The Train

Josh Hamilton

The room - it is barely 2 meters wide and is approx. 2.2m high (simply perfect). Two lights stick out of the multi-functional roof providing a nice dim beam down to the bunks below. The ceiling, in certain cabins, has A.C. and can rarely have an extra dangling green fan - striking fear into us all. We are very fortunate to be in one of these cabins. There are 2 antique square A.C. vents loosely screwed into the limited space of the roof above - the vents do look like they could fall apart at any moment, but they work! 

Below there are 6 bunks - each are 1.7m long (with Tom and Leo the only two not hanging off the end), roughly 60cm wide (everyone comfortably fitting), and containing 80cm of head space to adjust in (no problems there). The top bunks hang from short rusted poles, hidden away by a thick blue piece of fabric, which are firmly positioned into the ceiling with some hefty and practical 15mm bolts. 

The beds - these are actually reasonably comfortable. They are over used, filthy, and compacted foam mattress' (covered by a thin layer of commercial fabric which was simply designed to 'improve' the comfort of the beds - we will make do) providing an important resting space for the duration of the next 17.5 hours. Here, we lay the over sized base sheet, which can regularly scrunch up during the night. We then lay a general sheet down which provides a needed separating layer to the 'clean' blankets we get. We finally cover ourselves in the less than fluffy blanket to provide some warmth to our near nude bodies that just want to sleep.

Me - I am comfortable, satisfied, and grateful to be sharing the experience with some of my best mates. I am looking forward to the rest of the train ride but what I am mostly looking forward to is opening my cards and calling home tomorrow. 

This description of where I am writing this blog cannot portray the hectic card playing that is going on below me, interchanging regularly between 500 and scum (dependent on how many people are wanting to play), or the constant passing by of Chai wallas trying to make a living, or the scruffy men selling whole meals to all that are hungry. 

This can all be merely a blur to me as I put my mind to focus on only one thing - it is Christmas Eve. You would never guess it being in India. However, the lack of Christmas celebrations and decor shall be written in another blog. 

This is what the train is like for me.