely couple from near Ottowa. Peter is recently retired and had made a career as an architect.They had joined the tour expecting a higher level of comfort but having discovered their mistake, they made the best of it and I think Peter in particular really enjoyed talking to the locals.
He also likes to sketch with water colours and the next morning he allowed me to look at the sketches he had made during the trip. A very talented bloke.
No photos of the journey this time. Just flat land similar to what we had seen already.
The train was late so it was made to do penance outside Delhi for an hour or so before being admitted to the station. We got into the taxis for the drive to the Perfect Hotel and we were amazed at the quietness and the calm flowing traffic. What seemed awful when we first arrived was absolutely calm compared to the horrors and noise of Varanasi.
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