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Day 6
Turned up dutifully at the station via a taxi with our luggage on the roof NOT TIED DOWN and were amazed to find our names on the passenger list, the right train, our tickets, our seats and our luggage! There is a system! Unfortunately we weren't all
exactly together and Clover ended up sharing a 4 berth with a young Indian family with a baby. It started off well until an hour or so in - when their young friends joined them - about 15 of them - squashed into a space for 6, and talking at the tops of their voices.
I complained about them loudly and rudely to Rufus until the nice man asked us where we were from and told us politely he had just finished an MBA at Leeds University. Felt awful. All 15 of them were incredibly kind to Clover who relished being the centre of attention and even got to hold the baby. Lesson learned.
Rufus sat and read Gandhi's autobiography (show off) - he didn't even know who he was till I gave him a potted history a week ago. We tried 'train food' which was a big mistake when it arrived on a dirty tray, stinky, lukewarm and the local man in the next carriage ran to the toilet with worrying haste. Came back clutching his tum with a vile stench
following him. At least it cleared the carriage of the 15 friends who went straight back to third class. I breathed politely through my pashmina until it passed. I can cope, I've done Scotrail!
I was momentarily heartened when the bedding came round, and then instantly disappointed when handed a wooden block in a sack and a blanket clearly made from the skin and fur of the aforementioned dogs. Both girls refused to sleep - veering from fighting to giggling at breakneck speed. Clover can only read aloud so the whole carriage was treated to 'AND THEN THE KITTEN SAID.....' in high pitched Scottish
accent.
I also refused to sleep for fear of them being abducted off the train during the night. Also was hugely thrilled at the thought of staying up for the sunrise over Rajhastan. And perhaps the white-wine-wallah will go past at any minute.......
After 10 hours, got bored. Decided children probably wouldn't be abducted and promptly fell asleep. Woke some time later to find an ancient Indian man kindly tucking me in. After a minute of haziness I realised he actually might not be tucking me in at all - still, I endured it politely and fell back asleep. Woke again with a start panicking that he had also tried to 'tuck in' Fern & Clover. Imagine my surprise when I found them wide awake drinking chai and eating biscuits and playing Nintendogs. Loudly. And Rufus also awake, very pleased that he had bought everything from the child vendors and surveying his purchases of paper soap, a comb and Indian Cosmoplitan. Back to sleep. Woke to see the promised sunrise, felt a bit emotional. We've arrived!
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