OnPoint by Keith Ng

That bed don't look too forgiving Keith. How much sleep did you get?

Oh, a good 28 to 30 hours, I reckon. I am a master of the Sleeping Log technique.

With the gentle chugging of the train, it's really quite nice. Of course, after the first 16 hours of continued sleep, your mind goes into power-saving mode, and then after 20 odd hours, your limbs spin down. By that stage, you become unable to move *and* unable to care that you're unable to move.

I really want to go on a fancy train journey one day, with dining cars and all that jazz, though. Do they still have them?

So we can assume independent foreign journalists do not qualify for a discount? If so, do you have any plans for remedying this situation?

I got myself some leprosy. 75% discount - score!

While I commiserate for your condition, I can't but help think you are gaming the system

That bed looks (vaguely) more comfortable than Vietnamese first class, in which a westerner can't sit on the bed without having to twist the neck (and I'm not tall). I still can't quite work out whether it was better to have the bed you can't sit up in with air-con (but with the smell of stale smoke, plus you can't see out for the condensation) or second class where there isn't enough room to have your knees straight in front of you, fans not air-con. You can open the windows, but they have metal shutters, because people throw rocks at trains. Duh.

Great post. I'd love to visit India.
Reminds me of an overnight trip- only about 14 hours- we did in Cote D'Ivoire. There was not a lot of sleep.... people- ear-rings clattering, scarves and baggage baggage baggage, naturally including chickens- just kept piling on. The aisles were crammed, women perched on packages, the gaurds, of whom everyone was terrified (they carried guns and savage looking canes) could only clamber very slowly from carraige to carriage.
After sundown it was a least pleasantly cool (for Cote D'Ivoire). About 2 am the train stopped suddenly, and there was gunfire. Everyone tried to cower to the floor. Rumours swept from carriage to carriage. There were "voleurs" at large. After the first rush of fear, the rumours subsided a little. A single bandit armed with a knife had leapt from the train: the gunshots had all come from the guards. Everyone was exhausted.
Finally the train started up, and we pulled into Ferke in the cool grey dawn. We'd planned our exit: Penny managed to climb along the aisle, and I passed her the packs through the window, and clambered out myself. We stumbled to a hotel and went straight to sleep....
Hey RB- maybe a "meme" of the month for travel stories?

Living vicariously has never seemed so sweet, really.

Looks like you were in the "flash" trains Keith! I recall on a couple of overnight train journeys in India when I splashed out for a couchette, I had to (politely) shoo the half dozen fullas off it that were keeping it warm prior to my arrival. My manky backpack was used as a pillow and there were no sheets or blankets over the "lovely" blue vinyl. I woke up a couple of times and found that the fullas that I'd shoo-ed away as I arrived had reclaimed their positions. They would jump off as soon as I'd stir but would sneak back as soon as I dozed off again. Wish I'd taken a few photos of it.

I was surprised to note some changes in India between your experiences and mine some 7 years ago. Prior to my trip I was introduced to a journalist (Martin) who'd been some 30 years ago, by a friend (Cam) who'd been there a few years prior to my trip. Though Martin and Cam they had visited Varanasi 25 years apart, described a very similar scene (strikingly similar as I found out when I subsequently visited).

I could happily ramble on about India for ages, but I'll save it for another time!

awwww i loved this post! i looooooooved travelling by train in india. it was so romantic, in a dirty, smelly, uncomfortable, too hot, too cold, crammed in, rubbing-shoulders-with-the-locals kind of way. sigh. oh for my travelling days .......

"chai chai chai.... chicken lollipop .... chai chai chai ...."