Driving that train, high on Biryani...

... Krishna Jones you'd better watch your speed!!!

Ok, here is my account of 2 consecutive nights on the overnight train! 

We went to Hyderabad (13 hr train ride) for a PPP experience sharing meeting with SAATHII offices from other States.  On the way there, it was me, my counterpart Mani, Dr. Sathish (our immediate supervisor), and Dr. Sucharita.  We rode third class AC, which is the lowest of the AC classes.  It was not all that comfortable, and not quite as fun as I had imagined.  Dr. Sucharita did not sit with us, and Mani and Dr. Sathish were busy doing work most of the time.  We had brought food, and everyone kind of takes turns eating as there isn't enough room for everyone to eat all at once.  Its hard to explain the layout of the train.  Each section has 3 levels of bunks facing each other and then 2 more levels of bunks against the window on the other side of the aisle.  When the beds are folded up, everyone sits on the lower person's bed like a bench, facing each other, legs all over the place!

I definitely saw some cockroaches, some even crawling on the walls!  But I had to pretend I didnt see them so I could sleep.  After dinner, I climbed up to go to bed.  I got top bunk 'cause I went to bed first (our of me, Mani, and Dr. Sathish).  They give you sheets and a pillow and blanket, but trying to make your bed while youre on it and there's not even enough room to sit up is a big challenge!

So when the beds are out, if you re walking down the aisle, 6 pairs of feet will be sticking out at you from one side and 2 people sleeping against the wall on the other side.  Which is exactly what I saw at 130am when I got up to pee.  8 beds per section, 8 sections per train car.  64 people per train car, mostly men and ALL SNORING!!!  It was the craziest snoring symphony I've ever heard (and I have heard A LOT)!!!  I put in my ear plugs, but the sound still came through.  In the end I just laughed, 'cause what can you do?  I think that is why I'm surviving India.  If something doesn't hurt me, I just find it amusing.  Easily amused- best part about being Carly!

The place we were going to, Hyderabad, is famous for a type of food called Biryani.  Other cities have it, but it's supposed to be FANTASTIC from Hyderabad.  Since we were only there for the day, and were having lunch at the conference center (which happened to be a convent), it looked like I was going to miss my chance.  But Mani convinced one of the office Madams to get us a parcel of Chicken Biryani for the the train ride home.

On the way home, it was just me and Mani, everyone else was staying for longer.  Our parcel dinner was delicious.  Biryani is rice cooked with super spicy chicken.  It was very oily and delicious.  Both Mani and I are mainly veg, but we both thought it was worth eating meat, since we were in Hyderabad.  Our dinner sparked a long conversation with 3 other men sitting in our section about biryani and why Hyderabad has the best and Chennai biryani sucks. We ended the conversation by toasting sweet lassis (like a sweet yogurt drink) we bought from the train boys selling things up and down the aisles.  We then talked about the snoring and everyone was laughing a lot, it was quite fun, you guys know how I like to make friends, especially on trains. 


I got top bunk again, and slept surprisingly well, given those 3 bigger men in our section and their snoring!  Our train arrived 15 min early (so at 540am), which was before my alarm went off.  Mani woke me up and I was completely out of it, but managed to gather my stuff and get out of there.  Mani rode with me in the auto to my house to drop me off.  It was still dark so I got changed, went for a run, had a shower and came to work!  What a day!