Varanasi - Agra

I'm booked on the afternoon sleeper train to Agra. In the morning I dont do much. My driver collects me to take me to teh station. Im at the station 2 hours ealy. Im a little scared as that means I have 2 hours alone in the heat sitting on a platform just being stared at and heckled for money while getting eaten alive by mosssies. I drown myself in Deet (mossie repelant). This is a diffirent station to the one i come in to, but just as horrible all the same. I find the platform, platform 5 and sit and read my book trying my best to ignore what is going on around me. At about 20 mins before my train is due to arrive I strat listening to the tanoy announcements but they are all in Hindu. I look at the board and it appears my train has changed to platform 4. I make my way over the bridge to there and sit down. As the time approaches I ask the train guard "is this the correct platform for AGRA", , "No", he says, "you want platforn 6", so over the bridge again I go. The train is now due so I check again with an attendant " no lady, platform 4 you want", Im starting to panic now so I race once again over the bridge, i get there and the guys say "no its platform 6". This is stupid, its too hot and dusty to be running up and down steps with my rucsac. I start to stress as people just keep giving me conflicting information and I run between the 2 platforms which are not close to each other. My train should have left 5 minutes ago. A station officer sees Im in istress and explains to me the train is late and they are not sure yet what platform it will arrive on, he tells me to wait with him in between the two platforms and he will tell me what one. It occurs to me in the cafuffle I have lost my bottle of water, not to worry though I will get some on the train, oooohhh and some chai yummmm. The train attendent confirms it is platform 5 and it is due to arrive.

Once on the train I find my berth and what is to be my bed for the night. This train isnt as nice as the other one and it is pretty empty. I ask the guy working on it for some water, he brings me an unsealed bottle. I dont want this as this often means the bottle has been reused and filed with tap water. I tell him to take it away and get me a sealed one. H e goes way and returns with one. we stop at the next station and Im relieved to see a lot of westerners getting on. I realise Im in the wrong seat. I have to move up to a top bunk, one of the guys gives me a leg up. A girl who appears to be traveling alone says a cheery hello to me. We start making small talk and we learn that we are doing teh same route for some of the way. Agra, Rathambore and Jaipur. She is german and really friendly we exchange email and arrange to meet for dinner the following evening, I order some Byriani, whci never arrives I dont want to drink the water as it tastes funny like tap water still. I try to sleep but its too hot and Im hungery and although not thirsty, know Im probably dehydrated. It occurs to me that I have not eaten in 24 hours at this point with this tummy bug should really be upping my intake of fluid. We are on the train for 18 hours so by the time we get off, I have been 36 hours without food and and 18 hours with only 2 sips of water. I step on to the platform and feel faint and sick. Sinja helps me and we get some water and lemonade. I can feel the sugar in the lemonade helping slightly. I dont remember much about this station apart from thinking I might die.

we wait for our drivers, who are late. They arrive after about 20mins, my driver is the same driver I had in Delhi. Sinja and I both go off with our respective drivers. Im too ill to talk to mine and it isnt helping that he stinks of what must be last nights booze, a horrible sweet sickly smell. He drops me off at my hotel and arranges to pick me up 4 hours later. My hotel is nice, clean and cool. Im not feeling much better and know I need some food but really cant face anything. Then I remember my friend Jess before I left Londn bought me some flapjacks and cereal bars, she said they would come in handy. I eat one while taking small sips of water and lemonade. i can feel the slow energy release helping. I sleep for a few hours . When I wake up I feel a lot better and have another half of flapjack.

When the driver arrives we head to Agra Fort. Its very big and grand, although it involves a lot of walking and climbing. It has a nice view of the Taj. I take a few photos and head back to driver. Im aware that this boozy sweet smell is pretty potent and Im glad the 40 degree heat gives me an excuse to have all the car windows open. I get dropped off at my hotel to freshen up before dinner. Sinja and i have arranged to meet at Maya restaurant, a central well known restaurant. When I get there Sinja and her driver Raj are already enjoying a beer. i feel bad and invite my driver to join us. we order I have sag palak, which is paneer cheese with spinach and some lentil daal. we have a beer and pay the bill we get the drivers beers as a gesture. Sinja and I arrange to meet up in Rathambore the following evening. A lovely evening was had. i head to bed after declining my driver's offer of a massage - why would I not want a massage from him .......really ;-)