From Jaipur to Delhi

On Saturday, February 23^rd, I woke up at 5 am. I had spent the previous night stuffing all my belongings (not even all of them as I left many things behind) into my suitcase and backpack, zipping, sweating and swearing until everything finally fit. I had said my goodbyes to the people in the house, whom I would miss very much. Friday night there had been a torrential rainstorm, and I was really worried my rickshaw driver wouldn’t show up the following morning and I would miss my train, etc. etc., but fortunately those fears were in vain. He was there at 545, as requested, and at 6 we set off for the train station.

I had taken the train the previous weekend with Greta and Sophie, so I knew generally what to expect. A porter met me as I disembarked from the rickshaw and I immediately took him up on his offer to help me and my bags to my platform for 200 rupees. My train left at 720 and it was 630 when I arrived, so I had quite a bit of time to spare, but I didn’t be mind. I’d rather be an hour early than 5 minutes late.

When the train did arrive, right on time, I was able to board with minimal struggle. The biggest challenge was storing my enormous suitcase. Fortunately, it just fit underneath one of the seats in my car, and just fitting was enough. I was in 3-AC, which means an air-conditioned car with three tiers of seats. I was in the upper berth, which means I had to climb a ladder and sit on a raised bench where I couldn’t do anything but sleep. This was all right with me, though, as I hadn’t slept much the night before. 5 hours passed in a whir and at 12:10 I got off the train in Delhi Sarai Rohilla station: my time in Delhi had begun! 

My seat

3-AC (the enormous green bag to the right is my suitcase!)